5 More Tips For Relieving Your Baby's Gas Pains

One of the most consistent issues parents face with their new babies is the discomfort that gas can cause. That is why I am revisiting this topic. For a new baby, gas is inevitable. For the first couple months the digestive system is still adapting to both processing nutrients and expelling waste. The issues that cause gas pain are related to both slow movement of waste through the bowels, and difficulty digesting. Even when your baby is only eating breast milk or formula the simple process of breaking down the nutrients can be hard on your little sugar-pop. So here are five more things you can try.

1. Warm peppermint and fennel compress.
To make a compress  wrap a some fresh peppermint and fennel with a soft piece of cotton cloth and soak in warm with water for about two minutes. After soaking, squeeze out the excess water and place the warm damp compress on your little darling's lower abdomen. To finish, wrap a cloth around your baby and the compress to make sure it won't move. Leave the compress on for about 20 minutes, re-moistening it with a bit of the same warm water that you soaked it in to begin with about every five minutes or so. The scent is calming and the herbal properties of fennel and peppermint have been used to assist in digestion for hundreds of years. Using a compress is a very good natural way to help your sweet little bubble blower absorb a bit of the herbal benefits gently, and in a way that doesn't give her tummy more new substances to digest.

2. Give a supplemental bottle of water.
One thing that your baby can ingest that does not cause gas is water. Water is not digested in the same way as other foods, and so causes no gas by itself. Also water can dilute other fluids making it harder for gas bubbles to form. Although he may not drink much, just a little bit goes a long way. Water can also stimulate the bowels to move, which is very helpful. It is important to note that you should not replace a feeding with a bottle of water, since there is no nutritional value, but a little extra water after a feeding can do wonders for a little tooter who is prone to gas trouble.

3. Swaddle with your infants legs folded.
When your infant has trouble with gas, one sign is when she pushes her legs straight out. This is an instinctual reaction to abdominal pain and is meant to help push off anything that might be pushing on her belly. However, pushing the legs out straight actually tightens your little giggler's behind muscles, which doesn't help matters move along.When your infants legs are wrapped up in a folded "criss-cross-applesauce" style in front of her, the instinctual tightening of the abdomen in response to gas pain is much more helpful. To do this type of swaddle, wrap the arms as you normally would, normally, then fold the legs up and crossed. While holding the legs with one hand bring the bottom section of the blanket up and tuck it into the front of the swaddle. It is also important to remember that all swaddling should either leave your baby's legs free to kick about or have them wrapped up near the body with the knees apart to prevent hip dysplaisia which can sometimes result from straight-leg swaddling.

4. Tummy time across your thighs.
Sometimes the gentle pressure of regular tummy time is not enough to relax your infant's abdomen. Or your little pipsqueek may just dislike regular tummy time, and the combination of the pain and the position may make the situation worse. In these cases, laying your baby across your thighs, with their head on one thigh, and their tummy on the other is a great thing to try. Not only is contact with you soothing, but as your baby lays on your lap, you can gently bounce the leg that his tummy is resting on very lightly. Let his legs hang down as you do this and softly stroke and pat his back. The combination of your warmth, the gentle pressure, and the position of the legs is often a near magical combination for producing the relief your baby needs.

5. A foot massage.
For babies that have a continuing problem of gas I like to suggest trying a reflexology massage. Reflexology is the art of stimulating areas on the feet and/or ears to affect other areas of the body. It is similar to acupressure, but the way it is applied has more room for error. The area of your baby's feet that is associated with the bowels is in the center of the bottom of the foot  between the arch and the ball of the heel. As your baby lays on her back hold her feet up and gently rub this area in a soft circular motion for a few minutes. This gas relieving reflexology method can be done a few times during the day. I like to do it just before the morning feeding, just before the later afternoon nap, and just before the bedtime feeding. The reason I do it before feedings and before sleep is because the way that reflexology works is not immediate. Reflexology is designed to treat the underlying issues (in this case movement of waste through the bowels, and efficient digestion), not to relieve the immediate symptoms.

Though there is no cure-all perfect remedy that will work for every baby, these tips have come in very handy for me over the years. Some babies are more prone to gas and gas-related pain than others, but the nice thing about babies is that they outgrow these kinds of things eventually. It is very important for you as a parent to remember to try and stay calm and gentle in these frustrating times. Keep trying new things until you find something that works, and then enjoy the silence as long as you can. The only thing as intense as a the feeling of frustration when a baby cries is the feeling of relief when they finally stop. If you have found these tips helpful, please forward them to any new or expecting parents you know. Questions and comments are always welcome. Happy parenting!

