#colicdrops

Baby Dozer was a colicky baby. Colic is the most common word attributed to any unknown reason for baby crying. He would be all fine and cheerful. Then suddenly he would have a terrible crying fit. No one could pacify him and he would shriek as if in great pain. His episodes usually happened about twice a day, morning and night, and occasionally, in the evening too. I’ll never forget those shrieks, they would get louder and louder until finally, no sound would come out from his open mouth – it was a picture of someone in terrible terrible pain.

(Picture taken from compassionnatesleepsolutions.com)

This painful and heart wrenching period happened on and off between weeks 3 to 8. I cried countless times, in despair that I was unable to help him. 6 weeks of agony is a VERY LONG time when it is happening to someone whom you would give your life for.

I did tons of online research, sought advice from every mother I knew, posted questions on Facebook mummy support groups and even brought my baby to the paediatrician twice.

Online research was worrying. When you read a lot of articles on the internet, you tend to get paranoid. Initially I was convinced that Baby Dozer had gastroesophageal reflux (GER), then, I feared that it was gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). To diagnose GER or GERD, baby would have to go through things liked endoscopy, X-rays; none of which you would ever want your little baby to go through!

I ended up with Dentinox from the paediatrician and Woodward’s gripe water from the pharmacist. I gave them all to Baby Dozer and sometimes they seemed to work, but once I stopped administering them, the symptoms would return along with Baby Dozer’s soundless shrieks.

Dentinox infant colic drops

Woodwards gripe water

At the end of the day, I had to rely on instinct. Somewhere deep down inside me, I knew that Baby Dozer needed time to get over this rough patch and as long as he was sleeping and eating well, with normal bowel movement, I had to trust that these crying fits were not an indication of some serious disease or illness.

As suddenly as they came, these episodes stopped altogether once Baby Dozer turned 8 weeks old. Till today, I have no explanation for those terrible weeks. All I can do is to echo the words of mothers who told me that it is a passing phase.

In recent months, I’ve noticed Mummies on Facebook advising other mothers with colicky babies to minimise intake of potentially “windy” foods like beans, cabbage, etc. (Refer below for a list of other “windy” foods.) I’d say just give it a shot and don’t forget to swaddle baby well and prevent “wind” from entering his body. Old wives’ tales or not, I had been careful to avoid eating “windy” food throughout my confinement and for the next 3 months or so; however, I had not controlled my diet much throughout my pregnancy. If I could wind back the clock, I would have abstained for that 9 months just to give a stab at preventing Baby Dozer’s colicky moments. No mother, no parent ever wants to go through that. 

Since then, I’ve come to rely more on my instincts. Yes, I heed others’ advice and think through carefully what I am told and what I read, but at the end of the day, there will be that voice deep down inside you that will somehow tell you how to read baby best. So, if your baby is going through a colicky phase and you’re breastfeeding, it will pass. Just hang on in there!

Baby Dozer is very jovial these days - so different from that colicky baby back then!

Note: The article is not meant to be any form of professional advice. I am merely an ordinary mother, no doctor nor baby expert, who is writing based on my own experience with Baby Dozer.

Potentially “windy” foods (as advised by my mother-in-law):

1. Cabbage 2. Tauge (Bean sprouts) 3. Kangkung (Water spinach) 4. Long beans 5. Green beans and green bean soup 6. Brinjal