There are no proven causes of colic although there are a number of possible causes which medical science has associated colic with.  

A popular belief links colic to digestive problems such as lactose intolerance, food allergies, and an immature digestive system.  Some experts, however, contend that colic is not necessarily associated with infant digestion but may be caused in different ways, by different factors, in different babies.  Infants with mothers who smoke, for example, has a greater risk of colic.

How to Give your Baby Colic Relief to Ease Discomfort

Since the causes are clearly unidentified which makes prevention less likely, it is best to take a holistic approach and focus on how to help ease your baby’s discomfort during an attack of colic and reduce the strain and stress in the family.

The following are useful tips to give your baby relief from colic:

• Turn your baby’s attention away from the discomfort.  Many moms can attest that continuous noise and vibrations from household appliances such as the dishwasher, washing machine or vacuum cleaner actually soothes the baby.  You can also try playing “white noise” or music that your baby seems to like on the stereo. 
• Give your baby a nice, warm bath.  A warm bath is comforting and calming.
• Swaddle your baby.  Wrap your baby firmly with a comfortable blanket. Swaddling is often done to help infants sleep.  This is very comforting and may help soothe colic.
• Keep your baby in some sort of motion.  This includes rocking or walking your baby around in a front-pouch style, like the way you carry grocery bags, with his legs drawn up and pressure off of the belly.
• Probiotics.  Recent studies showed that probiotics may help ease and reduce colic attacks.  These are dietary supplements that contain live bacteria used to aid digestion.  Always talk to your baby’s medical provider before using any type of medication.
• Stick to your baby’s feeding schedule.  Some parents, in their effort to stop the baby’s incessant crying, tend to overfeed the baby.  Avoid overfeeding!  This can worsen colic.
• If you are a breastfeeding mom, try to avoid milk products and gas-producing foods.  Examples of this type of foods are onions, celery, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, caffeine, etc.
• If your baby is formula-fed, try a low-allergy formula.  You can try trial milk formula packs to see if the formula you are currently using is contributing to colic.

Always keep a positive attitude.  When you feel that the situation is wearing down on you, have someone else watch the baby for a while, leave the house, take a walk, go for a swim or do whatever activity that helps you cope with stress.  Dealing with colic is a challenge but you can get through this with the right approach.

Freelance Contributor: Hazel Zanoria

Infant colic is a definite challenge to parents with babies having this condition.  This can put enormous strain to the family members and may result to feelings of desperation, helplessness, stress and parental guilt.  

It is important to understand that this is not anyone’s fault and that infant colic is simply a common case observed in a number of newborns.  To effectively cope with this situation, parents have to fully understand what infant colic is, to recognize the signs of colic and the first steps to be taken to help your baby.

Infant Colic Defined

Colic is the occurrence of loud, persistent crying encountered in infants and small children between two weeks and five months of age.  This usually begins suddenly, often after a feeding, during the late afternoon or early evening.  The bouts of crying can last up to several hours without any discernable reason.

Infant colic is not harmful to the baby but is very wearing and distressful to the parents.  Ten to twenty percent of healthy babies (10% to 20%) may encounter this condition. It often starts when the baby is two weeks old, reaches its peak at three months and slowly subsides when the baby approaches four months old.

Signs of Colic

As a rule of thumb, a baby is considered colicky if the spells of intense crying last for three hours or more, for more than three days in a week, and for more than three weeks in a month. This is not an absolute rule since different babies may show different behaviors.  Some babies with colic are simply fussy while others cry so hard their faces turn red.

A baby may demonstrate some of the following signs during an attack of colic:

• Irritable and fussy
• Loud continuous crying that may last for several hours and may occur anytime during the day or night but most often begin in the late afternoon or early evening.
• Demonstrates clenched fists and the legs are often flexed and extended straight out alternately
• Distended (bloated) or prominent belly
• The baby’s feet are often cold

What To Do if the Signs of Colic are Observed

Parents should not immediately assume that what their baby has is colic.  The first thing you need to do is consult your baby’s physician to rule out any other possible cause of this observed behavior.

Your physician will advise you if your baby is healthy.  In this case, your baby is experiencing colic.  When all other possible conditions are set aside, you can now focus on how you can give your baby colic relief and ease his or her discomfort until the condition goes away.

Freelance Contributor: Hazel Zanoria