Baby heating pad for newborn colic: salt, gel, baby one

Colic is almost the first problem that a mother of a newborn baby faces. The appearance of colic in a child is accompanied by crying, motor restlessness, sleep disturbances, and increased gas release from the intestines. As a rule, during this period, young mothers are ready to do almost anything to ease the baby's condition. Pediatricians claim that the most accessible and proven remedy is a heating pad for a newborn against colic. The effect of heat eases painful contractions of the baby's intestines, so the use of this method is quite appropriate and justified.

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Indications for the procedure

Dry heat has always been considered the best way to eliminate bloating and colic in the abdomen. The thermal effect of a heating pad eases spastic contractions of the intestines, relaxes the muscles of the abdominal cavity. As a result, the newborn baby gets rid of pain and experiences significant relief.

Of course, a heating pad for colic cannot be the only way to solve the problem. This procedure should be used in combination with other methods:

• light massage of the newborn's tummy in a clockwise direction;
• correct attachment to the breast, proper nutrition of the mother;
• light gymnastics (leg adduction, arm movements).

In addition, the baby can be offered dill water, fennel seed infusion, and in extreme cases, simethicone-based drugs (Espumisan, Bobotik, Infacol, Colikid, Espicol, Espuzin, etc.).

Before you start using a heating pad for your newborn, you need to make sure that the baby's poor health is actually caused by colic. This can be indicated by a number of characteristic signs:

• the child shows obvious anxiety - more often in the evening and at night;
• tries to press his legs to his tummy to relieve pain;
• cries and screams - loudly, sharply;
• colic occurs almost immediately after the baby has eaten;
• Gas may be released and the tummy may swell.

If there are other symptoms, do not rush to use a heating pad: the newborn baby should be shown to a pediatrician. Cases that are accompanied by:

• increase in body temperature;
• diarrhea, vomiting;
• the release of greenish stool with streaks of blood;
• a long period of colic (several hours).

In the above cases, applying a heating pad to a newborn is prohibited, as it is necessary to accurately determine the cause of the baby's poor health. Read also about remedies for colic in newborns.

Salt heating pad for newborns against colic

This type of heating pad looks like a sealed package, the contents of which is a saline solution with chemical components. For the human body, such a solution does not pose any danger - especially since the package is hermetically sealed. The salt heating pad is equipped with a special button that activates the heating mechanism. As it heats up, the package becomes denser, and as it cools down, it becomes softer.

Heating of this device is possible no more than to fifty-four degrees: such indicators are quite enough for the heating pad for newborns to fulfill its purpose and reduce the manifestations of colic. This temperature is safe for a small person. Parents can be sure that the heating pad will not cause burns or irritation on sensitive baby skin. However, experts still do not advise placing the device directly on the skin: it is necessary to lay a diaper or a piece of fabric (kerchief).

On average, the salt filler is able to maintain the temperature for four hours. Then you should spend a little time to prepare the heating pad for subsequent use. To do this, you need to boil it for 15-20 minutes until the salt crystals are completely dissolved. During boiling, the heating pad not only restores its properties, but is also sterilized.

Baby heating pad

The electric version of the heating pad is the most complex device, which is a linen bag with heating elements inserted inside. Heating begins after electricity is supplied to the device. It is because of the operating principles of such a device that many mothers are wary of buying it for their newborn babies. It is worth noting right away: so that the electric heating pad for colic does not pose a danger to the baby, it is necessary to carefully inspect it before buying. What you need to pay attention to:

• a high-quality heating pad cannot be cheap (a low price should be a warning sign – perhaps it is a fake and the device is of low quality and therefore dangerous);
• The heating pad must have a temperature regulator - this is necessary to avoid possible overheating or insufficient heating of the device.

The disadvantage of an electric heating pad for newborns is that the device cannot operate without electricity. But in terms of durability, this heating pad for colic surpasses all others: later, when the colic of newborns is behind you, it can be used to warm the baby's bed in the cold season.

