What Is Colic—And What Can I Do To Help My Baby?

Even though medical experts don’t know the cause of colic, they believe it’s within the range of normal development, albeit at the unfortunate end of the spectrum. That’s because many infants cry between 30 minutes and two hours a day. Colicky babies simply cry more than average.

“We have to remember that babies have different temperaments,” says Friedman. Some babies seem to cry more easily as a result of their sensitive temperaments. In some cases, it's enough to be classified as colicky. Studies have shown there’s no difference between colicky babies and their peers in development, intelligence or temperament later in life. So rest assured that if your baby is colicky now, they're not destined to be a difficult teenager 13 years from now!

Dietary culprits

Cow's milk

In a small percentage of cases, dairy products in a mother’s diet can cause problems for her breastfed baby. If you suspect this may be the root of your baby’s colic, try eliminating all cow’s milk products for seven to ten days. If there is a change for the better, you can gradually reintroduce milk into your diet. Some sensitive babies can tolerate only a small amount of milk in their mother’s diet, but most can tolerate some, says paediatrician Jack Newman, an assistant professor at the University of Toronto faculty of medicine, who works at several Toronto breastfeeding clinics.

Bottle-fed babies can be sensitive to cow’s milk, too. Some parents contend that switching from a dairy-based formula to one based on soy helps with colic. If cow’s milk is the culprit, this could help, but it isn’t a sure thing. Some babies are allergic to soy, in which case so-called “hypoallergenic formulas,” which break down the cow’s milk, are another alternative.

Other foods

Nursing babies may also be sensitive to other foods, such as corn, wheat, eggs and seafood. You can try eliminating foods one by one to pinpoint the culprit, but keep in mind that by the time you figure out what’s bothering your babe, the colic may have already disappeared.

Micheline Hickey-Ross of Miramichi, New Brunswick, discovered that her daughter Asa’s colic eased when she stopped eating certain foods. “She was totally different when I cut out bananas, apples, green pepper, cucumber, tomatoes and a few other foods.”

On the recommendation of a paediatrician in California, Newman has recently tried offering the mothers of colicky babies capsules of pancreatic enzymes. “It helps metabolize the proteins so they don’t get into the mother’s milk,” he says, “and we have had good success with this, although we are still experimenting with dosages.”

Reflux

Some babies have reflux, a condition similar to heartburn. If your baby sucks a bit, then pulls off the breast and screams, this could be the cause of her crying. She may spit up a lot, too. (However, most babies who spit up are not suffering from reflux.) An Israeli study found that anti-reflux medication relieved symptoms within two weeks. For bottle-fed babies, the answer might be pre-digested formula, in which the protein is broken down into its amino acids. However, this is a last resort as the formula is expensive and unpleasant tasting.

Formula ingredients

Kathi Kemper, director of the Center for Holistic Pediatric Education and Research at the Children’s Hospital in Boston, says that iron-fortified formulas are better for colicky babies than low-iron brands. While bottle-feeding parents may have some luck switching formulas, there are no advantages to switching from breast to bottle, says Friedman. “Just as many bottle-fed babies have colic.” There may be some breastfeeding techniques you can employ to help ease colic, though (see “Nursing Notes”).