There is a NEW post from NAOMI up today (9/5/14)! Check it out HERE.

5 tips for burping your baby.

Why is it that so many parents seem to have such an easy time burping their babies? It seems like when most infants have gas and need to burp, their parents just prop them up on their shoulder and pat their back for a couple minutes. The fact is, there are many babies that are extremely hard to burp, and learning the right way to help your little one is not nearly as straightforward as you might have thought it would be. The reason it is important to help your baby burp after being fed is that if there is air in your baby's stomach and you don't help it up, it can be forced to exit the other way, which is very uncomfortable for your little tooter. Though the shoulder laying, back patting method is an effective way to relieve newborn gas for some babies, there are many more ways you can try if this method doesn't seem to be working.

1. Dance out the burp.
To help your baby work a bubble up, sometimes some movement side-to-side helps. Take one hand and place it on your baby's chest, cupping her chin with your thumb and forefinger. Now sit her up on your knee, leaning on your hand that is on her chest. Take your other hand and spread it across her back, using a couple of fingers to stabilize her head from behind. Then holding her securely between your two hands, in a sitting position on your knee, rock the top half of her body gently left-to-right and back in a rhythmic repetitive motion. She will look like she's doing a bad eighties dance if you are doing it right. I often combine the dance with some gentle bouncing from my knee. This should help release any gas bubbles that are lodged in odd little nooks and crannies in your baby's belly. If you don't hear any results after about 5 minutes of this, you may want to try something else, since this type of burping is usually immediately effective if it is going to work at all. I usually start with this technique, because it is generally very effective.

2. Bounce out the burp.
If you have a medium to large exercise ball, break it out! You're finally going to get some use out of that thing! Hold your baby close to your chest, with one hand on his hind end and one supporting his neck and head. Then straddle your exercise ball, being careful not to sit too far back on it, and gently bounce straight up and down. Each time you come down from a bounce, a very small amount of pressure will be applied to your baby's abdomen. This repetitive pressure acts almost like a gentle massage, compressing the lower part of your baby's abdomen and encouraging any air bubbles to exit the way they came. This is also a great remedy for colic and motion sickness, but not so great for reflux or excessive spit up. Be sure to protect your shirt with a burp-cloth.

3. Massage out the burp.
For this technique lay your baby stomach down on an incline with her head raised a few inches. When your snuggle buns is comfortable, take one hand and place it at the base of her spine across her hips. Then gently, without using too much pressure, slide your hand up your baby's back until you reach the shoulder blades. Don't go all the way up to the neck, because pressure on a baby's neck is unsafe. Place your other hand at the base of your baby's spine while your first hand is sliding up, and then begin sliding the second one up when the first one reaches your baby's shoulder blades. This creates a kind of "water wheel" effect and can be very effective for some babies.

4. Consolidate the burp.
Now, for some reason, some babies are able to keep a whole bunch of smaller individual bubbles in their tummies. These bubbles can be a little frustrating, because you will finish feeding your sweet little twinkle toes, burp him, and lay him down, and within ten minutes he will be screaming at the top of his lungs from another gas bubble. This sleep-repellent routine can sometimes happen 4 or 5 times in a row before all of the gas is gone. For these babies gas drops like Mylicon can be very beneficial. Be sure to read the directions on the bottle, and follow them carefully. What Mylicon does is break the surface tension between several separate gas bubbles, this makes one large bubble which is a lot easier to get up. It is very important that you get your baby to burp after using Mylicon though, because if that large consolidated gas bubble does pass into the intestines, it will be very uncomfortable, and your baby will most likely have a very sad painful 3 or 4 hours until the gas is able to be passed from below the belt. When Mylicon is used properly it is a great tool to try.

5. Wait out the burp.
There is another kind of baby out there, one that seems incapable of burping. You pat and pat, bounce, jiggle and dance away with no results. Then when you give up and lay your adorable little bunny rabbit down her eyes pop open and she launches into a baby operetta about your shortcomings as a parent. So you pick her up and then, 1 to 2 hours after the feeding, she burps. In my experience, this type of baby will not respond to any amount or type of burp-producing trick. In fact the best way to get her to release her bubble hostage, is to give her some time. Tummy time is best, unless she is asleep, if she is asleep, I recommend wearing her in a nice snug wrap until you hear the magical belch of freedom. If neither of these options are viable for any reason, simply lay her down on her back and tuck her in, then take advantage of the time you have until she wakes crying with an impending burp, instead of burning yourself out with a lot of wasted effort in the meantime.

