The fact that babies lie flat most of the time as well as being fed an all liquid diet can make it easier for the contents of the stomach to escape upwards. So instead of keeping the contents of the stomach where they belong between swallows or after a feeding, it can sometimes allow breastmilk or formula to flow back into the esophagus.
The Mayo Clinic explains how the lower esophageal sphincter that’s located between the stomach and the esophagus isn’t fully formed in infants. Ari Brown, the author of Baby 411, arching the back can be a baby’s reaction to pain. Be gracious to yourself-you’re doing the best you can and this stage will pass soon! Acid reflux or GERD.Īccording to Parents advisor Dr. Remember to take care of yourself during this time. And be sure to ask others for help! Maybe your partner or a friend or family member can come over and hold your baby while you go for a walk or drive to clear your head. Sometimes nothing will seem like it’s working so be sure to put baby in a safe place, like their crib, and walk away for a few moments to collect yourself. You may want to try taking your baby for a walk in the stroller or with a baby carrier-or putting her in the carseat and going for a ride. Keep the lights low (or off) and noise to a minimum. If they are inconsolable at the same times of day, then try to keep visitors away and don’t make plans to go out during that time frame. But know that you aren’t alone and that you aren’t a failure!Īnother thing you can do is take notice of any patterns in their behavior. these are not signs of colic and should be evaluated by a doctor immediately.įirst of all, know that you are an amazing parent and that colic isn’t the result of anything you are doing wrong! I know I felt like a failure when I couldn’t get him to stop crying in those early weeks. It’s important to note that if you’re baby is experiencing other symptoms, like vomiting, diarrhea, fever, etc. But WebMD states that while gas and digestive issues might make colic worse, it’s not the cause. Many parents, myself included, think that colic is basically caused by gas. WebMD states that it might be “the result of a baby’s sensitive temperament and an immature nervous system.” And it can be hard for him to stop crying once he gets so worked up. The frustrating thing about colic is that while a lot of babies get it (which is oddly comforting), doctors still don’t know what exactly causes it (not so comforting). If your otherwise healthy son or daughter cries for “more than 3 hours a day for 3 days a week for 3 weeks in a row” then they likely have colic. Colic typically occurs in newborns and goes away sometime around 3 months (or earlier). Colicĭoes your baby cry for hours at a time and won’t stop no matter how much attention you give him? Does he clench his fists, stiffen or arch his back, or draw his legs up to his stomach? Less-serious reasons why your child might arch their back. Starting with the more common ones and ending with the rarer ones, let’s take a look at them. There are actually six main reasons why your baby may be arching his or her back.
Shortly after this started, he also began arching his back mid-feeding.įast forward 7 months later, he starts arching his back again and throwing himself backwards on the floor in what seemed like anger.ĭo any of these scenarios sound familiar?
When my son was 6 weeks old, he began turning his head to break contact with the bottle during feedings.
And my touch did nothing to comfort him.Īs a first time mom, I thought I was already a failure. When my son was two weeks old, he would scream and arch his back from 7:00pm to 10:00pm every single night.