Infant Colic: Causes, Symptoms, and What Actually Helps?

If your baby cries for hours despite being fed, changed, and comforted, but the doctor says everything is fine, you are not alone. Infant colic is one of the most common concerns during the first few months of life, affecting up to one in five babies. For many parents, the constant crying can feel overwhelming and leave them wondering whether their baby is hungry, unwell, or in pain.

One of the biggest challenges is that infant colic is often confused with ordinary digestive discomfort or trapped gas. While some babies with colic may also have gas, the two are not always the same. Understanding the difference can help parents avoid unnecessary worry and choose the most appropriate ways to soothe their baby.

What Is Infant Colic?

Infant colic is a condition characterised by prolonged episodes of excessive crying in an otherwise healthy and well-fed infant. It typically begins during the first few weeks after birth, peaks around six weeks of age and usually resolves on its own by three to four months.

Historically, healthcare professionals used the "Rule of Threes" to describe colic:

• Crying for more than three hours a day
• On more than three days each week
• For at least three consecutive weeks

Although newer diagnostic approaches focus less on strict timing and more on the impact on families, this definition still provides a useful guide. Babies with colic often appear healthy between crying episodes. They continue to grow normally, feed adequately, and show no signs of serious illness. The crying usually occurs in the late afternoon or evening, often without an obvious trigger.

Infant Colic Vs Gas and Digestive Discomfort

Many parents assume that excessive crying automatically means their baby has trapped wind or painful gas. While digestive discomfort can certainly make babies unsettled, gas is not considered the sole cause of infant colic.

This confusion occurs because babies with colic frequently:

• Pull their legs towards their tummy
• Clench their fists
• Arch their back
• Become red in the face
• Pass gas during crying episodes

However, these behaviours do not necessarily prove that gas is causing the crying.

When babies cry intensely for prolonged periods, they naturally swallow more air. This swallowed air can accumulate in the stomach and intestines, making babies appear bloated or causing them to pass more wind afterwards. In other words, excessive crying may actually contribute to gas rather than gas being the original cause.

On the other hand, some babies genuinely experience digestive discomfort due to trapped gas after feeds. These infants may become fussy shortly after feeding, improve after burping or passing wind, and settle once the discomfort resolves.

Understanding this distinction is important because not every crying baby needs medication for gas, while babies with genuine gas-related discomfort may benefit from strategies that help reduce trapped air and improve digestive comfort.

What Causes Infant Colic?

Despite decades of research, no single cause has been identified. Instead, infant colic is thought to result from several interacting factors.

1. Immature Digestive System

A newborn's digestive system continues developing after birth. Coordination of intestinal movement, digestion, and gut function gradually matures during the first few months of life. This immaturity may contribute to temporary digestive discomfort, making some babies more sensitive after feeds.

2. Developing Nervous System

Babies are constantly adapting to light, sounds, touch and countless new sensations outside the womb. Some researchers believe babies with colic may have greater difficulty regulating these sensory inputs, making them more prone to prolonged crying when overstimulated.

3. Gut Microbiome Differences

Recent studies suggest that babies with colic often have different gut bacteria compared with infants who do not experience excessive crying. Some research has found reduced numbers of beneficial bacteria such as Lactobacillus and increased levels of certain gas-producing organisms. Although this relationship is still being investigated, it highlights the possible role of the developing gut microbiome in infant comfort.

4. Swallowing Air During Feeding

Babies who feed quickly, have difficulty latching, or use bottles with excessive air intake may swallow more air during feeds. This can lead to bloating, burping and trapped wind, which may worsen fussiness in some infants.

5. Feeding Technique

An incorrect bottle angle, fast-flow teats or poor breastfeeding attachment can increase swallowed air. Simple adjustments to feeding technique often reduce digestive discomfort even if they do not eliminate colic completely.

6. Temporary Food Sensitivities

In a small number of babies, sensitivity to cow's milk protein may contribute to excessive crying alongside symptoms such as eczema, diarrhoea, vomiting or blood in the stool. This differs from typical infant colic and should always be assessed by a healthcare professional before making dietary changes.

7. Parent–Infant Interaction

PARENTS DO NOT CAUSE INFANT COLIC. However, prolonged crying understandably increases parental stress, which can make soothing more challenging. Supporting parents is therefore an essential part of managing infant colic.

Symptoms of Infant Colic

Although every baby is different, common symptoms include:

• Intense crying without an obvious cause
• Crying that is difficult to soothe
• Episodes occurring at similar times each day, especially evenings
• Clenched fists
• Legs pulled towards the abdomen
• Arched back
• Red or flushed face during crying
• Tight abdomen
• Difficulty settling despite feeding or changing

Between episodes, babies usually appear completely normal.

