White Noise for Baby Stops Colic Crying Fast

It's true. Colic is MUCH harder on the parent than the infant. My daughter survived six months of colic unscathed. My husband and I are a different story. We have deep psychological scars that send us scurrying for the nearest exist every time we hear a baby cry.

As parents, we were newbies. We had never even changed a diaper when we brought our bundle of joy home from the hospital. I had heard a few horror stories about babies with colic, but never thought in a million years I would be the proud owner of a colic baby. So, imagine our horror, when on about our third week of parenting, our daughter started screaming every day around dinnertime. And, I'm talking blood-curdling, "I'm-in-severe-pain" sort of screaming. Screaming that lasted four hours and drove everyone in the household to tears.

We thought for sure something was horribly wrong.

A doctor appointment later, I was assured that my daughter was fine, and she probably just had "a little colic." Not to worry, that the colic would pass within a "couple of months".

Yeah, right. Define a "couple of months".

Those of you who have a baby with "a little colic" know there is no such thing. Experiencing a colic episode is extremely traumatic. You feel helpless, angry and frustrated when everything you try to stop the crying fails miserably. You feel like you're a bad parent or that your baby hates you. But, don't despair. Empower yourself! There are tons of strategies, tricks and products out there to help you deal with a colicky baby.

A guaranteed colic-buster we used time and time again was white noise. "What is white noise?" you might ask. Good question. Here goes.

White noise is the full spectrum of sound frequencies a human ear can hear combined together all at once. Huh?

Okay, again in layman's terms. Have you ever been in a crowd full of people, for example, at a sporting event? Everyone is talking at the same time. You can't decipher every single conversation, but you do hear the roar of the crowd (it happens to make me sleepy). That is white noise. Oh, yeah, I get it now!

Now, do me a favor. Put your hands over your ears and listen. Do you hear a roaring? What you are hearing is the white noise your own body produces within. The same noise your baby heard for 40 weeks or so while in the womb.

So, for a second, imagine you are a baby in the womb. You've spent most of your existence in a place warm and dark, where you were well fed and had no distracting noises, lights or outside stimuli. Then suddenly, you burst on the scene and have a whole big world to absorb. The stimuli eventually stresses you out, and since you can't communicate very well, the only way you know how to blow off steam is to cry and cry and cry some more. This is the latest scientific explanation of the cause of colic. Your baby is over-stimulated throughout the course of the day. To relieve stress, they cry uncontrollably for several hours. Oh, man.

So what can you do as a parent?

Recreate for your baby the feeling of being in the womb. Lower lights, reduce visual stimuli, swaddle the baby and turn on some white noise. Babies seem to be positively effected by the noise frequency of a hair dryer, clothes dryer and vacuum cleaner.

Unbelievably enough, this works! When I first heard about this theory, I was extremely skeptical. But out of desperation one day, I pulled out the vacuum cleaner and plugged it in. It was like turning off a water faucet. Immediately, our baby quit screaming. If you unplugged the vacuum, she started screaming again. It was weird. But, it worked.

Wait, though! Don't just plug in your vacuum cleaner and run it for several hours. The noise decibels will damage your baby's hearing. You need to be able to control the volume of the white noise your baby is hearing.

White noise downloads and white noise CD's are available for purchase almost everywhere. Just go on Yahoo! or MSN and do a search for "white noise baby". For just a few dollars, your baby can have the comfort of white noise, and you can have your sanity back.

Cherie L. Stirewalt is a colic baby survivor and shares her colic experiences on her website Colic-Baby-Bootcamp.com. The site offers a one-of-a-kind white noise download and white noise CD to help frustrated parents cope with their fussy baby fast! Join the Free Colic Baby Bootcamp newsletter and receive more colic related tips and tricks at http://www.colic-baby-bootcamp.com/newslette r.html.

---

Potty Training Doll - How Do You Use A Potty Training Doll To Potty Train You Child?

Your heard about using a potty training doll that drinks... Read More

Potty Training After a Divorce or Separation

Many parents share custody of their children, which presents a... Read More

Planning a Baby Shower? These Tips Make It Stress Free

One of the most pleasant parties to plan has to... Read More

What Should You Consider When Choosing Baby Clothes

Are you expecting a baby? You might be tempted to... Read More

The Colic Baby

When a baby has colic, the family environment is stressful... Read More

Baby Furniture Buyers Guide

Communication between the guests would be wise to prevent any... Read More

Baby Shower Hosting 101

Are you ready to host the best baby shower ever... Read More

How to Make Your Own Baby Food and Save a Fortune!

Baby in a highchair, mom in front with a small... Read More

Babies Born During The Sign Of Gemini

Your Gemini Baby..May 21 - June 20Gemini children are lively... Read More

The Best Way To Give Medicine To A Baby

So you carefully fill a spoon with medicine for baby,... Read More

The Mystery Around Colic

You are a proud parent of a happy and healthy... Read More

When Your Wee One Goes Wee Wee Well

After reading several books about potty training (my son was... Read More

Finding the Right Baby Soap for Your Babys Skin

Baby SoapAren't all soap the same, especially baby soap? Do... Read More

Baby Showers To Remember

Every mother wants an enchanting baby shower for her new... Read More

Tale of the Missing Nub

The extent of the memory loss that accompanies new parenthood... Read More

Healthy Baby Food - When is the Best Time to Start Consuming Juice?

Mother's milk is the best choice for healthy baby food.... Read More

How Toddlers Can Benefit From Using Computers

It's a fact of life that we live in an... Read More

A New Baby can be Expensive!

A new baby brings a lot of joy and hope... Read More

Introducing Your New Baby to Your Pet

Having a child is a life altering event for you... Read More

Baby Shower Gifts Are Not All The Same

When one talk about shower baby gifts, it is clear... Read More

Potty Training Dolls - Why Use a Potty Training Doll to Assist in Potty Training Your Child?

The idea of using potty dolls to potty train toddlers... Read More

Top 100 Baby Names and Helpful Tips To Consider When Naming Your Baby

Are you an expectant parent anxiously waiting for that little... Read More

Planning a Baby Shower

This article has information for the novice as well as... Read More

Baby Bedding

When you choose a baby bedding, choose the one which... Read More

How To Talk To Your Baby ? And Understand What She?s Saying Back

It is incredible, but within a years time your baby... Read More

To Develop Your Childs Genius - Start with Your Unborn Baby

Research has shown that babies in their mom's womb can... Read More

Planning the Perfect Baby Shower

One of the most exciting events an expecting mother looks... Read More

Mobiles For Babies Can Prevent Sudden Infant Death Syndrome

Mobiles are well known for its effectiveness in capturing and... Read More

Where Will You Give Birth To Your Baby?

Where To Give Birth..You have a choice where to have... Read More

Steps To Dealing With Your Autistic Child

It is most unfortunate that many wonderful parents feel that... Read More

How Much TV Is Too Much For Your Toddler

At least one third of households have their TV turned... Read More

Baby Shower Games: The Good, the Bad and the Ugh!

Games can make or break a shower. The best can... Read More

First Birthday Party: Game and Activities for Little Guests

Do you want your baby to be thrilled by his... Read More