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Colic: for crying out loud

There’s no miracle cure for colic, but with a little experimenting, you just might find something that helps

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Originally published in Today's Parent August 2002

Chantal Foisy’s infant son Logan cried non-stop from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. nightly. “Nothing helped,” says Foisy, who lives in Barrie, Ontario. “It took all of my strength not to yell at him, but I knew it wasn’t his fault. Those were the longest five weeks of my life. I nearly died of happiness when the colic went away.” 
 
My own daughter, Katharine, cried inconsolably, with her tiny fists clenched and her red face scrunched in apparent pain. She was rarely soothed by rocking, nursing, singing or car rides. When friends advised this would last “only” three months, I wanted to cry myself. I felt inadequate as a new mother. Why couldn’t I soothe my little baby? 
 
Anyone who has endured the ceaseless wails of a colicky baby can understand the self-doubt and frustration that go along with it. Unfortunately no one really knows what causes colic, and there’s no single fool-proof cure that makes it disappear in every infant. But you can arm yourselves with tools that work at least some of the time. As every parent who has been there knows, it’s worth trying. 
 
The good news is, colic disappears often as fast as it comes on. In the meantime, here’s what you need to know to make it through the night. 

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