In general, the only way for babies to communicate their needs is through crying. And as parents, it's natural that you will want to ensure those needs are met. But there will come a time your newborn baby will erupt in prolonged, ear-shattering wails complete with clenched fists and flailing legs. No matter what you try seems not to work and these stressful episodes will be going on for what seems like forever. And... that's colic for you.
What is colic?
Colic is frequent, prolonged, and intense crying or fussiness in a healthy infant. The crying starts all of a sudden for no apparent reason and has no apparent cure. Colic is not a disease or diagnosis but it is a combination of perplexed behaviours. And, these episodes can go on for hours at a time, sometimes late into the night. Worst of it all, it is very difficult to calm a colicky baby, which usually leads to frustration, worry, and exhaustion. Nevertheless, colic is common, occurring in roughly 1 in 5 infants.
Doctors usually diagnose infants with colic based on these "rules of three". Your baby's crying
- Sums at least three hours a day
- Occurs at least three days a week
- Continues for at least three weeks in a row
Symptoms of colic
Here are some signs of colics to look out for:
- It displays repetitions, but colic generally follows a "rules of three" pattern as mentioned above.
- Crying often occurs at a predictable time (usually in the late afternoon or early evening, but it varies)
- Crying for no apparent reason (not due to a dirty diaper or hungry)
- Body tension (such as pulled up or stiffened legs, clenched fists, arched back, or tense abdomen)
- Bowel activity may increase and may pass gas or spit up
- Facial discolouring, such as skin flushing or blushing
Causes of colic
The cause of colic is unknown. It may be due to numerous contributing factors including:
- Pain or discomfort from gas or indigestion
- A digestive system that isn't fully developed
- Overfeeding, underfeeding, or infrequent burping
- Sensitivity to breast or formula milk
- An early form of childhood migraine
- Family stress or anxiety
- Overstimulation
Soothing a colicky baby
Colic may be triggered by certain things. There are ways you can avoid the triggers. There are also a few things you can try to help soothe your baby and reduce their crying. Consider these:
If you breastfeed your baby,
- Keep track of what you consume as everything you eat and drink gets passed to your baby and can affect them
- Avoid caffeine and chocolate, which act as stimulants
- Avoid dairy products and nuts, in case your baby is allergic to them
If your baby is formula-fed,
- Use a different brand. Babies can be sensitive to certain proteins in the formula
- Try feeding your baby smaller meals but more often
- Avoid feeding your baby too much or too quickly. One bottle feeding should last about 20 minutes. If your baby drinks faster, try using a teat with a smaller hole. This will slow down their feeding
- Warm the formula to body temperature
- Try feeding your baby in an upright position
Holding your baby
Babies with colic can sometimes respond well to different ways of being rocked or held.
- Hold your baby across your arm or lap while you massage their back
- Hold your baby upright, if they have gas
- Hold your baby while walking
- Rock your baby in your arms or by using an infant swing
Comforting your baby
Try these movements and stimuli to help soothe your baby.
- Provide extra skin-to-skin contact
- Swaddle your baby
- Sing to your baby or play soothing music
- Give your baby a warm bath or put a warm towel on their tummy
- Massage your baby
- Give your baby a binky
- Go for a walk in the park with your baby in their stroller or go for a drive with your baby in their car seat
- Provide white noise such as a fan, a vacuum cleaner, a washing machine, or a hair dryer
When does colic start and end?
The good news is that colic in babies does not last forever. It usually occurs when the baby is about 2 to 3 weeks old (later in premature infants), peaks at around 6 weeks, and then normally begins to decrease by 10 to 12 weeks.
By 3 months (usually a little later in premature babies), most babies with colic seem to be cured. It may stop suddenly or end gradually, with some good days and bad days until most of them are good and it's clear the episodes are over.
Contact your baby's doctor if:
- Your baby's crying is mixed with a fever, vomiting, loose or bloody stools, or decreased movements
- Your baby's crying or behaviour changes suddenly
