Written by Laura – resident Baby Nurse at Choice pharmacy
What is Colic?
- Colic is an unexplained and unsettled time where the baby cries for long periods during the day.
- They will ‘cry’ for more than 3 hours in the day and at least 3 times within a week.
- Around a quarter of breastfed and formula fed babies will experience colic
- More common between the ages of 2 weeks and 6 months
- Worse in the evening known as the ‘witching hour’
Possible causes of Colic:
- Overfeeding or poor feeding technique
- Intolerance or allergy
- Frequent changes in infant formula
- Parental anxiety
- Wind / gas
- Immature gastrointestinal tract
- Immature gut flora
Typical signs of Colic:
- Very irritable, unsettled baby that was previously calm
- Red face / clenched fists / arched back / pulling legs up
- Inconsolable- no matter what you do
- High pitched screams
- Loud tummy rumbling
Treatment for Colic:
- Some food types whilst mum is breastfeeding might affect babies
- Feeding technique- seek help from your healthcare professional/lactation consultant/ensure the formula is correctly made
- Holding / rocking / wrapping / dark room / calm music
- Warm bath
- Massage- place baby on tummy and rub back/rub tummy in circular motions
- Heat pack wrapped in a towel
- Avoid excessive stimulation- white noise / calming music might be helpful
- Probiotics
- Colic mixtures- Infacol / Gripe Water / Infant’s Friend / Brauer Colic
- Formula fed babies will need an anti-reflux teat
- Regular routine of feeding / settling / sleeping might be beneficial using a baby carrier is another option
- Using a dummy might help, sucking can be soothing for the baby
- A walk /car ride (where it’s safe to do so)
- Brauer Colic is highly recommended
Other diagnosis:
- Cow’s milk allergy: vomiting / blood or mucous in stool/diarrhoea/poor weight gain
- Reflux- frequent, large vomits that often had undigested milk
- Silent reflux- not necessarily vomiting but extremely irritable after feeds and often pulls faces/ cries in pain
- Lactose overload- frothy watery diarrhoea
If you are ever concerned, please seek medical advice.
Please ensure you take a break whenever you are feeling stressed/tired. Ask for help, too.
You can book our Baby Nurse for in-store consultation online.