Preventing gas problems for your baby can be hard, especially at first when they are so small and delicate, but with effective burping, baby gas can be reduced and even eliminated in rare instances. It is good to keep in mind that over the first couple of years your baby's burping habits will change, they may get more difficult or may vanish entirely. So if what you have been doing suddenly doesn't work any more, just keep trying something new. If you have found these tips helpful, please forward them to any new or expecting parents you know. Questions, comments and followers are always welcome! Happy parenting!

5 tips for safe and effective bottle feeding.

Breast is best. However for a lot of mothers this isn't the way things worked out. No matter the reason, many parents find themselves faced with the task of using a bottle to feed their baby. Though there are some benefits, there are also many drawbacks to using the bottle. Whether you are using breast milk or formula in the bottle there are a few simple things you can do to make it a lot easier on yourself and your baby.

1. Be sure you are using the right speed nipple flow.
All bottles initially come with a stage 1 nipple. This slow-flow nipple is usually good for a couple of months. However, the age suggestions for increasing the speed of nipple flows are general at best. Every baby is unique, often even identical twins will not advance at exactly the same time to a higher flow. Some of the ways you can tell if your baby is ready for the next stage of nipple are: if your baby is losing suction pretty often while eating, becoming frustrated after eating for just a few minutes, eating a lot less but becoming hungry much more often, a sudden increase in the amount and intensity of gas, and a lot of chewing on the nipple during meal times. If you see any of these signs, or a combination of them it is time to get a faster flow bottle nipple.

2. Choose a non-toxic bottle.
BPA's and PVC's have been shown (to my satisfaction) to be dangerous as containers for baby's milk, unfortunately most bottles on the market still contain these chemicals. Also, plastic containers that advertise as BPA and PVC free have often replaced these unsafe chemicals with chemicals which have little or no research available on them. The best materials for containing your baby's milk are glass and stainless steel. Kleen Kanteen makes a wonderful stainless steel baby bottle, which is not only safe for your baby's milk, but easy on the environment. I have not personally used this bottle, so I cannot attest to how effective it is at reducing gas, but purely from a green and chemical-free perspective, it is the best choice. As far as glass baby bottles, you have many options, however my personal favorite is Dr. Brown's glass baby bottles. In my opinion, Dr. Browns is hands-down the best baby bottle for reducing gas. There were many times when I used this brand of bottle that the baby I was feeding would not only not have a burp, but also sleep peacefully without any of the usual discomfort that can result from not burping after a meal. The only drawback to the glass Dr. Brown's is that the production of glass is very hard on the environment. However, some families may not be able to afford to buy only the most non-toxic and environmentally safe bottles. For these families, the best ways to reduce the leaching of chemicals from your baby's bottles into milk and formula are: choose bottles that are colored, and not see-through; and do not warm your baby's milk or formula, but serve it at room temperature. Babies usually are not particular about the temperature of their meals (especially if they have never been breastfed), and there are no reasons why the milk or formula should be served at any particular temperature besides your baby's willingness to drink it. Chemicals do not leach into milk and formula as much from cool bottles or from plastics that are an opaque color.

3. Try to keep air out of the nipple during feeds.
As your little honey-suckle downs a big bottle of creamy goodness, try to keep the bottle at such an angle that air does not get into the nipple. If your baby takes in a big mouthful of air during a feed, the easiest thing for her to do with it is to swallow it and continue eating. This is very bad for gas. If that bubble is swallowed near the beginning of a meal, it could be forced through the stomach and into the intestines by the time your baby is finished eating. A large bubble of air going through your baby's intestinal tract is very uncomfortable for her, and though it will eventually be expelled at the diapered end, sleep may be difficult in the meantime. If your baby does swallow some air during a feed, try to get the burp up right away. If it does not come up, I recommend giving your baby a "bicycle legs" massage or regular clockwise stomach massage about 30-40 minutes after eating.

