Colic is very common – about one in five babies are thought to have it – and it can be very distressing for parents. Here’s how to cope if it affects your baby.

What is colic?

Colic is sometimes defined as unexplained excessive crying in an otherwise healthy baby. The crying is usually most intense in the evenings and your baby may appear to be in some discomfort, clenching his fists and pulling his knees up towards his tummy.

What are the symptoms of colic?

A baby who has colic may:

• cry inconsolably, possibly for several hours, especially in the late afternoon and evening
• go red in the face
• clench his fists
• pull his knees up towards his tummy
• arch his back

What causes colic?

No one really knows what causes colic, but there are several theories.

• Some researchers believe that babies with colic are more sensitive and have trouble switching off their ‘crying’ response.
• Others believe that babies with colic are reacting to substances in breast or formula milk – such as lactose, a sugar found in cow’s milk – because their digestive systems are immature.
• Smoking may be a factor – babies of women who smoke in pregnancy are twice as likely to have colic.
• Another possible cause is pain caused by trapped wind in a baby’s digestive system.

When does colic start?

Colic usually comes on when babies are two to four weeks old. It normally reaches a peak at about six to eight weeks and is gone by four months.

What can I do to help?

Although your baby may look distressed, having colic won’t harm his health in any way. The following tips may help to soothe him.

• Give him a warm bath.
• Try gently rubbing his tummy.
• Lay him face down on your lap and rub his back.
• Put him in a sling and go for a walk, or strap him into his car seat and go for a drive.
• Try leaving the vacuum cleaner on near his cot or putting his Moses basket near the washing machine – some babies are soothed by this ‘white’ noise.
• Swaddle him in a light cotton blanket or sheet (but unswaddle him again if he goes to sleep).
• Try holding him in a more upright position when you feed him.
• If you are breastfeeding, try avoiding spicy foods, tea, coffee, cabbage, broccoli and cauliflower.
• Don’t overstimulate your baby by constantly picking him up and putting him down again.
• Always wind your baby after feeds by holding him against your shoulder and gently rubbing or patting his back.
• If you are bottle-feeding, try a teat with a faster flow rate – if the hole is too small, your baby may be swallowing air as he feeds.

What treatments are available?

It’s a good idea to see your GP if you think your baby has colic, as they can rule out any underlying problems. Your GP may suggest:

• Simeticone drops: These are designed to disperse bubbles of air in your baby’s digestive system. They can be given before a feed
• Lactase drops: Like simeticone drops, these can be added to a feed. They contain an enzyme that breaks down a sugar called lactose in cow’s milk.
• Excluding cow’s milk: A few babies can't tolerate cow's milk and may benefit if you switch to a hypoallergenic formula or, if you are breastfeeding, remove cow’s milk from your diet for a trial period. You should only do this under your health visitor or GP's guidance.

Although there is no evidence to suggest they work, some parents find complementary therapies, such as cranial osteopathy, helpful for colic.

How to look after yourself

Having a baby with colic can be distressing and exhausting for parents, and may make you feel like you are a “bad” parent. This isn’t true, of course – there are plenty of capable, experienced parents who have babies with colic.

You may find it helpful to:

• get friends or relatives to lend a hand in the evening sometimes
• if you feel you cannot cope, put your baby down somewhere safe and have five minutes’ time out in another room
• visit our 0-3 months forum for help and support from other parents
• hang on to the fact that colic is just a phase – it will pass!

A mum says...

"Charlotte had colic from about three weeks. I remember dreading the evenings because I knew Charlotte would probably start crying and I wouldn’t get any rest. None of the treatments seemed to help so we just took it in turns to walk the floor with her. Things started to improve after about a month, but at the time it was hard to cope with, very hard." Clare from Tewkesbury, mum to Isabelle and Charlotte, 7 months