It will go away on its own, often by age 3 months. In most cases it is gone by age 6 months. If possible, have someone else watch your baby when you become stressed. If no one else is available, make sure your baby is safe and go into another room. Distract yourself from your baby's cries.
Crying will not hurt your baby. Some communities have free or low-cost care called respite nurseries. You can leave your baby there for short periods of time. Call your child's healthcare provider if you see any of these symptoms.
Also call if your baby is crying too much. Your child's provider will give your baby an exam. Health Home Conditions and Diseases. What causes colic? Colic may occur when babies: Are sensitive and have trouble adjusting to the world. After birth, newborns must get used to lights, loud noises, and other new things around them. But babies have different personalities temperaments. Some infants can handle these things well. Crying may be one way for a baby to show his or her feelings while getting used to the world.
Are unable to calm themselves. Some babies seem very sensitive to stimulation. Their nervous system is still developing is immature. As babies get a little older, they are better able to control their nervous system. As this happens, colic goes away. Other theories about what causes colic are less likely. These include: Being sensitive to gas. Some people think that gas may be to blame for colic. In fact, treating gas has no effect on colic.
Sometimes a colicky baby may seem to pass more gas than other babies do. But that is likely because he or she swallows more air while crying for longer periods of time. Having a milk allergy or intolerance. Having a milk allergy, or an intolerance to cow's milk protein, may cause belly pain. But often these also cause loose stool diarrhea. Colic usually peaks around 6 to 8 weeks and then slowly dissipates, disappearing completely around 3 to 4 months of age.
Lester says the colic symptom checklist includes the sudden onset of a high-pitched, screechy "pain cry" and inconsolability. What's the difference between normal crying and colic? With normal crying, the wails are usually related to a need feeding, holding, changing, etc , and come in no particular pattern throughout the day and night. Fussy babies tend to calm down with cuddling, being held, or being rocked. With colic, you don't know what your baby wants.
Colic isn't a sign that your baby is sick, although things such as reflux, food allergies , and exposure to cigarette smoke can cause further aggravation and tears. Nor is it a sign that your baby has belly pain , although the way she grimaces, clenches her body, arches her back, pulls her legs up, and screams till she's purple can make it seem so. What causes colic—and why some babies experience it and others don't—remains a mystery.
Here are some theories:. Overstimulation: Some doctors view colic as a natural developmental stage as babies adjust to all the different sensations and experiences that come with life outside the womb. Karp calls this "the fourth trimester. Digestive Issues: Some babies suffer from enlarged stomachs or increased gas during their crying spells, leaving some experts to believe gas pain causes the screaming. Excessive gas can be caused by lactose intolerance, an allergy to milk, or gas-producing foods passed through the breast milk , such as caffeine, nuts, or some vegetables.
Infant acid reflux may also cause digestive issues. Conveyed Anxiety: It's not unusual for a new mom to be stressed out and anxious by the end of the day. Some experts believe the anxiety of a mother rubs off on her baby and causes the baby to be "stressed out" too.
Chemical Imbalance: Yet another theory is that colic stems from an imbalance of the brain chemicals melatonin and serotonin. Colicky babies might have more serotonin, which makes the intestinal muscles contract, says Marc Weissbluth, M. There is no test for colic. Health care professionals ask about the crying and how the baby is doing They'll do an exam to make sure there's no health reason for the crying.
If you think your baby has colic, call your doctor. Some babies need less stimulation. Babies 2 months and younger may do well swaddled, lying on their back in the crib with the lights very dim or dark. Make sure the swaddle isn't too tight.
Stop swaddling when the baby is starting to be able to roll over. Don't blame yourself or your baby for the crying — colic is nobody's fault. Try to relax, and know that your baby will outgrow this phase. If you ever feel like you might hurt yourself or the baby, put the baby down in the crib and call for help right away.
Never shake a baby. All Babies Cry is a program that helps people learn how to soothe a baby and cope with crying. If you are worried you might hurt your baby or someone else will, call the national hotline A-CHILD anytime for help. Reviewed by: Michelle M. Karten, MD. Larger text size Large text size Regular text size.
What Is Colic? Colic doesn't mean a baby has any health problems. Risk factors for colic are not well-understood. Research has not shown differences in risk when the following factors were considered:. Infants born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy or after delivery have an increased risk of developing colic. Colic is stressful for parents. Research has shown an association between colic and the following problems with parent well-being:.
The stress of calming a crying baby has sometimes prompted parents to shake or otherwise harm their child. Shaking a baby can cause serious damage to the brain and death. The risk of these uncontrolled reactions is greater if parents don't have information about soothing a crying child, education about colic and the support needed for caring for an infant with colic.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Colic is frequent, prolonged and intense crying or fussiness in a healthy infant.
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