A healthy baby who suddenly screams for hours every evening, pulls up the legs, clenches the fists and cannot be comforted is one of the most exhausting experiences for new parents. This is usually colic. It is very common, it is not caused by anything you did, and it almost always passes by the age of four to six months. This guide explains what colic is, how to soothe your baby, the warning signs that mean a doctor should see the baby, and the homeopathic medicines traditionally considered for colicky infants.
Baby colic: quick answers
- What is it? Frequent, intense, hard-to-soothe crying in a healthy baby, often in the late afternoon or evening, with no clear cause.
- The rule of three: Crying for more than three hours a day, on more than three days a week, for more than three weeks, in a baby who is otherwise well and feeding normally.
- How long does it last? It usually starts at about two to three weeks, peaks around six weeks and settles by three to four months, sometimes up to six months.
- See a doctor if: There is fever, repeated vomiting, blood in the stool, poor weight gain, a swollen belly or the baby seems unwell between bouts of crying.
- Homeopathy: Offered as gentle, individualised supportive care; it does not replace a medical check of the baby.
About baby colic
Colic is not a disease. It is a pattern of excessive crying in a healthy infant who is fed and has a clean nappy. The baby may go red in the face, arch the back, draw up the knees, pass wind and cry in long, high-pitched bursts. Episodes tend to come at the same time each day, often in the evening, and end as suddenly as they began.
The cause is not fully understood. Immature digestion and gut movement, swallowed air during feeding or crying, an immature nervous system that finds it hard to settle after a stimulating day, sensitivity to something in the feed and the gut bacteria of the baby have all been suggested. Colic is not caused by poor parenting, and it does not harm the baby’s growth or health.
The challenge is that crying has other causes too: hunger, tiredness, a wet nappy, wind, too much stimulation, an ear or urinary infection, reflux, hernia or milk protein allergy. For this reason a doctor should check any baby who cries a lot, especially a first episode, to make sure there is nothing else to treat.
Common symptoms of baby colic
Symptoms vary from person to person. Common ones include:
- Crying that begins suddenly, often in the evening, and is intense and high-pitched
- A red face, clenched fists, arched back and legs drawn up to the tummy
- A hard or swollen-looking belly, and passing wind during or after episodes
- Difficulty soothing the baby by feeding, rocking or changing the nappy
- A baby who feeds well, gains weight and is happy between episodes
- Disturbed sleep because of the crying spells
Causes and risk factors of baby colic
There is rarely a single cause. Factors that may contribute include:
- Immature digestive system and gut movement in the first months
- Swallowed air during feeding, from a fast flow, a poor latch or bottle teats with large holes
- Overfeeding, underfeeding or feeding at long intervals
- Sensitivity to cow’s milk protein in the formula, or in the mother’s diet in a few breastfed babies
- Gastro-oesophageal reflux in some babies
- Overstimulation, noise and tiredness at the end of the day
- Parental smoking and tension in the household, which may make babies more unsettled
When to see a doctor
Colic is harmless, but you should never assume that crying is colic without a check-up, particularly in a young baby. See a doctor promptly if your baby has:
- A fever of 38 °C (100.4 °F) or more, especially in a baby under three months (seek urgent care)
- Repeated or green (bile-stained) vomiting, or forceful vomiting after every feed
- Blood or mucus in the stool, or persistent diarrhoea
- Poor weight gain, refusal to feed or fewer wet nappies than usual
- A swollen, hard or tender abdomen, or a lump in the groin
- Floppiness, unusual drowsiness, a high-pitched cry that is different from usual, or difficulty breathing
Wondering which of these medicines is right for you?
Every person with baby colic is different, and so is the medicine that works best for them. To discover the best-suited homeopathic medicines for baby colic for you, consult our experts. They will study your symptoms, your past treatment history and your personality, and then find the homeopathy medicines that suit you best.
Call +91 8080 850 950 for a 1:1 personal consultation with our experts today.
Homeopathic medicines for baby colic
The medicines below are commonly considered in homeopathy for baby colic, with the symptom picture traditionally associated with each. They are listed for general information, not as a prescription.
(1) Chamomilla: Colicky baby who is very irritable, screams and arches back, is only quiet when carried and rocked, with green, watery stools and one flushed cheek, often with teething.
