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How do I Treat Colic?

B. Miller
B. Miller

Colic is common in infants, and is characterized by frequent periods of inconsolable crying that may last for hours. Colic usually appears within the first few weeks of a baby's life, and may last until the baby is three or four months of age. It is believed that colic is caused by abdominal pain. There are many different methods that may help to treat colic, though it is notoriously difficult to treat.

One of the ways to treat colic is to alter the baby's diet. For a breastfed child, the mother may need to alter what she eats that may be causing gassiness in the baby, or upsetting his or her stomach. Some breastfeeding mothers find that cutting out spicy foods is helpful in treating colic, though others may need to experiment to find out if a certain food is causing the trouble.

Colic is common in infants.
Colic is common in infants.

For a baby that is formula-fed, it may be necessary to switch to different types of formula to treat colic. A child may be lactose-intolerant and need a soy-based formula, or a certain brand may just not agree. If none of this seems to make a difference, try a different type of nipple on the bottle; if the hole is too small, the child may be swallowing too much air while eating, which causes pain. Curved bottles or bottles with collapsible liners can also cut down on the amount of air the baby is taking in when feeding from a bottle.

Colic can be frustrating, since nothing seems to bring the baby relief.
Colic can be frustrating, since nothing seems to bring the baby relief.

Some people find that feeding the baby while sitting him or her up is a good way to treat colic, and it is important to always remember to burp the baby after feedings. Feeding the baby smaller meals with greater frequency may help as well. Another option is to swaddle the baby, or to put him or her in a vibrating bouncy seat, or take the baby on a car ride; some babies find these motions to be very soothing. A pacifier may also help.

A pacifier may soothe a colicky baby.
A pacifier may soothe a colicky baby.

A doctor may also be able to prescribe medications to treat colic. These medications are generally intended to help with digestion, which may prevent abdominal pain from occurring. Though colic is difficult for any parent and child to deal with, it will most likely resolve on its own, and will not prevent the child from gaining weight and thriving. Of course, it is important to take the child for regular check-ups with a physician to be sure he or she is healthy and doing well.

Discussion Comments

fify

Our pediatrician said that colic can be partly psychological too. Like if the baby had a really busy day, if the house was too crowded, if there was too much noise or tension, that can trigger the crying or make it worse.

My wife always feeds our son in a quiet room. We also play music for him, like classical music or yoga and nature music.

If we have guests over or are in a crowded place and he starts crying, we try to take him out for a stroll or take him for a car ride.

discographer

I think food is the main culprit with colic. My son hates it when I have onions. I noticed that he cries and is fussy whenever I breastfeed him after a meal with onions. I swear it doesn't happen otherwise.

Just keep in mind that if you are breastfeeding, everything you eat gets transferred over to your baby with milk. But newborns have such sensitive and immature stomachs and digestive system. They really cannot handle all of the food we eat!

I try to keep my diet basic, without caffeine, spices, onions and garlic.

turquoise

I know moms don't ever want their babies to feel uncomfortable and cry. But I really think that colic cannot be prevented, it happens to all infants and then goes away as they are a little bit older. So please don't blame yourself and think that you must be doing everything wrong!

What I did with both my son and daughter after mealtimes was to give them an oil massage or a warm bath. If I couldn't do either, I would put a warm towel on their stomach and rock them until they felt better. It really seemed to do wonders for my kids.

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    • Colic is common in infants.
      By: Dmytro Panchenko
      Colic is common in infants.
    • Colic can be frustrating, since nothing seems to bring the baby relief.
      By: Galina Barskaya
      Colic can be frustrating, since nothing seems to bring the baby relief.
    • A pacifier may soothe a colicky baby.
      By: hansenn
      A pacifier may soothe a colicky baby.
    • Going for a car ride can help soothe a colicky baby.
      By: ramzi hachicho
      Going for a car ride can help soothe a colicky baby.