4. Sterilize your baby bottles and nipples regularly.
It is true that as soon as you touch a baby's bottle or nipple it is no longer sterile, however, regular sterilization cuts down the risk of getting thrush or a bacterial infection drastically. The only time when it is shown to be consistently safe to go without regular sterilization is if you are only using fresh breast milk in the bottles. Fresh breast milk has antibacterial properties that render it very resistant to thrush and the risk of infection (thank you @katrinayellow from twitter for reminding me to include this information). For the first two months you should sterilize the bottles every day, for months 3-6 twice a week is sufficient, from 6 months to 1 year, I recommend trying to do it at least once a month, and after 1 year it is usually fine to completely discontinue sterilization. The reason I recommend continuing with the occasional sterilization at this pace is based on the general ability of babies to fight off infection. If your baby is more prone to bacterial infection, or would be more adversely affected by an infection than most other babies, I would continue with at least bi-weekly sterilization for as long as your baby is using the bottle. Also remember to wash and sterilize pumping equipment after each use. To sterilize your baby's bottles, you can use a Medela microwave bag, which is handy and easy, you can boil them, or run them through the dishwashers heating cycle. Washing the bottles and nipples with soap and water is important as well, this should always be done before using the bottle and nipple again for another feeding.

5. Make sure your baby's milk and/or formula is fresh.
Fresh pumped breast milk can stay out in a bottle at room temperature for about 10-12 hours before it begins to have a risk of growing bacteria. Fresh mixed formula can only be out for about 1-2 hours before it begins to develop a bacterial risk. Fresh pumped breast milk can be refrigerated for up to a week (though sometimes as little as 2 or 3 days. A sterile container helps retain freshness in refrigerated breast milk.) with no significant bacterial growth risk, and fresh mixed formula can be refrigerated for up to 2 days. Breast milk can be frozen for 3 months in a soft-freeze, 6 months in a hard freeze and 1 year in a deep freeze. Thawed breast milk (and sometimes even refrigerated breast milk) is nearly as susceptible to bacteria as fresh mixed formula is, and should be held to a minimum of the same standards. If you pre-mix a large amount of formula, refrigerate the bulk of it for up to 2 days. If you have thawed breast milk, it should be served within 48 hours as well. For night feedings, you can pre-mix or thaw your formula or milk and keep prepared bottles in the refrigerator. Leave out the first bottle for up to an hour before it is used for the first feeding, then take out a bottle for the next feeding to warm over 2-3 hours. By the time it reaches room temperature, it will probably be within an hour of your baby's next feeding time. If you prefer to mix your baby's formula by the bottle rather than all at once, keep sterile bottles of pre-measured water with pre-measured formula to mix just before each feeding (the only drawback to this is the bubbles that are caused by shaking formula can cause severe gas in some babies). It is very important to keep in mind that once your baby's mouth has touched the bottles nipple, that formula or breast milk will only be safe for 1 hour, TOPS. I know it is hard to throw out breast milk, and formula can be expensive, but if your baby only eats half a bottle and refuses to finish it, throw the rest away. Also, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself with the smell of fresh formula and breast milk, as well as the smell of breast milk and formula that has "turned", because if you are in a pinch and need to offer your baby some milk that you are unsure of, you will be able to use your nose to warn you of bacteria growth.

Feeding a baby is both a joy and a chore, but with these 5 tips you can be more confident that your baby is getting the best from each feeding (for more information on how to make good choices for your baby's things read this). I hope that these tips have been helpful. If you know any new or expecting parents, please don't hesitate to forward them my site address. I also love questions and comments. If you have a topic that you'd like some tips on, feel free to ask, and I will credit you when I write them. Happy parenting!

5 tips to help relieve your baby's constipation

Within days of becoming a new parent, one of your very favorite topics will be...poop. Suddenly one of the most fascinating topics in the world is your baby's bowel movements. So naturally, when your baby has constipation, finding a way to relieve it is a top priority. Unlike adults, babies cannot simply eat more fiber to help their bowel movements be more regular and comfortable, they rely on us to provide constipation relief. Of course, it is important to be sure that your baby is indeed having constipation before you try to treat it. Babies, especially breastfed babies, can sometimes go up to 3 or 4 days between bowel movements, simply because they are metabolizing nearly all of their feedings.

One dangerous symptom which is sometimes confused with infant constipation (or that goes unnoticed because of focusing to closely on a baby's constipation), is having a sharp drop in the number of wet diapers per day. This could be a symptom of a serious condition and you should consult your pediatrician if you notice your baby producing significantly fewer wet diapers. Some signs to look for to be sure that your baby is constipated are: absence of bowel movements for more than 3 or 4 days, reduced appetite, trouble sleeping, slightly bloated abdomen, grunting and straining interrupted by high-pitched cries, and very smelly gas. Here are a few home-remedies for helping your baby get things moving down below.

