Do your kids have colic? I feel your pain. My first son had it. I remember feeling so helpless because nothing we did could help him. He just cried and cried. We’d be up all night long trying to console him. We rolled his little belly on a big fitness ball to try to get the gas out of him. We used special baby bottles. In the end, we just had to wait until he outgrew it.
Luckily, he was a happy baby otherwise. Funny though, of all my boys, he’s still the one who experiences stomach problems. For instance, he’s always the first to get the stomach flu in our house and always seems to be complaining of stomach aches – which I do think he’s faking half the time but still. We’re testing to see if dairy is the culprit now.
But for those of you going through colic issues now, there may be some help. Dr. Bryan Vartabedian, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Texas Children’s Hospital, the largest children’s hospital in America, and assistant professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, has treated more than 5,000 cases of colic in children. He has also dealt with colic on a personal level – he’s the father of two babies with acid reflux. With his experience, Dr. Vartabedian understands the science behind colic as well as the struggle that families go through.
Dr. Vartabedian just wrote the book Colic Solved: The Essential Guide to Infant Reflux and the Care of Your Crying, Difficult-to- Soothe Baby
And you’re not alone. Nearly 30 percent of infants experience symptoms of colic, which can be loosely defined as “crying for more than three hours a day…for three or more straight days, lasting at least three weeks.
I’ve got an exclusive video interview with Dr. Vartabedian. In this video, he’ll answer my top questions about colic and how parents can help their babies (including breastfeeding babies – I’m a big advocate of exclusive breastfeeding):
- What is colic and why do babies get it?
- What are the signs of colic?
- How is colic different from reflux?
- What treatment options are available for babies with colic?
- What is L. Reuteri?
- Can L. Reuteri help older babies and children with digestion issues or acid reflux?
- How can breastfed babies get L. Reuteri? (Note: Gerber brand Soothe Colic Relief drops are promoted in this video to give to breastfed babies. However, I’ve also read that breastfeeding moms can take L. Reuteri from other organic or natural sources and the breastfed babies will still benefit.)
- How can parents and caregivers cope with colicky babies?
- Where can parents get more information about Dr. Vartabedian and his research?
GIVEAWAY
Three winners will receive a copy of the book Colic Solved: The Essential Guide to Infant Reflux and the Care of Your Crying, Difficult-to- Soothe Baby
QUESTIONS
Got a question about the giveaway? Contact me.
DISCLOSURE
I was not compensated (in payment or free product) to write this blog post.
This post was written by
Tracey Black is the founder and editor-in-chief for Don't Mess with Mama, the sassy mom's guide to parenting, green living and travel. She is a regular contributor to Redbook's Mamarama blog, and a social media strategist working with eco-friendly brands such as Stonyfield, Juice Beauty and others. She has three boys and lives in San Diego, Calif.
