Colic

What exactly is colic?

Colic is a term used to describe uncontrollable crying in a healthy baby. Colic is common among newborn babies. It starts at about two to four weeks and is over by the time they are three or four months old. A baby with colic cries for more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week. It's hard to know who finds colic harder, a parent or a baby. Comforting a colicky baby may be very difficult and at times you may feel helpless. Listening to your baby’s crying may be enough to drive you to tears yourself. But you are not doing anything wrong, and your baby usually won’t be crying for any particular reason.

What are the symptoms of colic?

All babies cry. A healthy newborn baby can cry for up to two hours a day. If your baby has colic he may cry for much longer and you may notice the following:

• he has frequent bouts of intense and inconsolable crying

• he pulls his legs up to his tummy and arches his back while crying

• he passes wind while crying

• he clenches his hands

• he refuses to feed and sleep

A colicky baby usually cries in the evening and can go on late into the night. He may also cry earlier in the day, gradually becoming worse in the evening. Feeding your baby could take longer than usual if he is upset and restless.

Why does my baby have colic?

Scientists have been trying to answer that question for more than 50 years. We still don’t know what exactly causes colic. 

A popular theory is that a baby gets colic for a few weeks because his digestive system is still maturing. He may have frequent and painful tummy aches due to an allergy or intolerance to substances in breast and formula milk. 

Experts have suggested other possible causes of colic:

• the baby’s nervous system is still maturing and unsettled

• the baby is suffering from painful gas

• the mum smoked during pregnancy or is smoking around the baby

Some also believe that the baby is tired or over-stimulated, and that colic is his way of blocking out the world so he can sleep.

Is colic serious?

No - apart from the stress it creates for the household! For peace of mind, take your baby to the doctor to confirm that it is colic, and not a hernia or another medical problem.

Can my diet cause colic in my baby?

It is thought that traces of some food and drink in your breastmilk may cause colic. These include spicy food, wheat products, onions, garlic, legumes, cruciferous vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower and broccoli) and alcohol. Try cutting out these items in your diet one at a time to see if it makes a difference to your baby’s colic. If the colic improves, then you have your culprit. 

If your baby is bottle-fed, you might want to try switching formulas to see if that's the irritant. And whether your baby is breastfed or bottle-fed, be sure to burp him after feedings. This will help relieve the pressure that builds up when he swallows air. 

Will all that crying hurt my child?

It is often believed that crying makes the baby swallow air, making the colic worse. There is no evidence to back this belief. 

In truth, it may be more painful for you to endure your baby’s constant crying. Colicky babies do just fine. In fact, the venerable Dr. Spock wrote, "In spite of hours of crying, they continue to gain weight, not just average-well but better than average. They are hungry babies. They gulp down their whole feeding". And one study even found that colicky babies turned out to be better problem solvers later in life!