1. A small amount of diluted fruit juice.
This should be given in addition to your baby's regular feedings, it should not replace any of them. Try mixing 1/2 ounce of juice with 1/2 ounce water, and offering it to your baby 3 to 4 times a day between feedings. Do not sweeten the juice, the sugar will not help with your baby's constipation and could upset her digestion. A popular choice of juice is prune juice, however, I have found that many fruit juices are just as effective. I prefer to use apple juice or pear juice, though you could also try grape juice or blueberry juice, I would recommend staying away from stone-fruit juices such as apricot or peach, and also acidic fruits such as orange, grapefruit, kiwi, pineapple and nearly all berries, because they can irritate your baby's sensitive stomach, and they are higher allergen risks.

2. Use the "bicycle legs" baby massage motion.
In a warm room, lay your naked little nummy-toed koala on a soft clean changing pad, with a cloth diaper under his rump, and another one draped between his legs and over his behind, but none secured over his whole bottom. Then take those chubby, yummy feet in your hands and slowly push your baby's right knee toward his right shoulder. When your baby's knee cannot comfortably go any further, raise his foot slightly and pull his leg toward you, slowly straightening it. As you straighten his right leg, begin pushing his left knee toward his left shoulder. If you are doing this correctly it should appear that your baby is very slowly peddling an invisible bicycle. His hind-end should be slightly raised off of the cloth diaper and gently leaning right-to-left then left-to-right as you continue the motions. The reason your baby has no diaper on is to encourage the natural expulsion of the waste that has been stopping him up, so that diaper draped between his legs is very important, you don't want him painting the walls (or you) a new shade of green.

3. Offer your baby small amounts of very weak peppermint tea.
Heat a pot of water till it is comfortably warm, not boiling. Then and pour a cup, and dunk a peppermint tea bag into the water about 5 times. Now pour one ounce of this water into a bottle and offer it to your baby in addition to regular feedings. The most important element of this solution is the water. Water is one of natures fastest and most effective ways to stimulate proper bowel function. The peppermint is soothing to your baby's stomach, and can help to ease digestion, which will help keep things in your baby's bowels moving along smoothly. If this doesn't produce any results you could try to substitute a bag of white tea for the peppermint. Caffeine won't help your little wiggle-worm sleep, but it does make a great diuretic. You should only use white tea as a last resort, since caffeine can be hard on a baby's sensitive system. Chamomile is another herbal tea that has a calming effect on tissue and the nervous system. If you don't have peppermint tea, it would be a good safe substitute. Use the same brewing instructions as given for the peppermint tea. Also, warm water by itself is quite often effective in relieving constipation.

4. Give your baby a warm bath.
Warm water isn't just effective on your baby's insides. When your baby is uncomfortable from the symptoms of constipation, a nice soak in a warm aromatic bath can be very soothing. Being uncomfortable because of the gas caused by a dense stool is part of what causes the muscle tightness that exacerbates infant constipation. If you can relax your baby's stomach muscles, while soothing the pain of excess gas it should help ease the passing of the bowel movement. I recommend adding a chamomile teabag to your baby's bathwater, the smell is soothing, and can assist in the achieving the desired level of relaxation.

5. Take your baby's rectal temperature.
If you are unsure of how to do this, ask your pediatrician for detailed instructions. As one of my son's nurses explained it to me, when your baby feels pressure down there, it reminds him where to push. So instead of straining and tensing all of his muscles without being sure which ones will help relieve the discomfort, your baby can focus on one area. I have heard parents describe using a q-tip with a small amount of Aquaphor on it to place pressure on the opening of their baby's rectum, but I have not had this recommended to me by a medical professional, nor have I tried it myself. Since I am comfortable and confident with taking my son's temperature rectally, I used this method with great success several times. As with any physical assistance in regards to constipation, it is important not to use this type of assistance too often as there is a danger of your baby becoming reliant on your assistance. This type of technique should only be used when all other suggestions have been tried first.

If these suggestions do not help get the ball rolling, your pediatrician can recommend more extreme measures. However, I do think that these tips will most likely get your little diaper-soiling-factory up and running again (one more of my favorite home remedies for infant constipation can be found here). Keep in mind that while your baby is experiencing constipation, the physical and emotional symptoms of distress may get you a little tense as well. Be sure to get plenty of fiber in your own diet, and you'll feel better and have more energy to deal well with your baby's discomfort. If you have found these tips to be helpful, please pass them on to any new or expecting parents you might know. As always, questions and comments are welcome. Happy parenting!

