There is nothing worse in the world than hearing your baby crying for hours and you have no idea whats wrong. You just want to help your baby and sooth away any pain and discomfort.

You’ve checked baby over to make sure that everything is ok, they dont need changing and they are not hungry. You’ve tried everything yet your baby is still upset.

It could be colic?

What is colic?

Colic is when your baby has repeated & excessive bouts of inconsolable crying, yet they seem to be otherwise very healthy. It can last for more than 3 hours a day, everyday for at least a week.

Don’t worry, there is no long tern side effect from colic, apart from sleep deprivation for you.

What causes colic?

No one really know what cause it. It is thought it could be down to abdominal pains, changes in your babies hormone levels, food intolerance or trapped wind.

What are the symptoms?

Every baby is different and may react in their own way, but here are some of the main clues to look out for:

• Crying that last for more than three and a half hours a day .
• Almost continuous crying  which can be intense and sound different from your baby’s other cries.
• The crying reaches a peak in the late afternoon and early evening.
• Their face becomes red and flushed.
• They clench their fists, bringing their legs up to their tummy or arch their back.

If you are worried at all, always seek medical advice.

How to help relive colic

Here are a few things than can help your baby settle:

• Pick them up and give them a cuddle, you can gently stroke or tap their back to help sooth them
• Wind your baby after each feed
• If you are breast feeding, keep a diary of everything you eat and drink as this could be contributing to your babies colic
• Baby massage may help your baby
• Try keeping your baby more upright after feeding, don’t lay them down on their back straight away.
• You can try products like Infacol, This can be used from birth onwards.
• Sucking can help ease the discomfort, so a dummy can become very handy.