Cry Baby
The average baby cries for 51 days solid in the first year of his or her life, according to a new study.The little one bawls for at least five hours a day during the first three months, and almost three hours a day between three and 12 months. As well as the obvious lack of sleep, the weeping and wailing often results in the breakdown of relationships as parents struggle to cope.
One in five couples admitted their sex life was “non-existent” in the first year of baby’s life. The poll of 3,500 parents, conducted by Colief Infant Drops, revealed that 17 per cent say the constant crying has led to a lack of communication and a sad five per cent have actually split up.
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The most common complaints for a newborn crying appear to be hunger, a dirty nappy or tiredness, but 38 per cent of babies suffered terribly with wind, and a further 22 per cent were diagnosed with colic.
Parents will resort to desperate measures to calm their upset child, in addition to the usual cuddles and attention:
 14 per cent of people have vacuumed the whole house hoping the ‘white noise’ will work its magic
A further 37 per cent will take the baby for a long drive
59 per cent will go for a walk with the pram
63 per cent will walk around the house with the baby until it has been lulled to sleep
Other attempts at soothing include setting the baby basket on top of the washing machine, running the hair dryer, bouncing the baby on a gym ball or positioning the baby in front of fairy lights, ribbons or bright colours
A spokeswoman for Colief Infant Drops said: “Unfortunately, parents can run themselves ragged trying to find a miraculous cure for their child’s crying, but without knowing the cause, this can be an impossible situation. Symptoms of colic include uncontrollable crying, red face and knees drawn up to the tummy. Many babies can go undiagnosed and this can be very distressing for parents during the babies first few months.”
Half of those people questioned said they felt they must be a bad parent when they couldn’t figure out why their baby wouldn’t stop crying. And a third said that they resented other people offering advice, as it made them feel more vulnerable as a parent. Relationships with friends also suffer if a newborn cries a lot, as a staggering 22 per cent say their social life disappeared following the birth of their baby. One in 10 people also found it upsetting that the little one’s siblings get distressed when their new brother or sister is crying and a fifth said the lack of sleep, lack of appetite and general worry contributed to their own depression. A third of people say their personality changed as they became very short tempered, and 14 per cent were far more defensive than usual.
“Infant colic affects babies between three and 13 weeks, whether they are breast or formula fed. It can cause repeated episodes of excessive and inconsolable crying in an infant that otherwise appears to be healthy and thriving. When babies show symptoms of colic, ruling out milk sensitivity is one of the first recommended steps.”
Colief Infant Drops contain the naturally-occurring enzyme lactase. When added to the babies ‘usual milk’ (whether breast fed or formula), Colief breaks down most of the lactose and makes the feed more easily digestible.
November 2006 |
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