Colic: What it is—And what it isn’t

Note: This blog was written in paid partnership with Dr. Brown’s.

As a pediatrician—and a parent—I know that having a newborn is both exciting and exhausting! Having a baby with colic can add a feeling of overwhelm to those first few months. While infant colic is fairly common, it is also often misunderstood. Let’s review what infant colic is (and isn’t), what its causes are, and what may help.

What is Infant Colic?

Infant colic is a situation characterized by excessive crying and fussiness in an otherwise healthy baby, who is well-fed and has no other obvious explanation for the crying. The period of fussiness often ramps up in the late afternoon or evening hours (but colicky babies are often fussy both day and night). It typically starts around three weeks of age and can last until the baby is around three months old. The official diagnosis describes crying episodes that last for several hours and occur at least three days a week for three weeks or more.

What Colic is Not:

1. Colic is not a medical condition that needs medical treatment. It can be comforting to know that colic is not serious and can often be managed and made better by incorporating various soothing techniques. Medications do not work, and parents should avoid unregulated infant supplements that claim to cure colic.
2. Colic is not due to a baby being hungry. In fact, a common mistake well-intentioned caregivers make is overfeeding babies. It can be easy to assume that a crying baby is a hungry baby. If you’ve fed them their typical amount, and they are wetting diapers, and having normal bowel movements, and they are gaining weight appropriately—then, caregivers should avoid the temptation to overfeed them. Overfeeding can often add tummy discomfort to an already-fussy baby.
3. Colic is not an indication of a baby’s temperament or personality. Parents sometimes worry that if an infant has colic, it is a foreshadowing that they are always going to be more challenging. In truth, even the most colicky babies go on to be happy, well-adjusted children. Colic is neither permanent, nor a predictor of future behavior.
4. Colic is not due to parenting. To be certain, infants with colic are emotionally challenging for parents, and those parents can, understandably, become fatigued and discouraged. It is important to know that there is zero connection between parenting style or experience, and colic. Parents are doing nothing to cause colic! For this reason, parents of colicky babies should reach out to family and friends for support as much as possible and should absolutely ditch the temptation to somehow feel responsible for their baby’s crying.

What May Cause Colic:

There are multiple theories about the cause of infant colic, but the exact cause of colic is unknown. While no single theory provides a complete explanation, many issues likely contribute, including:

1. Immature Neurologic System: Because colic tends to naturally resolve around the third month of life, some experts have coined the “fourth trimester” as a period of continued neurologic immaturity following birth, that causes some infants to become overstimulated by their environment. Babies are still adjusting to the world around them, and even normal levels of noise, light or activity can overwhelm their developing nervous system.
2. Immature Digestive System: One theory suggests that colic may be due to an immature digestive system, making it harder for babies to digest food. The inability to digest food can lead to increased gas production and tummy pain. Crying babies also tend to gulp more air, increasing intestinal gas and creating a self-perpetuating cycle of distress and discomfort.
3. Allergies or Sensitivities: In some cases, colic may be associated with allergies or sensitivities to certain foods consumed by breastfeeding moms or to certain ingredients in infant formula. When this is the case, however, there are usually other symptoms or findings present to point in the direction of a food allergy (for instance, blood in the stool, skin issues, excessive vomiting and timing of fussiness in correlation with feeding). If you suspect this to be a contributing cause, it’s best to discuss it with your pediatrician before making any changes to your baby’s or your own diet.

What Can Help:

1. Soothing Techniques: Gentle rocking, swaddling, or carrying your baby in a sling can help provide comfort and reduce crying. One of my favorite products is the Dr. Brown’s pacifiers. Consider minimizing external loud noises and bright lights and avoid overstimulation in general.
2. Feeding Adjustments: If you are breastfeeding or pumping breastmilk, and you are able to maintain adequate caloric intake and nutrition, it might be reasonable to have a conversation with your baby’s pediatrician about eliminating certain foods from your diet that could be causing allergies or sensitivities. If you are using formula, talk to your pediatrician about whether or not switching to a hypoallergenic formula would be helpful. Additionally, ensuring proper burping during and after each feeding can help reduce baby’s gas and discomfort. There are also specific bottles that are designed to help reduce colic. One of my favorite recommendations is the Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow Anti-Colic Options+ Baby Bottle. These bottles include an internal anti-colic vent system which helps decrease spit-up, burping and gas and is proven to reduce colic.

Ask About It

If you suspect your baby is showing signs of colic, talk to your pediatrician about it. While it is generally harmless and always resolves on its own, it’s distressing and confusing, nonetheless. Understanding it is half the battle, so ask questions and take heart that with the right guidance and time, the fog of colic will eventually lift.

About the author:

Sara DuMond, MD, FAAP is a board-certified pediatrician practicing in Charlotte, NC. She is a 2000 AOA graduate of West Virginia University Medical School and completed her residency in Pediatrics at Carolinas Medical Center in 2003. She practiced general office pediatrics in the Charlotte area prior to founding Pediatric Housecalls in 2011, a mobile pediatric practice serving children throughout North and South Carolina. In addition to her clinical duties, she is member of the Dr. Brown’s Medical Expert Panel, and a frequent contributor to numerous publications, including Parents, Good Housekeeping, WebMD, and Romper. She lives in Charlotte with her husband, three kids, and one goofy golden retriever.