Colic in Babies: Symptoms, Signs and Remedies

Is your baby crying around the clock? Do you feel like you are walking on eggshells, praying the screaming doesn’t start again?

Colic is a bitter pill to swallow for any new parent. It is exhausting, but you can get through this challenging phase with your sanity mostly intact.

In this article, we will discuss exactly what colic is, how long it lasts, and practical coping strategies to help you and your baby survive the worst of it.

CLICK TO EXPAND IMAGE

Medically speaking, colic is a condition where a healthy, well-fed baby cries inconsolably for extended periods ⁽¹⁾.

Pediatricians often use the “Rule of 3s” to diagnose it. This means the crying lasts:

• More than three hours a day.
• More than three days a week.
• More than three weeks.

However, my definition is a little different.

To me, colic is a phase that tests new moms in every way imaginable. It attacks your confidence right where you are weakest. You want to soothe your baby, but with colic, your usual tricks often fail.

This can leave you feeling inadequate or cheated as you scroll past photos of happy, sleeping babies on social media.

When your baby is crying, nobody is sleeping. This 24/7 exhaustion can lead to feelings of hopelessness or being overwhelmed.

Colic also preys on your anxiety. Even if your doctor confirms it is “just colic” causing the crying fits, you might still worry there is a hidden medical issue or that you are doing something wrong.

Spoiler alert: You aren’t doing anything wrong. Colic just sucks.

Naturally, moms want to know when it ends. We want those happy mothering moments we daydreamed about during pregnancy.

For some unlucky parents, colic can tease you. You might think you are in the clear after a few quiet days, only for the screaming to start back up.

How Common Is It?

You are not alone in this trench. Colic affects roughly 20 to 25 percent of babies ⁽²⁾.

Some experts believe all babies experience some degree of colic, but only the most severe cases meet the clinical “Rule of 3s” diagnosis. If nothing else, take comfort in the fact that this is a common, temporary problem.

If you are unsure if your baby fits the colic criteria, look for these additional signs. While not every baby displays all of them, a combination of these symptoms points toward colic.

• Body tension: Babies may pull their legs up to their tummy or extend them stiffly. They might also clench their fists.
• Gas: You might notice frequent passing of gas during crying spells.
• Timing: The crying often happens at the same time each day, usually in the late afternoon or evening (the “witching hour”).
• Facial changes: Your baby’s face may turn bright red or flushed.
• No obvious cause: The baby isn’t hungry, doesn’t need a diaper change, and isn’t tired.
• Bowel changes: You might notice more frequent pooping.
• Inconsolable: Neither feeding, rocking, nor sleeping seems to distract them from crying.

If your baby seems constipated rather than pooping frequently, know that constipation does not cause colic. However, a constipated baby is an uncomfortable baby, which can make the crying harder to distinguish from colic.

You Might Also Like

Newborn Grunting: Grunting Baby Syndrome

Here is the frustrating part: doctors still aren’t 100 percent sure what causes colic ⁽³⁾.

Years ago, gas was the primary suspect. Today, experts believe gassiness is likely a result of the crying (swallowing air) rather than the root cause. However, gas pain certainly doesn’t help the situation.

Without a single clear cause, we rely on several leading theories:

• Developmental stage: It may simply be a normal developmental phase of crying.
• Gut bacteria: An imbalance of healthy and unhealthy bacteria in the digestive tract.
• Nervous system maturity: Some babies have a slower development of their stress response, meaning they can’t self-soothe once they get worked up.
• Temperament: Some infants simply have a more sensitive, reactive temperament.
• Migraines: Babies with a family history of migraines have higher rates of colic, suggesting they may be experiencing headache-like sensitivity ⁽⁴⁾.
• Sensory overload: Some babies may need more hands-on regulation or protection from stimulation than others.

We also know what doesn’t cause it.

• Standard overstimulation: Taking your baby to a grocery store or a family gathering won’t “give” them colic.
• Parental anxiety: While babies can sense stress, your nervousness as a new parent does not cause colic. You aren’t doing this to them.

While managing your own stress is vital, you naturally want to help your baby. Even if you can’t “cure” it, you can often reduce the intensity of the crying.

Here are 15 strategies to help ease your baby’s discomfort:

1. Reduce Dairy Intake

If you are breastfeeding, your baby might be reacting to cow’s milk proteins in your diet. Try eliminating dairy for two weeks to see if symptoms improve.

