Colic: A Parent’s Survival Guide

September 22, 2021 Infant

Even though it has been many years ago, I can clearly remember the extreme crying every night from 7:00-11:00pm. When my son was in the midst of his colic, there were times that my husband and I had to take 15 minute shifts with him, because neither of us could tolerate the crying for very long. We tried everything we could think of and nothing helped. We took our son to the pediatrician and she said “Congratulations — you have survived the first month of colic. Hang in there Mom!”. I was so frustrated, I was afraid my baby would cry like this forever. Luckily he didn’t.

What is colic?

Colic is when babies have an intense high-pitched cry around the same time every day, usually in the late afternoon or evening. Colic seems to start for no reason and babies with colic seem almost impossible to comfort.

Babies will often pull their legs up and clench their fists using their whole bodies when they cry. Colic is common for babies and extremely frustrating for parents. Colic usually starts a few weeks after birth, peaks around 2 months and goes away around 4-5 months of age.

There are several theories about what causes colic, however there has been no proven cause, so there is not one treatment that helps all babies. Some of the possible causes are: immature nervous or digestive systems, milk intolerance, reflux, gas, hormone changes, postpartum depression, maternal anxiety, or not getting enough hindmilk when breastfeeding. Some health care professionals believe colic is a response to pain while others believe it is a normal stage of infant development.

If you think your baby may have colic, do the following:

Keep a log of their crying including start and stop times and anything that seemed to bring comfort.
Write down what and how much they eat, how long it took and how often they spit up.
Keep track of his pooping, especially any changes.
Talk to their health care provider about a medical cause such as reflux or milk sensitivity.
Make sure baby has a good latch on the breast. Not latching well can cause inadequate emptying and swallowing of air.
If you are breastfeeding, your baby could be sensitive to a food you are eating. Try cutting out dairy products for a few weeks to see if it makes a difference. Caffeine, wheat and soy are other foods in your diet your baby may be sensitive to; try taking them out of your diet one at a time.
During nursing, make sure they are not changing sides too quickly. Emptying one breast before switching sides will ensure baby gets enough of the higher fat hindmilk.
If you have an overactive letdown reflex, this can cause baby to be fussy. Talk to a WIC peer counselor or lactation consultant.
If you are using formula, ask their health care provider if changing to a different formula would help.
Holding baby and baby’s bottle more upright when feeding or trying a different nipple or bottle can help reduce gas.

Unfortunately, there may be nothing that prevents or stops colic; here are techniques that may help:

Holding
Rocking
Swaddling
Using a vibrating infant seat
Placing baby on their left side or tummy across your lap and patting their back
Shushing
Swinging baby either in a swing or in your arms
Using a pacifier
Playing soft music or singing
Walking the floor
Going for a car ride

If colic is affecting how your baby eats, tell their health care provider. A colicky baby is generally gaining weight well and otherwise healthy. If they ever have trouble breathing or their lips or face turn bluish or grayish color when crying, eating or sleeping call their health care provider or seek emergency medical treatment.

Even though you are exhausted and frustrated, the most important thing to remember is NEVER SHAKE a BABY! Shaking a baby can cause permanent brain damage, blindness and even death. If you are getting angry, lay baby in their crib safely and take a 10 minute break. Sit outside, put on some headphones with your favorite music or take a hot shower to relax. Never be afraid to ask for help: you do not have to go through this alone. Have a friend or family member watch your baby so you can get out of the house. Talk to someone. Tell them how you are feeling and call your health care professional if you feel that you are depressed or having trouble handling this.

Think positively: colic doesn’t last forever and there are no permanent effects on your child as they grow up. My son’s colic finally ended after 4 months and he has grown to be a healthy, happy teenager.