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Colic - infantile - Management
What advice should I give to the parents?

  • Reassure the parents that their baby is well, they are not doing something wrong, the baby is not rejecting them, and that colic is common and is a phase that will pass within a few months.
  • Holding the baby through the crying episode may be helpful. However, if there are times when the crying feels intolerable, it is best to put the baby down somewhere safe (e.g. their cot) and take a few minutes' 'time out'.
  • Other strategies that may help to soothe a crying infant include:
    • Gentle motion (e.g. pushing the pram or a ride in the car).
    • 'White noise' (e.g. vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, running water).
    • Bathing in a warm bath.
  • Encourage parents to look after their own well-being:
    • Ask family and friends for support — parents need to be able to take a break.
    • Rest when the baby is asleep.
    • Meet other parents with babies of the same age.
  • CRY-SIS is a support group for families with excessively crying, sleepless, and demanding children. Their helpline is available every day from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. Tel: 08451 228 669. The CRY-SIS website (www.cry-sis.org.uk) also contains useful information.
Basis for recommendation
  • The good practice recommendations on reassurance, peer support, and holding the baby through the crying episode are taken from the NICE guideline Postnatal care: routine postnatal care of women and their babies [National Collaborating Centre for Primary Care, 2006].
  • Soothing motion (e.g. car rides), 'white noise' (e.g. vacuum cleaner, hairdryer, running water), or reducing stimulation have not been studied adequately, but professional opinion is they may be worth trying as they are safe, inexpensive, and involve the parents [Hiscock, 2006].

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