Proper Infant Care For Common Infancy Problems
Every new parent has questions and concerns about the proper infant care necessary to give a baby the best possible start in life. These concerns span problems large and small, ultra-rare to everyday common. Two common problems that just about every parent deals with at some point are colic, and diaper rash. Luckily the proper infant care for these situations is more common sense than unsolved mystery.
Colic
Colic is diagnosed whenever an infant cries inconsolably around the same time of the day for hours at a time. You’ll know it’s colic and not normal crying by how long the crying lasts and how intense it is. Babies experiencing colic are in uncomfortable with red faces, and balled fists. The crying sessions last for as many as six hours straight. The actual cause of colic is still unknown but some experts feel that it is discomfort caused by an immature digestive system.
Colic usually begins at around three weeks of age and continues until the infant reaches four months of age. The crying sessions are commonly the worst between the eighth and twelfth week of life.
Infant Care For Colic
Since the cause of colic is unknown, there is some debate as to the correct infant care necessary to treat the problem. Keep your infant moving as much as possible. Rocking, and cradling both seem to be effective infant care for colic. Try taking a ride in the car; you’ll probably need the fresh air too. I found ‘Belly Cradling” to be especially helpful. Hold the baby facedown in your crossed arms and gently rock back and forth. Pressure against the stomach sometimes relieves the discomfort associated with colic and can help calm the infant down. Try stomach massage or placing baby on stomach and rubbing her back.
Some experts deny the effectiveness of anti-gas infant care treatments, such as simethicone, saying that there is no connection to colic and gas. My personal experience is that infant simethicone saved my sanity during my own infant’s bout with colic. Try it, if it doesn’t work, don’t use it.
Diaper Rash
Diaper rash is recognized by red, angry, and sometimes puffy irritation on and around the infant’s diaper area. In extreme cases the skin can become raw enough to bleed, which will require special infant care. Many things can cause diaper rash including change in diet, use of antibiotics for an infection, diarrhea and sitting in a wet diaper for too long. Occasionally sensitivity to soap, lotion or fragrance will cause diaper rash.
Infant Care For Diaper Rash
Every new parent has questions and concerns about the proper infant care necessary to give a baby the best possible start in life. These concerns span problems large and small, ultra-rare to everyday common. Two common problems that just about every parent deals with at some point are colic, and diaper rash. Luckily the proper infant care for these situations is more common sense than unsolved mystery.
Colic
Colic is diagnosed whenever an infant cries inconsolably around the same time of the day for hours at a time. You’ll know it’s colic and not normal crying by how long the crying lasts and how intense it is. Babies experiencing colic are in uncomfortable with red faces, and balled fists. The crying sessions last for as many as six hours straight. The actual cause of colic is still unknown but some experts feel that it is discomfort caused by an immature digestive system.
Colic usually begins at around three weeks of age and continues until the infant reaches four months of age. The crying sessions are commonly the worst between the eighth and twelfth week of life.
Infant Care For Colic
Since the cause of colic is unknown, there is some debate as to the correct infant care necessary to treat the problem. Keep your infant moving as much as possible. Rocking, and cradling both seem to be effective infant care for colic. Try taking a ride in the car; you’ll probably need the fresh air too. I found ‘Belly Cradling” to be especially helpful. Hold the baby facedown in your crossed arms and gently rock back and forth. Pressure against the stomach sometimes relieves the discomfort associated with colic and can help calm the infant down. Try stomach massage or placing baby on stomach and rubbing her back.
Some experts deny the effectiveness of anti-gas infant care treatments, such as simethicone, saying that there is no connection to colic and gas. My personal experience is that infant simethicone saved my sanity during my own infant’s bout with colic. Try it, if it doesn’t work, don’t use it.
Diaper Rash
Diaper rash is recognized by red, angry, and sometimes puffy irritation on and around the infant’s diaper area. In extreme cases the skin can become raw enough to bleed, which will require special infant care. Many things can cause diaper rash including change in diet, use of antibiotics for an infection, diarrhea and sitting in a wet diaper for too long. Occasionally sensitivity to soap, lotion or fragrance will cause diaper rash.
Infant Care For Diaper Rash
The proper infant care needed for a diaper rash varies depending on the type of irritation. Simply keeping the baby clean and very dry should clear up most diaper rashes within a couple of days. I’ve personally found cornstarch to be helpful but if the rash is caused by yeast, cornstarch will encourage the rash to grow. Monitor the rash carefully when using cornstarch and discontinue immediately if the rash looks any worse. In some really bad cases, a rash may require a steroidal cream prescribed by a pediatrician.
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