Living with a Colicky Infant: Meta-synthesis of Qualitative Studies

Abstract

<strong><em>Background</em></strong> <br/>Parents having a baby with infantile colic experienced thoughts and emotions such as hopelessness, fatigue and concern. This study presents a review to provide better insights into the life of parents living with a colicky infant. The aimed of this meta-synthesis was to analyze and synthesize findings from qualitative studies about the experiences of parents of colicky infants. <br/><strong><em>Materials and Methods</em></strong> <br/>This meta-synthesis follows the guidelines of Sandeowski and Barroso and was designed to synthesize findings from previous qualitative studies. The following biomedical archives were searched: PubMED, Web of Science, PsycINFO, Cochrane library, ProQuest. Recently published articles and books on the experiences of parents living with a colicky infant were reviewed. The searches covered the years from 2000 to 2016 and found three studies, which fulfilled the inclusion criteria. <br/><strong><em>Results</em></strong> <br/>The findings of all studies selected were categorized into the themes of "eclipse of normal life" and "relief through parental adaptation". The findings reveal that the experiences of parents living with a colicky infant are important for constructing an insightful child care protocol and improving interpersonal interactions in the family. <br/><strong><em>Conclusion</em></strong> <br/>The pathic or non-diagnostic knowledge that emerged from this qualitative review may be helpful for improving treatment of colicky infants and a provide relief for their parents.