Infant colic is regular, unexplained crying fits that usually last for at least three hours. The cause is unknown, but theories include immaturity of the bowel, food allergies and 'gas' or 'wind'. Colic tends to go away without treatment after a few weeks.
A healthy baby may have colic if he or she cries or is fussy for several hours a day, for no obvious reason. Colicky babies often cry from 6 p.m. to midnight. Colicky crying is louder, more high-pitched, and more urgent sounding than regular crying. Colicky babies can be very hard to calm down.
Colic typically starts within the first few weeks after birth. It peaks between 4 and 6 weeks of age. Then, it usually ends rather abruptly when your baby is 3 to 4 months old.
Colic will go away. Most babies outgrow it by the time they are 3 to 4 months old. Just because your baby has colic doesn't mean they're unhealthy.
What time of day is colic the worst? Typically, colicky babies cry most frequently from 6 pm to midnight (a period of time often referred to as “witching hour”). Parents often describe these cries as louder, more high-pitched, and more urgent than normal wails.
Infantile colic can be distressing to parents whose infant is inconsolable during crying episodes. Colic is often defined by the “rule of three”: crying for more than three hours per day, for more than three days per week, and for longer than three weeks in an infant who is well-fed and otherwise healthy.
Infant colic is regular, unexplained crying fits that usually last for at least three hours. The cause is unknown, but theories include immaturity of the bowel, food allergies and 'gas' or 'wind'. Colic tends to go away without treatment after a few weeks.
Change your baby's position: Sit them up if they have been lying down, or hold them face-out if they have been facing your chest. Hold your baby near low, rhythmic noises, like the sound of the washing machine or a recording of a heartbeat. The steady hum of a fan or a white noise machine can also be soothing.
But when your infant has painful gas, especially if it's frequent, it can cause your baby to cry or become fussy—until it's passed; unlike colic, which causes crying and fussiness that lasts for hours across days and weeks. Gas can have distinctive symptoms, too, such as a swollen-looking belly.
Episodes of colic usually peak when an infant is about 6 weeks old and decline significantly after 3 to 4 months of age. While the excessive crying will resolve with time, managing colic adds significant stress to caring for your newborn child.
Colic usually starts when babies are about 3 weeks old. It gets worse when they are between 4 and 6 weeks old. Most of the time, colicky babies get better after they are 6 weeks old, and are completely fine by the time they are 12 weeks old.
The children with reported colic were significantly more likely (22%) to sleep less than recommended for their age (6 months to 5 years) and significantly more likely (14%) to have more frequent night awakenings than usual for their age (6 months to 5 years).
It typically starts within the first 6 weeks and goes away within 4 months, although it may last up to 6 months. It is marked by extended periods of crying for no obvious reason. Babies suffering from colic are typically gassy, fussy, and have trouble getting to sleep.
Symptoms of colic in babies
Colicky babies cry inconsolably, often screaming, extending or pulling up their legs, and passing gas. The crying spells can occur around the clock, although they often become worse in the early evening.
Gas may contribute to colic. Gas is produced by bacteria in the intestines and can also be swallowed into the intestines (aerophagia). Symptoms of gas include fussiness, enlarged abdomen, and passage of excessive gas through burping or flatulence.
One reason colicky babies can fuss more at night, he explains, is that serotonin levels peak in the evening. This imbalance, the theory goes, naturally resolves when babies start making melatonin, which relaxes intestinal muscles.
Because your baby has more serotonin at night, their intestinal muscles may be contracting and causing your baby pain or discomfort. Regardless of the cause, dealing with colicky babies at bedtime can be a nightmare - that's where the Zen Swaddle can come in.
Let your baby cry—for a little while. If walking, rocking, singing, massaging, and the like don't seem to make a difference, put the baby in the crib for 10 to 15 minutes and see if he or she quiets alone. Sometimes a baby needs a little time alone—and you may need it, too. Take a stress break.
Colic episodes are more intense, louder, and higher pitched than "normal" crying. Infants with colic may sound as if they are in pain or are screaming.
What Causes Colic? Doctors aren't sure what causes colic. It may be due to digestion problems or a sensitivity to something in the baby's formula or that a nursing mom is eating. Or it might be from a baby trying to get used to the sights and sounds of being out in the world.
Parents of infants with colic correlated crying to stomach aches and a disturbed gut function [2,16]. In a qualitative study they remarked that their infants had bowel movements more than ten times/day or hardly at all and that the stools were green, explosive and foul-smelling [2].
When fed too much, a baby may also swallow air. This can produce gas, increase discomfort in the belly, and lead to crying. An overfed baby also may spit up more than usual and have loose stools. Although crying from discomfort is not colic, it can make crying more frequent and more intense in an already colicky baby.
You do not need to stop nursing. 1 Breastfeeding is not a cause of colic, and babies who take infant formula get colic, too. Switching to formula may not help and may even make the situation worse.
Colic Calm can be given prior to feeding or afterwards… whenever baby is distressed by colic, upset stomach, gas, hiccups, teething or acid reflux. It is only necessary to give when needed, when you recognize that baby is starting to get uncomfortable and before crying starts to escalate.