The No-cry Sleep Solution (62 page)

• Walk with Baby in a quiet, dark room.

• Lie on your back and lay Baby on top of you, tummy down, while massaging his back. (Transfer Baby to his bed when he is asleep.)

• Take Baby for a ride in the car.

• Play soothing music or turn on white noise.

• Ask your doctor about special medications available for colic and gas.

Tips for Parents with a Colicky Baby

Use the following suggestions to help you cope with the stress of having a colicky baby. Remember that if you’re taking care of yourself and simplifying your life, you’ll be available to offer comfort to your baby during her unhappy periods.

• Plan outings for the times of day when Baby is happy.

• Know that your baby
will
cry during his colicky time and while you can do things to make your baby more comfortable, nothing you can do will
totally
stop the crying.

• Take advantage of another person’s offer to take a turn with the baby, even if it’s just so that you can take a quiet bath or shower.

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• Keep in mind that this is only a temporary condition; it will pass.

• Try lots of different things until you discover what works best.

• Avoid keeping a long to-do list right now; only do what’s most important.

• Talk to other parents of colicky babies so you can share ideas and comfort each other.

• If the crying is getting to you and making you tense or angry, put your baby in her crib, or give her to someone else to hold for a while so that you don’t accidentally shake or harm your baby.

• Know that babies do not suffer long-term harm from having colic.

When Should the Doctor Be Called?

Anytime you are concerned about your baby, put in a call to the doctor. In the case of colic, you should definitely make that call if you notice any of the following:

• The crying is accompanied by vomiting

• Your baby is not gaining weight

• The colic lasts longer than four months

• Your baby seems to be in pain

• Your baby doesn’t want to be held or handled

• The crying spree isn’t limited to one bout in the evening

• There are no regular bowel movements or wet diapers

• You notice other problems that don’t appear on the previous list of symptoms

Ear Infections

If your baby has been very fussy, is waking up more than usual, wakes up crying as if he’s in pain, or pulls at his ears, your baby

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may have an ear infection. Ear infections are very common in babies because their ear tubes are short, wide, and horizontal, giving bacteria from the nose and throat a fast, easy path to the ears. As babies get older and their ear tubes mature, they will no longer be so susceptible to ear infections. In the meantime, an untreated ear infection will prevent your baby from sleeping well.

Causes and Symptoms of Ear Infections

Ear infections occur when bacteria and fluid build up in the inner ear, often after a cold, sinus infection, or other respiratory illness.

The fluids get trapped in the ear, causing a throbbing pain. Ear infections are not contagious, although the illnesses that typically precede them are.

Your baby may exhibit all of these, some of these, or even none of the symptoms. It’s always important to see your pediatrician if you even suspect an ear infection. A gut feeling that something isn’t quite right is justification enough for a call or a visit to the doctor. Listen to your instincts.

These symptoms
might
indicate an ear infection:

• A sudden change in temperament: more fussiness, crying, and clinginess

• An increase in night waking (as if you need this!)

• Waking up crying as if in pain

• Fever

• Diarrhea

• Reduced appetite or difficulty swallowing (Baby may pull away from the breast or bottle and cry even when hungry.)

• Runny nose that continues after a cold

• Drainage from the eye

• Fussiness when lying down that goes away when baby is upright

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These symptoms almost always indicate an ear infection:

• Frequent pulling, grabbing, or batting at the ears that is not done playfully, but rather with apparent discomfort

• Green, yellow, or white fluid draining from the ear

• An unpleasant odor emanating from the ear

• Signs of difficulty hearing

What to Do About an Ear Infection

If your baby is exhibiting any symptoms and you suspect an ear infection, make an appointment with your doctor right away.

Hearing a doctor say, “His ears look fine, he’s just teething” is far better than letting your baby (and you) suffer through an untreated infection. Seeing your doctor is also important because an untreated ear infection can lead to speech difficulties, hearing loss, meningitis, or other complications.

Your doctor may suggest some of the following if your baby does have an ear infection (but don’t try to solve this problem on your own without a doctor’s direction):

• Give a pain reliever, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol) or ibuprofen. (Do not give your baby aspirin unless a doctor tells you to.)

• Keep Baby’s head elevated for sleep. You can do this by rais-ing one end of her mattress (try taping tuna cans under one end or some of the ideas on page 201), putting her to sleep in a stroller or car seat, or letting her fall asleep in your arms or in a sling.

• Place a warm compress over the affected ear.

• Keep the ears dry and out of water.

• Offer plenty of liquids.

• Use prescribed ear drops.

• Administer prescribed antibiotics.

• Keep your baby home from day care or baby-sitters.

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Reduce the Chance of Ear Infections

Any baby can get an ear infection, but you can take a few measures to reduce the likelihood:

•
Prevent the colds and flu that introduce the bacteria into
your child’s system.
Wash your baby’s and your hands frequently. Encourage anyone who holds your baby to wash her hands first, particularly if she or anyone in her family has a cold. Keep your baby away from anyone who is obviously sick with a cold or flu.

•
Keep your baby away from cigarette smoke.
Just one afternoon spent with secondhand smoke can increase your baby’s chances of developing an ear infection.

•
Breastfeed your baby for a minimum of six months.
The antibodies and immune system boosters in breast milk discourage bacterial growth. In addition, the way your baby drinks from the breast (vigorous sucking and frequent swallowing) helps prevent milk from flowing into the ears.

Breastfed babies are far less prone to ear infections than those who are bottlefed.

•
Never prop a bottle for your baby, or leave your baby to
sleep with a bottle.
This can cause milk to pool in the mouth and seep into the ear canals. (And it may also cause decay in your baby’s teeth.)

Reflux (Gastroesophageal Reflux—GER)

Gastroesophageal
refers to the stomach and esophagus.
Reflux
means to return or flow back. Gastroesophageal reflux is when the stomach’s contents flow back up into the esophagus. A baby with reflux suffers from heartburn-like stomach pains, which will tend to be most uncomfortable when she is lying down for sleep. This makes it hard for her to fall and stay asleep. Reflux is most often

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caused by an immature digestive system, and almost all babies with reflux will outgrow the problem.

The following are the most common symptoms of reflux:

• Spitting up or vomiting frequently

• Difficulty feeding or fighting feeding even when hungry

• Guzzling or frantic swallowing

• Crying that appears to be a sign of pain

• Waking in the night with a burst of crying

• Fussiness and crying after eating

• Increase in fussing or crying when lying on his back

• Decrease in fussiness when held upright or when lying on stomach

• Frequent colds or recurrent coughing

• Spitting up when straining to have a bowel movement

• Frequent hiccups

• Sinus and nasal congestion

• Losing weight

If your baby shows some of these symptoms, you should talk to your doctor about the possibility of reflux. Once your doctor has confirmed your suspicion, he may suggest some of these remedies:

• Offer frequent, small meals as opposed to fewer, larger feedings.

• Hold your baby upright for thirty to sixty minutes after feeding.

• Have a supervised period of tummy-down time with baby on a thirty-degree angle after feeding. Remember that most babies should sleep on their backs—according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, even those babies with reflux.

If your baby has severe reflux, talk to your doctor about a possible alternative for your baby.