Gel warmers for newborns against colic

Nowadays, gel heating pads for colics filled with so-called peat gel mass are very common. The proposed mass is considered to be an absolutely safe, environmentally friendly substance. Depending on the manufacturer, various fillers can be mixed with the gel component, improving the warming effect of the device. Cereals, beans, berry seeds, and aromatic plants are often used as such fillers.

In essence, a gel heating pad for colic is a small fabric bag. It is heated in a microwave or oven: in just a couple of minutes, the filler will acquire the required temperature, which it will maintain for about an hour.

The gel heating pad has its advantages and disadvantages. On the one hand, it is safe and convenient to use. On the other hand, it is short-lived and cannot be washed.

Like any other heating pad for newborns, the gel device is also applied to the skin, after first placing a cloth or diaper on it.

DIY Baby Warmer for Colic

If a newborn baby suffers from colic and there is no suitable ready-made heating pad at hand, you can use the following equally effective methods:

• Warm water is poured into a small plastic bottle (0.5 or 0.33 l) (the temperature should not exceed 55-60°C). The lid is screwed tightly so that the water does not accidentally spill. Then the bottle is wrapped in a diaper or towel and applied to the baby's tummy for about 5-8 minutes. This method for colic is quite simple. The only downside: the bottle will have to be held on the tummy all the time so that it does not roll off and fall.
• Make a bag or a knot from cotton fabric. Heat the filler (salt, dry peas, rice) in a dry frying pan to about 55-60°C, pour it into the bag and tie it tightly. Wrap the resulting improvised colic heating pad in a towel and place it on the newborn's tummy for literally 5-8 minutes. The method is really effective, but you need to carefully monitor the temperature of the filler: if you keep it on the frying pan for too long and overheat it, the procedure can end badly, with the formation of persistent burns.
• Take two flannel diapers. Place one of them on a radiator or iron it with a warm iron, then place it on the newborn's stomach. While the diaper is providing the necessary thermal effect, take the second diaper and heat it in the same way. Alternate the diapers for five minutes: this is usually enough time for the colic to subside and the baby to calm down.
• The most common and simple method is to place the newborn baby on the mother's belly. In this case, warming occurs naturally, and the baby, feeling the mother's body, calms down faster and falls asleep. In addition, this position, when the baby lies on the tummy, promotes the fastest removal of gases from the intestines.

As you can see, there are many effective ways to relieve colic in a newborn. And almost all of them are not particularly difficult. The main thing is to be patient and try to help the baby as much as possible.

Reviews

Many young mothers initially doubt the advisability of using such a simple method of getting rid of colic as applying a heating pad. And completely in vain. The simplicity of this method is on par with its effectiveness. And if you act on the problem in a comprehensive manner - for example, combine a heating pad with massage, and correctly apply the baby to the breast, then you can significantly alleviate the condition of the newborn.

Heating pads can be used not only for newborn babies, but also for all infants throughout the entire period of colic. Usually, this period lasts for babies up to three or even five months (this is individual). If colic continues after this period, then you need to consult a doctor: perhaps there are other reasons for the appearance of pain in the child's tummy.

There is no clear answer to the question of which heating pad is better or more effective. Each parent chooses such a device at their own discretion: some are satisfied with the popular gel heating pad, while others prefer the proven method of warming the tummy with diapers. According to reviews, all known heating pads demonstrate a visible effect in the fight against colic. As for the convenience of their use, everyone decides for themselves individually, based on the degree of comfort in a given situation.

The main condition for using any warming procedure is to follow the rules for using heating pads and listen to the advice of a pediatrician. Any heating pad for a newborn against colic, which is sold in pharmacies or children's stores, should have instructions for use. It is imperative to read such instructions - even if there is seemingly nothing complicated in using such a device. And we must not forget to monitor the heating temperature - this is very important in relation to the sensitive and delicate skin of a newborn baby.