Keep a food journal. If the crying spikes after you eat yogurt or cheese, or improves when you stop, you may have found a trigger.

2. Swap the Formula

For formula-fed babies, a different brand might sit better in their tummy. Ask your pediatrician about switching to a “sensitive” or hypoallergenic variety.

Don’t worry about wasting money on the old formula just yet. Doctors say it is generally safe to rotate formulas to see what works best ⁽⁵⁾, so you might be able to use it later or mix it in gradually.

3. Check Air Intake

If your baby gulps air during feeds, that gas bubble will cause pain. Ensure a proper latch during breastfeeding.

If bottle-feeding, use a nipple flow that matches your baby’s pace. Too fast, and they choke; too slow, and they suck in air out of frustration.

Similar Articles

Best Baby Gas Drops of 2025

4. Watch for Acid Reflux

Acid reflux (GERD) burns and can exacerbate colic. Symptoms include:

• Arching the back while feeding.
• Coughing or gagging.
• Fussiness immediately after eating.
• Forceful vomiting (more than just a wet burp).
• Refusal to eat.

To help with reflux:

• Burp your baby frequently (every 1-2 ounces).
• Keep baby upright for 20 to 30 minutes after a feed. Gravity helps keep stomach acid down.
• Avoid overfeeding, which puts pressure on the stomach valve.
• Ask your doctor about thickening feeds with oat cereal (do not do this without medical advice).

More On This Topic

Best Gripe Water Brands of 2025

5. Use a Pacifier

Sucking is a natural soothing mechanism for infants. A pacifier can provide instant relief during a crying jag. If they reject it, try dipping it in a little breast milk or formula to entice them.

6. Establish a Bedtime Routine

Routine signals safety to a baby. A simple sequence done every night helps their nervous system wind down.

• A warm bath using calming products.
• A gentle massage while putting on pajamas.
• Dimming the lights and singing a lullaby.

Consistency is key. After a week or two, your baby may anticipate sleep rather than crying.

7. Try Probiotics

Some studies suggest probiotic drops can reduce crying in colicky infants by balancing gut bacteria. Talk to your pediatrician about whether this is right for your baby.

If approved, you can add drops to a bottle or apply them to your breast before nursing.

8. Wear Your Baby

Skin-to-skin contact is a powerful tranquilizer for babies. Using a baby carrier keeps them upright (good for digestion) and close to your heartbeat (good for anxiety).

It also frees up your hands. You can pace the hallway, fold laundry, or just eat a sandwich while soothing your baby.

9. The Tummy Rub

Massaging your baby’s belly in a clockwise motion can help move trapped gas through the intestines. Do this several times a day when your baby is calm, not just when they are crying.

10. Warmth

A warm bath changes the sensory environment and relaxes tense muscles. If a bath isn’t an option, a warm water bottle wrapped in a towel placed near (not directly on) their tummy can help. Always test the temperature on your inner wrist first to protect sensitive skin.

11. Don’t Overfeed

A very full tummy can be painful. It is easy to misinterpret a cry of pain for a cry of hunger, leading to a cycle of overfeeding and more pain.

If you use caregivers, ensure they understand paced feeding and aren’t pressure-feeding the baby to soothe them.

12. Ensure Baby Gets Hindmilk

If breastfeeding, understand the difference between foremilk and hindmilk. Foremilk is thinner and higher in lactose; hindmilk is fattier and more satisfying.

Unfortunately, there’s no set number of minutes when the foremilk turns to hindmilk – it’s a gradual shift during the feeding from less fatty milk at the beginning to more fat-rich milk toward the end.

Editor's Note:

Michelle Roth, BA, IBCLC

Too much lactose from foremilk can cause gas. Try to empty one breast completely before switching sides to ensure your baby gets that rich hindmilk.

13. The Swaddle

Newborns have a startle reflex that wakes them up and upsets them. Swaddling mimics the tight confinement of the womb.

1. Lay a blanket in a diamond shape and fold down the top corner.
2. Place baby on their back with their neck on the fold.
3. Wrap the left side over the body and tuck it under the baby.
   

   Some babies hate their hands to be swaddled in. If this is your baby, simply allow baby to keep their hands near their face, but swaddle their arm against their torso.

   

   Editor's Note:

   Michelle Roth, BA, IBCLC
4. Bring up the bottom, then wrap the right side over and tuck it under.

