NEW COLIC INFORMATION

If a baby cries inconsolably for long periods every day, particularly at the same time each day, but is happy, health and alert at all other times, it is suggested that he may have colic. Colic occurs only in newborn babies up to about four to five months of age. Colic generally begins anytime after three weeks.
The common reason given for colic is gas, indigestion or formula issues. The question is: Why does colic occur only around supper time and not at other times during the day? Why does the discomfort only occur at one specific time during the day and not at other times? Why does it occur mostly at the 'witching hour' which is generally around supper?
I would like to suggest that there may be another cause for 'colic'. Perhaps gas, indigestion and formula is not one of the issues.
Could there be a link between colic, over stimulation, and missing their biological clock in newborns?

OVER STIMULATION:
The first thing we want to examine is the baby’s ability to become overstimulated. A baby can be hypersensitive to sights and sounds making it very easy to send a baby into a uncontrollable crying spell. This is the time where adrenalin can kick in and it may take hours to console them.
What makes this action so difficult for parents is in their attempt to calm the baby they are using techniques such as rocking, juggling, singing and walking which are continuing to overstimulate them.
Overstimulating actions may include the television, music, playing too long, other children running through the house, household noises, being kept up too long, company over and anything else that is tiring to a baby.

BIOLOGICAL CLOCK:
Another thing that can cause a great deal of harm is missing the baby’s biological night time sleep clock. A baby’s biological clock is set much earlier in the evening than an adults. A baby will sleep much better, longer and deeper when put to bed during the hours of their biological. A baby’s clock is set for between 6 PM and 7:30 PM. What this means is that you should start the baby’s night time routine between 5 PM and 6 PM.
If the baby is on a 3 hour schedule they should have a feeding at approximately 4 PM. If you are putting the child down at 7PM you will want to put the baby down for a cap nap for about 30 – 45 minutes around 5 or 5:30.
The bottom line is if you find the baby crying uncontrollably around the ‘witching hour’ you have pushed the baby too far with over stimulation or/and keeping the baby up to long.
Some babies do not transition well from being awake to falling back to sleep. These are also times when crying may increases in the evening. Falling asleep may be difficult for the baby. Be very careful not to allow this to happen. Catch them before this happens. Watching their biological clock. Swaddling them and putting them down fed, dry and if possible awake to fall asleep on their own. If the baby gets to the place where they are crying uncontrollably they may have to cry it out as nothing will calm them down.

BABY GAS OR DIGESTION ISSUES:
There are times when the baby has colic which is traditionally described as gas pains or digestion issues which are painful for the infant. They will be characterized by high pitched crying, arching of the back, the baby's face often gets flushed or red. The belly is sometimes distended or prominent, the legs alternating between flexed and extended straight out; the feet are often cold and the hands clenched These are not over stimulation or a missed bedtime symptoms. These incidents will not be every night at a specific time every day. These will only happen on occasion. Should they happen every feed, they are more likely reflux not colic.
In these cases you may want to use the below holds to help relieve gas and digestion issues.
The baby colic hold is very helpful treatment for baby colic: Put one hand (I use my right hand as I'm right-handed) between the baby's legs and have my palm on his tummy. Let the baby's head rest on my other arm as you bring the other hand down. This is a very comfortable way of holding a baby and it often helps to stop the crying. The photos below demonstrate the first and final steps to this hold. http://www.baby-medical-questions-and-answers.com/baby-colic.html
A good method of working out baby gas and/or constipation could be to draw a warm bath, with a teaspoon of epsom or himalayan salts from your local health food store, you can lay your baby gently on her back and with a little olive or almond oil on your fingers, you can trace a gentle clock-wise circle about 2-4 inches from her belly button with your fingers. With this action you are following the natural circuit of the large intestine and encouraging the squeezing action of the intestines, for the purpose of promoting elimination. Make sure baby is reacting favorably to this kind of stimulation as severe cramping or colic isn’t a normal reaction
The other baby massage technique that works well is the recumbent bicycle. While baby is on his back, you can take his legs and gently imitate the motion of riding a cosmic bike. This also acts to stimulate peristalsis in the same way that walking and movement helps us parents to stay regular. If, during the baby massage, you feel hard or knotty stool, or you don’t hear any gas bubbles when you put your ear to baby’s tummy, it may be a sign of an obstruction from too much stool built up.
Use natural gas remedies such as Colic Ease, Colic Calm or Gripe Water