HealthPartners - Taking care of you and your newborn

OVERSTIMULATION Symptoms of overstimulation • Skin color changes to red or pale

COLIC Babies with colic have periods of frequent, long, and intense crying or fussiness—but are otherwise well-fed and healthy. Colic can be very frustrating and stressful for parents, especially when there’s no obvious reason for their baby to be upset. And no amount of soothing seems to help. Even worse, episodes of colic often happen in the evening or at night when parents are tired and need to sleep. Experts don’t know exactly what causes colic. But their “colicky” episodes usually peak when the baby is about 6 weeks old and start to taper off when the baby is 3-4 months old. There may be times when nothing you do will stop the crying. This is normal. If you’ve met the baby’s basic needs: clean diaper, fed, gently rocked, etc., then try these tips: • Take a deep breath and count to 10 • Put your baby in their crib and go to another room • Ask a friend or family member to take over for a while

• Breathing becomes irregular or baby hiccups • Jerky movement or tremors in arms and legs • Baby moves from being alert to being drowsy • Baby looks away from you or won’t meet your gaze • Baby becomes upset, cries, or goes to sleep to escape the stimulation

How to comfort an overstimulated baby • Be calm and reassuring in your touch

• Speak quietly and use repetitive or melodic sounds • Move baby to a quiet and semi-darkened room • Swaddle or place baby skin-to-skin • Hold your baby’s hands together at their chest level • Sway with the baby in your arms or a baby sling

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Your Guide to Postpartum and Newborn Care