Q:I've heard many opinions in regards to newborns and pacifiers. Is it OK to give one, and if so, at what age? A: All babies have a natural desire to suck and pacifiers can often be great tools to aid them. When used properly, pacifiers can help comfort a baby or simply give him the opportunity to suck when he is not actually hungry. I generally don't recommend giving a newborn a pacifier, however, until nursing or bottle feeding is firmly established (which is approximately six weeks). If you give your baby a pacifier before then, it can often present nipple confusion and inhibit the baby's ability to suckle the breast or bottle properly. Also keep in mind that it should never be used as a "plug" to simply stick in your baby's mouth every time he whimpers. Crying is how babies communicate with us to say, "I'm hungry, tired or something is bothering me!" Pacifiers are a personal choice and if you choose to use one for your baby, there is nothing wrong with it. Q: HELP! My newborn seems to have his days and nights switched! A: More often than not, newborns home from the hospital have their days and nights mixed up. In utero your baby slept most of her days away, with the constant rocking motion of …show more content…
Most simply put, colic is when your newborn suffers from severe abdominal pain. If your baby has colic...you'll know it. Symptoms include inconsolable cries for hours on end, a general predictable time every day that your baby cries, kicking his legs up towards his stomach and a tightening of his arms. Things that can help with colic are baby massage, swaddling (see diagram above), and remaining calm during those difficult hours. If you think that your baby is suffering from colic it is also important to enlist help from friends and family members so that you can have a break sometimes. Don't worry though, it won't last forever! Most cases of colic subside usually around three