(2) Colocynthis: Violent cramping colic that makes the baby double up and draw the legs to the abdomen, relieved by firm pressure on the tummy and by bending forward, and worse after feeding.
(3) Magnesia phosphorica: Spasmodic colic with cramping pains relieved by warmth, rubbing and bending double, with a swollen belly and passing of wind.
(4) Dioscorea villosa: Colic in which the baby stretches the body backwards and bends it back, with relief on straightening or being held over the shoulder, and pain that shifts around.
(5) Cina maritima: Irritable, restless baby who is cross when touched, grinds the teeth in sleep, picks the nose and has a hungry appetite, often with intestinal worms in older infants.
(6) Carbo vegetabilis: Colic with marked bloating and wind, a baby who is relieved by passing wind or belching and by being fanned, and is weak and tired.
(7) Lycopodium clavatum: Colic and bloating that are worse in the late afternoon and evening, with a lot of rumbling gas, hunger yet early fullness and a baby who is cross on waking.
(8) Aethusa cynapium: Colic with vomiting of curdled milk soon after feeding, followed by exhaustion and drowsiness, with an intolerance to milk.
(9) Pulsatilla nigricans: Gentle, clingy, weepy baby whose colic is worse after a rich feed, in a warm room and at night, and is better when carried in open air.
(10) Calcarea phosphorica: Colic in a slow-growing baby with delayed closing of the soft spot of the skull and slow teething, with sour vomiting and a tendency to cry with abdominal pain after feeding.
Homeopathic treatment of baby colic at Welling Homeopathy
These are only basic indications – many more homeopathic medicines are used for baby colic, and the right one is chosen after detailed case-taking by an experienced doctor.
Homeopathy is offered as individualised, supportive care. Reliable scientific evidence that homeopathy treats baby colic is limited, so it should not replace a medical diagnosis or any treatment your doctor considers necessary, and you should not stop or change current medicines without medical advice.
To find out about our care for this condition, see homeopathic care for babies and children, contact a Welling clinic or call +91 80 80 850 950 for a consultation in person or online.
Self-care and lifestyle tips
These measures support general health and may ease symptoms, but they do not replace treatment when it is needed.
- Hold the baby upright during and for 20 to 30 minutes after feeds, and burp gently in the middle and at the end of each feed.
- Check the latch, or the bottle teat flow, so the baby does not swallow air; a slightly slower flow often helps.
- Try gentle movement: carrying in a sling, rocking, a warm bath, swaddling, soft humming or a steady background sound.
- Lay the baby tummy-down along your forearm, or give a gentle tummy massage with a clockwise stroke, while awake and supervised; always put the baby to sleep on the back.
- Reduce stimulation in the evening with dim lights and a quiet room.
- If breastfeeding, a doctor may suggest avoiding cow’s milk for the mother for a short trial; do not change a baby’s formula without advice.
- Take breaks. If you feel overwhelmed, put the baby down safely in the cot and step away for a few minutes, and never shake a baby; ask family for help.
Frequently asked questions about baby colic
1. What causes colic in babies?
The exact cause is not known. Immature digestion, swallowed air, sensitivity to a feed, reflux and an immature nervous system have all been suggested. It is not caused by anything the parents have done.
2. How do I know if my baby has colic or something else?
Colic occurs in a healthy, feeding, growing baby with no fever, vomiting or other symptoms. A doctor should check a baby with a fever, vomiting, blood in stool, poor weight gain or unusual behaviour, to rule out other causes.
3. When does colic stop?
Most babies grow out of colic by three to four months of age, and almost all by six months.
4. Do gripe water and simethicone drops work?
Evidence that they work is limited, although some parents find them helpful. Check with your doctor before giving your baby any drops or herbal preparation.
5. Can homeopathy help baby colic?
Homeopathic medicines are widely used by parents for colic, but reliable scientific evidence that they work is limited. Use them only after a doctor has ruled out other causes of crying.
6. Does colic mean my baby is allergic to milk?
Usually not. Milk protein allergy is a less common cause of colic-like crying and usually comes with other signs such as blood in stool, eczema or vomiting. Your doctor can advise.
7. Can I give my colicky baby a dummy or pacifier?
Yes, a dummy can settle some babies. Introduce it after breastfeeding is well established, if you are breastfeeding.
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To consult Welling Homeopathy experts, call +91 80 80 850 950.
Disclaimer: this page is for information only and is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Results vary from person to person.
