Some colicky babies seem to want to eat all the time — and that might be because sucking is soothing, not because they're hungry. So if your child seems ravenous frequently and adequate feedings don't seem to satisfy him, a pacifier might help.
Because sucking, and breastfeeding specifically, are comforting, continuing to put your baby to the breast frequently during the days and weeks of colicky behavior can help. Some babies, however, have two minds about the breast – they want to nurse, but at the same time they seem in pain and don't want to feed.
Your baby has gas
Even though he may not be hungry, your baby feels comfort with feeding (even when he's not eating). Check with your pediatrician to rule out any significant causes of gas. If you suspect that normal gas is the culprit of his constant hunger and cries, help him relieve these discomforts.
With colic, your baby will not stop crying when you try usual ways of comforting, such as holding and feeding.
In addition to a milk allergy like Madilyn's, other conditions that might mimic colic include: GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease): Stomach acid can back up into your baby's esophagus, causing painful reflux. Spitting up a lot and crying during feedings are signs, Spinner says.
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.
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.
When babies cry without being hungry, overheated, or in pain, we call it "colic." About 10% of babies have colic. Although no one is certain what causes colic, these babies seem to want to be cuddled or to go to sleep. Colic tends to occur in high-needs babies with a sensitive temperament.
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. Infants with colic may have physical symptoms (table 1). Infants with colic are difficult or impossible to soothe, no matter what the parents do.
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.
When breast or bottle feeding, sit your baby up as straight as possible. This will help minimise the amount of air they swallow. If you are bottle feeding, try to make sure the milk fills the teat and there are no air pockets – you could try using an anti-colic bottle to see if that helps.
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.
The positive news is that if it's just colic -- which usually surfaces at age 2 weeks to 4 weeks -- your baby isn't in any physical danger, and the remedy is relatively simple: wait it out.
Symptoms of colic in babies
The crying spells can occur around the clock, although they often become worse in the early evening.
All babies cry, but your baby may have colic if they cry more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week for at least 1 week but are otherwise healthy. They may cry more often in the afternoon and evening.
Also, babies with colic may burp frequently or pass a significant amount of gas, but this is thought to be due to swallowing air while crying, and is not a cause of colic. The face may be flushed. The abdomen may be tense with legs drawn toward it.
Colic goes away on its own, sometimes by age 3 months. In most cases it is gone by age 6 months.
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.
Breastfeeding mothers may reduce colic by making sure the baby is getting lots of “hindmilk” at each feeding and not just “foremilk.” This can happen by making sure one breast is finished before offering the other or only offering one at feeding and emptying it completely.
Colic can stop gradually or suddenly, or flare up and down until it eventually disappears. Symptoms will usually pass within a few weeks (or months, in some cases)!
In general, colic is defined as crying for three or more hours a day, three or more days a week, for three or more weeks. Features of colic may include the following: Intense crying that may seem more like screaming or an expression of pain.
Can colic happen during the day? Colic can happen at any time - while it may be more common to experience in the late afternoon or evening, the main symptom of colic is that your baby cries at the same time each day, whether this is in the morning, afternoon, evening, or nighttime..