5 tips for soothing a colicky baby.

Colic. The dreaded, the mythical, the bane of parental existence... colic. It's such a cute little word when you look at it, yet the meaning it carries is ugly indeed. Crying. Your baby crying and there seems to be nothing you can do to help. The definition of colic is basically a baby who cries at predictable times during the day for around three hours at a time. There is no known cause or cure. Helpful huh? Of course colic has existed since babies have, and mothers over the years have learned a few things to try that might help you and your little screamer through the rough patches. Also, my 5 tips for gas and reflux can also be tried to help remedy colic.

1. The Superman hold.

Hold your baby tummy down, feet pointing at you, with one hand under her belly button and one hand supporting her head. Stand with your legs spread apart and swing your baby through your legs backward and forward, supporting the majority of her weight with the hand on her belly button. You can continue to hold her this way while seated, suspending her between your knees, bouncing a bit. The reason i think that this sometimes works is partly because it helps expel gas, partly because it provides a bit of warmth from your hand that may soothe your baby's abdominal muscles if they are sore and partly because the motion of swinging or bouncing can help a baby focus on her internal equilibrium which takes the focus off of whatever is causing the colic.

2. Examine your diet.

One possible explanation for colic is that it is actually your baby expressing discomfort because of food allergies. If your baby is bottle fed there are many other types of formula you can try, your pediatrician will be able to recommend one that is right for you and your baby. However, if you are breastfeeding, there are a thousand things it could be. Many mothers try to eliminate suspicious foods from their diet one at a time, which can take forever, and is still not guaranteed to help. I recommend a bland your diet for 2 days, then adding foods back in over a couple weeks. Try oatmeal (no milk or sugar) and an apple for breakfast, a baked potato with olive oil (no dairy) and roasted turkey breast for lunch and brown rice, carrots and grilled chicken (no onions) for dinner. As you'll notice the things cut out of this meal plan are dairy, wheat, legumes and most fruits and veggies. The fruits and veggies that are most often the culprit seem to be things like broccoli, onions, beans, acidic fruits, If you are on this diet for a couple of days and see no changes in your babies temperament then chances are it is not something you are eating, and you can either switch out the bland foods for other bland foods to rule out the few things that you were eating, or just go back to your normal eating habits. If your baby suddenly calms though, try reintroducing a few foods a day until your baby begins to be colicky again. Then slowly scale back to pin point which food was the issue. In rare instances there can be more than one allergen causing your baby discomfort, and quite often the cause is not rooted in your diet at all, but eliminating your diet as a cause will save you a lot of guilt and worry.

3. Try sleep-in-motion.

I am not a big fan of using sleep in motion (swings, cars, strollers), because of potential sleep problems that can develop as a result of over using it. However, there are times when helping your baby get some sleep (no matter how) outweighs everything else. First try the baby swing, since that will be the most convenient, then the stroller, and only as a last resort try the car. Though the car can often be the most effective, it is also the most work and the hardest on the environment. If you have a bicycle, and a baby-safe trailer, it is also a good method to try depending on the weather. After your baby is asleep, if you can stop the motion and they stay asleep I highly recommend it. Their sleep will be deeper and more restorative with less outside stimulation to contend with.

4. Use a hair dryer.
The most strange secret weapon against colic is sound. Though no one is certain why, the sound of a hair dryer, vacuum, car engine or fan can get your colicky baby's attention and calm their stress like nothing else. Though I'm sure there is a rational explanation for why this so often works, right now it seems a little like magic. Because leaving electronic devices running for too long both wastes energy and can be a fire hazard using a prerecorded source for the noise is the best option. You can record it yourself or buy recordings here. Just remember that keeping the noise at a fairly high level also seems to help. I recommend starting with the sounds on lower, and slowly turning it up until your baby begins to react positively. Before investing time or money in this solution try the real sound so you can be sure it will work for your baby.

5. A vibrating back massager on the tummy.
When all else seems to be failing, a technique that has worked for me a few times is to get a vibrating back massage device, wrap it in a towel to mute the strength of the vibrations, and apply it gently to your baby's belly. Be careful not to keep the massage device in any one place for too long (over 2 minutes), and try to keep the entire massage under 10 minutes. If you sometimes go as long as 15 it should be okay, but shoot for short sessions. If your baby responds well and falls asleep, stop the massage device and put it away.