14. The Football Hold

Pressure on the tummy can be very soothing. Try the “Colic Carry” or “Football Hold.”

1. Place your baby belly-down along your forearm, with their head resting in your hand.
2. Ensure their nose and mouth are clear.
3. Use your other hand to rub their back.

Alternatively, lay them across your lap belly-down and gently rub their back.

With our colicky baby, my husband and I spent weeks of evenings holding him on our forearms, switching off when one of us got tired. We’d put his head on our inner elbow, with his belly against our forearm and our hand supporting his legs. We’d walk, bounce, sway, rock for hours this way.

Editor's Note:

Michelle Roth, BA, IBCLC

15. White Noise and Shushing

The womb was a loud place (as loud as a vacuum cleaner!). Silence can be unsettling to a newborn.

Use a white noise machine, a fan, or even a vacuum cleaner to create a steady hum. When holding them, make a loud “SHHHH” sound close to their ear. You need to be as loud as their crying for them to hear you and calm down.

You cannot pour from an empty cup. To take care of your baby, you must survive the stress yourself.

• Tag team: Hand the baby to your partner, a grandparent, or a friend for an hour. Go for a walk, shower, or sleep. A 30-minute break can reset your patience.
• Use earplugs: It sounds controversial, but wearing noise-canceling headphones or earplugs while rocking a screaming baby can lower your adrenaline response. You can still see they are safe, but the piercing noise is dampened.
• Walk away: If you feel like you might snap or shake the baby, put them in a safe place (crib) and walk out of the room for 10 minutes. Crying won’t hurt them; shaking will.
• Prep for the Witching Hour: If you know the crying starts at 5 p.m., have dinner prepped earlier in the day. Use a slow cooker or meal prep on Sundays so you aren’t trying to cook while soothing an infant.
• Lower expectations: Ignore the laundry. Use paper plates. Sleep when the baby sleeps. Survival is the only goal right now.

Let’s debunk the guilt-inducing myths surrounding colic.

Colicky Babies Grow Up Unhappy

False. A colicky baby does not become a grumpy child. Once the colic resolves (usually by 3-4 months), they are just as happy and well-adjusted as any other kid.

Our 11-year-old had colic I thought would never end. Now he’s an intelligent, caring, active kid who laughs and plays just like anyone else. While he may not remember all that crying, I certainly do! But you’d never know looking at him now that he had a period of such upset and discomfort (for both of us).

Editor's Note:

Michelle Roth, BA, IBCLC

Baby Colic FAQs

At What Age Does Colic Usually Start?

Colic typically starts when a baby is around 2 to 3 weeks old, just when you thought you had this parenting gig figured out. If your little one is older than this and suddenly starts having unexplained fussiness, it is best to check in with the pediatrician to rule out other causes.

How Long Does Colic Last in a Baby?

For most infants, colic ends by the time they are 3 to 4 months old. In the meantime, remember this mantra: “this too shall pass.” Colic is challenging, but it doesn’t last forever.

Can I Give My Newborn Water for Colic?

No. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends exclusive breastfeeding or formula feeding for the first six months. Do not give water to a newborn, as it can mess with their electrolyte balance.

Why Is Colic Worse At Night?

The “witching hour” often happens because the baby’s nervous system is overwhelmed by the stimulation of the day. Additionally, your own fatigue in the evening can make it harder to soothe them, creating a stress loop.

How Do I Know If My Baby Has Colic or Reflux?

Colic is defined by the timing (crying for hours, often in the evening). Reflux is physical: spitting up, arching the back in pain during feeds, and coughing. If you suspect reflux, see your doctor.

How Do I Get My Colic Baby to Sleep?

It feels like an Olympic sport, but stick to the “5 Ss”: Swaddle, Side/Stomach position (while holding), Shush, Swing, and Suck. Combined with a dark room and white noise, this triggers the calming reflex.

When Should I See a Doctor for Colic?

See a doctor if the baby is vomiting forcefully, has a fever, isn’t gaining weight, or if you feel like you can’t cope. It is always better to rule out medical issues like an infection or allergy than to assume it is just colic.

Colic is a kick in the pants. It is not the journey you envisioned, but the sooner you accept it, the sooner you can find solutions that work for your family.

Try the soothing techniques, lean on your support system, and protect your own mental health.

When you feel defeated, remember: You are a great mom. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be reading this article looking for ways to help your baby. This phase is temporary, and you will get through it.