# What Causes Colic in Babies and How to Relieve It ## What Is Colic? Colic is a condition where a
Every parent of an infant knows it – the baby writhes, starts crying, clenches their little fists, and nothing can calm them down. This scenario repeats day after day, often at the same time in the afternoon or evening, exhausting the entire family. We're talking about infant colic, one of the most common problems of early childhood, which nonetheless remains shrouded in a multitude of half-truths, outdated advice, and modern myths. It's therefore time to look at what science and pediatric practice actually say about the causes and solutions of this condition.
Colic is estimated to affect up to 20–30% of all newborns, with problems typically beginning around the second to third week of life and peaking at approximately the sixth week. The good news is that in most cases everything spontaneously resolves by the third or fourth month of the baby's life. This doesn't mean parents should simply wait passively – there are ways to relieve the baby's discomfort, and conversely, things that unnecessarily complicate the situation or have no effect at all.
Try our natural products
What we actually mean by colic and how to recognize it
Pediatricians traditionally use the so-called rule of threes: the baby cries for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, and the condition lasts for more than three weeks. This diagnostic framework comes from the work of pediatrician Morris Wessel from the 1950s and still serves as a basic reference point today, although in practice doctors take the overall picture of the infant's health into account. It's important to rule out other causes of crying – hunger, overheating, wet diapers, or actual illness.
The symptoms of colic are fairly characteristic: intense, inconsolable crying that cannot be managed by ordinary methods, legs curled up toward the tummy, a flushed face, a tense abdomen, and significant gas. The baby is otherwise thriving normally, gaining weight, and appears content outside of crying episodes. It is precisely this combination – a healthy baby who nevertheless cries uncontrollably – that is psychologically very demanding for parents.
The exact cause of colic has not yet been fully explained, and it is in this knowledge vacuum that a whole range of myths flourish. The scientific journal BMJ has repeatedly published reviews of studies showing how few of the popular "guaranteed tips" actually have a solid evidence base.
What actually helps
One of the best-documented methods of relief is rhythmic movement and contact. Carrying the baby in your arms or in a sling, gentle rocking, riding in a pram over an uneven surface – all of these activate the baby's vestibular system and have a demonstrably calming effect. Pediatrician Harvey Karp, the author of the "fourth trimester" concept, describes the so-called five S's: swaddling, side/stomach position (when being held, not for sleeping), shushing, swinging, and sucking. This approach is gaining increasing popularity among experts and parents around the world.
Feeding technique also plays an important role. Breastfed babies should be latched on correctly so they don't swallow unnecessary amounts of air. For bottle-fed babies, it's advisable to choose a bottle with a slower flow rate and to burp the baby properly after each feeding. This may seem obvious, but in practice many parents forget to burp their baby or do it for too short a time. Spending adequate time on burping – perhaps ten to fifteen minutes after feeding – can significantly reduce the amount of trapped air in the digestive tract.
Research suggests that the diet of a breastfeeding mother may also have an influence on breastfed babies, although the evidence is not entirely clear-cut. Some studies have noted improvement after eliminating cow's milk, eggs, nuts, and citrus fruits from the mother's diet. If a parent decides to try this approach, an elimination diet lasting at least two to four weeks under the supervision of a doctor or nutrition specialist is recommended – shorter testing periods don't allow sufficient time to evaluate the effect.
Probiotics have attracted a great deal of attention in recent years, specifically the strain Lactobacillus reuteri. Several randomized studies, such as the one published in the journal Pediatrics, have demonstrated a reduction in crying time in breastfed babies who received this probiotic strain. Results in formula-fed babies are less convincing, though research in this area is ongoing. Before administering any dietary supplement to a newborn, it is of course essential to consult a pediatrician.
Heat and tummy massage are other methods that many parents discover spontaneously. A gentle clockwise massage, a warm bath, or applying a warm (not hot) compress to the tummy can help relax cramping intestinal muscles. To take an example from real life: Jana, the mother of three-month-old Eva, describes how a simple daily bath before bedtime followed by a gentle tummy massage with olive oil managed to shorten her evening crying episodes from nearly two hours to around twenty minutes. Thousands of parents share similar experiences, and while these are anecdotal accounts, they correspond with the available scientific knowledge about relieving tension in the digestive tract.
Myths it's time to stop believing
Now comes the more difficult part – debunking myths that are passed down from generation to generation and that unnecessarily stress parents or lead them toward ineffective, and sometimes even risky, practices.
Myth one: colic is caused by poor breastfeeding or "bad milk." This belief unfortunately still circulates and leads breastfeeding mothers to unnecessarily switch to formula in the hope of resolving the colic. Scientific evidence, however, shows that breastfed babies do not have a higher incidence of colic than formula-fed babies. A mother's milk is the ideal food for her baby, and its "quality" does not cause colic.
Myth two: fennel or dill tea reliably helps. Herbal teas are a popular home remedy in families, and their tradition goes back centuries. However, scientifically supported evidence of their effectiveness for colic is very weak. There is also a risk: too much liquid can disrupt the electrolyte balance in newborns and cause hyponatremia, meaning a dangerously low blood sodium level. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) therefore does not recommend giving newborns any liquids other than breast milk or adapted formula.
Myth three: simethicone (Espumisan) is a guaranteed solution. Simethicone is a substance that helps merge air bubbles in the intestines and is available over the counter at pharmacies. Although it is safe and sometimes recommended by doctors, systematic reviews of studies have not demonstrated that it is more effective than placebo in treating colic. This doesn't mean it's harmful – it simply means parents shouldn't expect miracles from it.
Myth four: colic affects babies of nervous or anxious parents. This idea is not only scientifically unfounded but is also cruelly unfair to parents who are already going through a very demanding period. Research has repeatedly shown that colic is not related to the parents' personality or the quality of care. As pediatrician and author T. Berry Brazelton aptly wrote: "Colic is a challenge for the whole family, not a failure of parenting."
Myth five: the baby is crying because they are spoiled or want to manipulate. A newborn is incapable of manipulative behavior – their nervous system is simply not sufficiently developed for that. Crying is the only communication tool they have available, and responding to it quickly and gently does not lead to spoiling; on the contrary, it builds a secure attachment that is the foundation of the child's healthy psychological development.
We must not forget the myth that "natural" solutions are guaranteed to be safe. Many parents reach for homeopathic preparations or various herbal drops with the conviction that natural equals safe. However, this is not automatically true. Some preparations contain substances whose safety in newborns has not been tested, and in the past there have been recorded cases of serious adverse effects following the administration of certain homeopathic preparations intended for infants. Before giving anything to a newborn, a consultation with a doctor is always appropriate.
Colic is therefore a condition that, while exhausting, is in most cases temporary and harmless. Parents going through this challenging period should know that the best thing they can do for their child is to stay calm, seek support from a partner, family, or professionals, and not blindly rely on every piece of advice that comes their way. Taking care of one's own psychological wellbeing is just as important as caring for the baby – a tired and exhausted parent cannot be a support for their child. If the baby's crying exceeds the usual patterns, is accompanied by fever, refusal to feed, or other alarming symptoms, visiting a pediatrician to rule out more serious causes is always the right step.
The world of colic is full of contradictory information, and that is precisely why it is so important to rely on verified sources and to communicate openly with professionals. The baby who cried for two hours last night may, in a few weeks, fall asleep with a smile on their face – and that is a promise worth keeping in mind even in the most difficult moments.