Though colic is a difficult thing to go through with your baby, even if all the tips, tricks and hints in the world do not help you can at least take comfort in knowing that it does not last forever. Most colic resolves by 4 months, and %90 of cases resolve by 9 months. I know that it is a small comfort but sometimes even a distant hope is better than none at all. Always remember to keep an eye on your own stress and frustration levels. If you begin to be overwhelmed, laying your baby down in a safe crib and taking a short break, even while they are crying, to calm your nerves can make a huge difference to your ability to cope well with the stress of the situation.

Try to work together with your spouse or partner or supportive friend to give each other support and comfort, assigning blame and picking at each other, though natural, will only add more stress to the situation. Keep your spirits up, lean on each other and try try again until that magical day when your little human cacophony stops crying for no reason and spends the majority of his time being cute. Happy parenting!

5 tips for reducing baby spit-up and soothing reflux.

When I was little, I remember thinking that it was natural for babies to spit up about half of their feeding every time they were burped. Now I know that was not true, and it is very likely that my younger brothers and sisters all had severe reflux. Gastroesophageal reflux (infant acid reflux) is basically the inability of a baby's throat to close all the way to keep food down.

For general questions about your baby's spit-up, check here.

It is theorized that many babies have this issue early on, but most grow out of it within the first couple of weeks. The symptoms don't all have to be as extreme as the example I've given, the medical rule of thumb is much broader: If a baby has thrown up 1/3 of a feeding 3 times a day for 3 weeks out of a month for the first 3 months they are considered to have reflux. Of course using that system of measure, you won't even receive the diagnosis until your baby is 3 months old. Since there are several simple easy things you can do to help your baby avoid the discomfort associated with reflux, I recommend that for those first 3 months, if you are in doubt, go ahead and treat it as if it is reflux, it can't hurt, and could very well help.

1. Feed your baby on a 45 degree angle and keep them like that for about 20 minutes after they finish.
Keep your baby's head up, that way the milk won't simply run back up your baby's throat, and has a better chance of being digested right away. A baby will begin to digest breast milk within seconds of the start of nursing, and formula is not far behind, that means that if this milk comes back up the esophagus the stomach acids in it will burn and cause discomfort. Keeping your baby's head elevated during a feed, and for 15-20 minutes afterward will help give them time to completely digest the remainder of the milk.

2. Do not rough-house with your baby for at least an hour after eating.This tip is hard for some proud daddies to remember. There is nothing so fun as twirling around with your baby in your arms, or lifting them up in the air and swinging them up and down to get giggles and grins. However this will almost certainly result in a thorough splattering with a warm white chunky substance. Though the spit-up itself is not really dangerous, your baby's milk is put to much better use in their tummy than on your face, or the furniture.

3. Add a couple of drops of fennel, chamomile and peppermint herbal tea to your baby's feeding.If you are breast feeding, you can drip a couple of drops in your baby's mouth just before you begin to nurse (a trick for doing this is to use a bottle nipple that is unattached to a bottle, and when it is in your baby's mouth, use a plunger to squirt a very small amount into it. Though your baby may not like the taste and will probably spit out the nipple right away, they only need to have ingested a very small bit to get the positive effects). If you are not breast feeding you can add a couple small drops directly to the formula. You can make the tea with a couple fresh sprigs of fennel, a few leaves of peppermint and a teabag of chamomile (unless you have some wild growing nearby, then fresh is best). Just soak them in some hot water until they are wilted, or the water changes color, there is no need to make it particularly strong. You can drink the rest of the tea, it boosts digestion and is calming to the nervous system (though you might want to save a little to give to your baby later). These drops should be given no more than 3 times a day, and as little as once can be beneficial.

4. Burp your baby at least three times during each feed, as well as afterward.The less gas in your baby's tummy, the better digestion will be and there will be less internal pressure as well. Do not feel that you need to make a bubble come up each time you pause for a burping, it is just a short break (4-5 minutes) to give gas an extra chance to come up if it is there, if you spend too long waiting for a bubble each time, the feeding could end up lasting hours.

