How to Calm Your Baby and Their Tummy

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By llaurakrz
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Oh Baby! It's 10 PM and you still can't get your bundle of joy to sleep. You just need to get some shut eye. It's not that you are asking for much, just a good four hours of sleep. Unfortunately, your baby is colicky. What does that mean anyway? All that word means to you is another night of no sleep. For baby, it can mean severe abdominal pain. For other babies, it can be acid reflux. You can't give your baby medicine, but you can do some other things to soothe them.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

lavender bath
lavender lotion and/or massage gel
lavender candles or incense
chamomile tea
fennel seed
Infant Tylenol
Mylicon

Step 1

For babies under 4 months old, things can be tough and you don't want to give them any medicines or you can't. There are a couple of things you can try before turning to the medicine. Good old bath time is where you can start. After dinner, give baby a nice warm bath. Use a lavender scented baby bath, such as Johnson's Night Time Bath, to wash baby. Light up those scented candles or incense and turn on that nursery music. When baby is nice and clean towel baby off and rub them down with lavender scented lotion. Trust me baby will love this. Make sure you are in a nice warm room.
Step 2

In addition to an infant massage there are some exercises you can do with baby that can ease an upset stomach. First you can gently take baby's legs and move them in a circular motion...like baby is riding a bicycle. Additionally, you can gently press down on baby's lower abdomen, as if you are pushing out any "stuck"....you know what I'm talking about. Sometimes, baby is constipated. This will help relieve that.

If baby is having a bit of acid reflux, you can lay him/her on her stomach on your lap (or upright on your shoulder). Just pat baby's back gently or rub your hands on baby's back in a circular motion. Be sure baby's head is in a position that they can breathe easy.
Step 3

If baby is still uncomfortable, don't feel guilty. You can still give baby the tried and true Tylenol for pain and/or Mylicon for gas. Just make sure you follow the directions on the bottle. Do not ever exceed the recommended dosage and try to give the baby medicine a few minutes before bed time, so it has time to take effect.
Step 4

After baby is 4 months old or when recommended by a doctor, you can give baby a bottle of chamomile tea to calm him/her. Just seep a chamomile tea bag in hot water for five minutes and let the tea cool down to either room temperature or a little warmer (whatever temperature you normally give your child). Place tea in bottle for baby to drink.
Step 5

If baby has a tummy ache (above 4 months), you can give baby a bottle of fennel seed "juice." Take 1/4 cup of fennel seed in 8 oz. of water. Bring to a boil. Boil until water turns a green color. Let cool to room temperature or a little warmer. Take a strainer to remove the fennel seeds from the water. Place the juice in baby's bottle for baby to drink.