Today (26th September) is the officially the most popular birthday in the UK as the number of babies born in a single day rises from 1,800 to around 2,000!

However whilst thousands of expectant parents excitedly await the arrival of their little ones, recent research found that only  1 in 3 British mums admit that they are unaware of Infantile Colic, a common medical condition affecting 1 in 5 newborns, which can cause excessive crying.

Which is why Infacol and a charity called Cry-sis (the only parenting charity dedicated to supporting parents through excessive crying) have come together again to launch Colic Awareness Month, this September. Their aim? To educate and support parents to ensure they can experience the joys of parenthood to the full.

New parents get an average of four hours sleep a night, and a baby who is crying excessively can be extremely stressful for mums and dads alike. Research carried out by Infacol has found that parents around the UK have come up with inventive ways to soothe their crying tot.

Whilst some parents might try to soothe their crying baby with lullabies and background noise, others are turning to modern technology to try and better understand the reasons behind the tears.

A new app has been developed which claims to be able to interpret an infant’s cry. Using acoustics of cries from thousands of babies, ‘Chatterbaby’ claims that it can help a parent decipher a cry of hunger, pain, tiredness, or if a baby is simply fed-up. Infacol carried out a survey of 500 mums and dads with babies under the age of 2, and found that 1 in 3 parents would be willing to try an app like this, if it helped to calm their infant.

The survey also revealed that 95% of parents have sung or hummed to calm their baby. Around 88% have tried taking their infant for a drive and 67% have switched on the TV or radio. Regionally, 93% parents in the East of England are more likely to try humming or singing, those in the South West (94%) prefer to take their baby for a drive and 77% of mums and dads in Wales have tried using background noise, like the TV or radio, to help their little one get to sleep.

Interestingly, current affairs, documentaries and dramas are the most popular programmes used to help babies drift off.

Infant colic is common and usually begins (as it did with my daughter Elsie) when the baby is just a few weeks old. But if you’re unsure, here are some common signs to look out for:

• Intense crying bouts
• Crying in the late afternoon or evening that lasts several hours
• The baby’s face is red and flushed when they cry
• The baby clenches their fists, draws their knees up or arches their back while crying

Colic isn’t harmful to a baby (although it’s safe to say it makes them miserable) however it can have a huge impact on a parent’s happiness and wellbeing, as many of you sleep deprived and exhausted mums will understand.

For more information on infant colic, you can visit www.infacol.co.uk. To get advice on excessive crying, including one-on-one phone support, please do visit www.cry-sis.org.uk.

Giveaway!

Infacol have kindly given me one White Company Sleeping Bag to give away (as pictured) to support new parents.

To win, simply enter using the instructions below. Best of luck! 

a Rafflecopter giveaway