5. Tuck a rolled up burp cloth or wash cloth under one of your baby's shoulders when you lay them down to sleep for the night.Raising one shoulder just a little will encourage your baby to sleep with their head turned to the side. Though all of the food in their tummy should be digested before you lay them down to sleep for the night sometimes they will have saved a little surprise for later. Though the chances that they might choke on their own spit-up are small, the process of coughing, gurgling and gulping that can happen when spiting up while laying completely flat can cause your baby quite a bit of discomfort and stress. Since discomfort and stress are not conducive to anyone having a good nights rest, it is better if your baby has to spit-up, that they do it to the side, and don't have to clear their airway after.

A bumper-sticker I saw the other day had some wise words to share on this topic: "spit happens". Nothing could be more true in the world of babies, except maybe the more crude saying that this one is making a play off of. However, despite all of the unpleasant things we have to deal with as parents, knowing we have done everything we could to help our baby be safe and happy makes it all better. I hope these tips are helpful to you and your baby. Please feel free to leave comments and questions and share this blog with any new mothers you might know.

5 tips for helping relieve baby's gas pains.

With every baby comes the problem of gas, and gas-related pains. For some babies these pains come only once in a great while, for others they are a regular part of their eating and sleeping routine. Gas pains can be identified by a few basic signs like squirming while asleep, sudden crying out (for no apparent reason when you know they shouldn't be hungry yet, and their diaper is clean), pushing the legs straight and stiff, and grunts which end in cries.

Some parents have had success using homeopathic gas remedies, but I have found that their effect is very small if detectable at all and much too expensive to be feasible for daily use. Also, one should be careful with gas drops because they work by consolidating all of the small bubbles in your babies tummy which encourage the gas to be expelled in one big burp rather than traveling through the digestive system. This doesn't always work as planned, if your baby does not burp after a feeding despite gas drops being used the resulting gas pains will be a lot worse than they would have been without them. Gripe water is often a better assistant, but many babies do not respond to it either. These tips and tricks are a few quick easy things you can do to help relieve your baby's discomfort from gas pains.

1. Prop your babies feet up an inch or two while they are sleeping.
This position reduces pressure on the abdomen, and as a result your baby will strain less when pushing to expel gas or gas-causing solids. Many women during pregnancy find this position comfortable for the same reason. I would recommend using something solid like part of a side-sleep support rather than a blanket because there is less of a risk that the baby could find a way to pull it over their face, or wiggle under it.

2. Gently massage around your baby's belly button in a clockwise circular motion.
This is one of the most basic forms of infant massage designed to help move gas and solids through the large intestine, which is the area it most often will get lodged in, causing pain. Other basic infant massage strokes include stroking from the base of your baby's rib cage downward to their hips and walking your fingers from left to right across your baby's tummy over and over again slowly moving from beneath the ribs to the diaper fastenings. If it is warm out, you can massage your baby while in nothing but their diaper using a light water based moisturizer like Avalon Organics Baby Lotion.

3. Place a warm towel low on the belly.
Sometimes a baby can get cramps from straining to move gas and solids through their bowels that are comparable to most menstrual cramps. Placing a warmed towel low on their tummy provides the same kind of relief that a heating pad provides for a grown woman. A warm bath can also be soothing in the same way.

4. Give your baby some tummy-time.
A little pressure on the tummy can be just the thing to help your baby push the irritation out. While your baby is laying on their tummy gentle stroking of the back from shoulder blades down to the hips can also sooth and relax your baby enough that the gas can be naturally expelled with less straining. Tummy time can be uncomfortable just after feeding, so do try to wait at least 15-20 minutes before you try this tip.

5. Play "Toes-On-Your-Nose" with your baby.
This is a home-remedy that has been passed down for generations. While your baby is laying on a comfortably padded and safe surface (like your lap), take their feet in your hands and gently stretch them up toward your baby's face. It is fun to sing or recite a little rhyme while you do this, and you might even elicit a little giggle from an older infant. When your baby is nice and relaxed, they should be able to touch their toes to their nose with very little pressure from you. Do not ever force your baby into a position that they are resisting. Also, be sensitive to their signals, and if they cry and arch away from you the game could be pinching a gas bubble or increasing their discomfort in another way. However if your baby is enjoying the game it can not only relieve gas, but be a sweet bonding-time for the two of you.

Gas pains are inevitable for babies, but for some they can make you both down-right miserable. I've recently added a few more tips for parents to try that can be read here. These tips have given me a helping time and again over the years. I hope you find them useful, please feel free to leave comments and questions or suggestions about these or any of my tips. If you find these tips helpful please do share them with your friends and family, especially those who are expecting a new baby. Thank you for reading!