When Might It Be Something Other Than Colic?

Not all persistent crying is caused by colic. Speak to your healthcare provider if your baby has:

• Fever
• Poor feeding
• Vomiting repeatedly
• Green vomit
• Blood in the stool
• Persistent diarrhoea
• Poor weight gain
• Difficulty breathing
• Excessive sleepiness
• A swollen abdomen
• Crying that suddenly becomes much worse

These symptoms may indicate an underlying medical condition requiring prompt assessment.

What Actually Helps Infant Colic?

There is no single cure for infant colic. Instead, management focuses on reducing discomfort, supporting parents and helping babies settle more easily.

1. Optimise Feeding

Whether breastfeeding or bottle feeding:

• Ensure a good latch.
• Feed in a more upright position.
• Pause regularly for burping.
• Avoid overfeeding.
• Check that bottle teats have an appropriate flow.

Reducing swallowed air may decrease digestive discomfort.

2. Burp Your Baby Properly

Burping during and after feeds helps release swallowed air before it reaches the intestines. Gentle back patting or rubbing while holding your baby upright can be effective.

3. Gentle Movement

Many babies respond well to:

• Rocking
• Walking while holding them
• Baby carriers
• White noise
• Gentle rhythmic motion

These techniques may help calm an overstimulated nervous system.

4. Tummy Massage and Bicycle Legs

Gentle clockwise tummy massage and cycling the baby's legs can sometimes help trapped gas move through the intestines. While evidence remains limited, these methods are safe when performed gently.

5. Review Feeding (Only If Medically Indicated)

Breastfeeding mothers should not routinely eliminate dairy or multiple foods unless advised by a healthcare professional. Similarly, changing infant formula repeatedly is rarely helpful unless there is evidence of cow's milk protein allergy or another medical indication.

6. Managing Gas-Related Discomfort

Although gas does not explain every case of infant colic, trapped wind can certainly make some babies uncomfortable. In babies whose symptoms appear related to gas, products containing simethicone may help by breaking down small gas bubbles into larger ones that are easier to pass.

Traditionally used herbal ingredients such as fennel, dill, chamomile, and ginger, which have long been used to support digestive comfort in infants, are helpful for many as part of a broader comfort strategy. It is important to remember that these products aim to relieve gas-related discomfort, not cure infant colic itself.

Kolix Drops combines simethicone with carefully selected herbal extracts including fennel, dill, chamomile and ginger to help relieve gas-related digestive discomfort in infants and young children. 

7. Comforting Parents Matters Too

Caring for a constantly crying baby can be emotionally exhausting.

Parents should:

• Take turns soothing the baby.
• Accept help from family or friends.
• Place the baby safely in their cot for a few minutes if they feel overwhelmed.
• Speak to a healthcare professional if they are struggling emotionally.

Supporting parents ultimately benefits babies too.

Does Infant Colic Go Away?

The reassuring news is that infant colic is usually temporary.

Most babies improve significantly by three months of age, with nearly all recovering completely by four to five months as their digestive and nervous systems continue to mature. Although this period can feel endless, colic does not appear to have long-term effects on growth, development, or overall health.

Conclusion

Infant colic is one of the most common reasons for excessive crying during early infancy, yet it remains one of the least understood. While gas and digestive discomfort may contribute in some babies, they do not explain every case of colic. Understanding the difference allows parents to focus on evidence-based strategies such as optimising feeding, reducing swallowed air, comforting their baby and seeking medical advice when necessary.

For babies whose discomfort appears related to trapped gas, supportive measures together with products designed to relieve gas like the Kolix Drops by Route2Health may provide additional comfort. When used as directed and alongside appropriate feeding practices, it may be a helpful addition to your baby's comfort routine.

FAQs

1. What causes infant colic?

The exact cause is unknown. Researchers believe it results from a combination of digestive immaturity, nervous system development, gut microbiome differences and increased sensitivity to normal stimuli.

2. Is infant colic caused by gas?

Not always. While trapped gas can cause discomfort and may worsen crying in some babies, excessive crying itself can also lead to swallowed air and increased gas.

3. When does infant colic usually start and end?

Colic typically begins within the first few weeks after birth, peaks around six weeks, and usually resolves naturally by three to four months of age.

4. Can breastfeeding cause infant colic?

Breastfeeding itself does not cause colic. Most breastfed babies never develop it, and breastfeeding should generally continue unless advised otherwise by a healthcare professional.

5. What is the best treatment for infant colic?

There is no single cure. Helpful approaches include proper feeding techniques, regular burping, gentle soothing, tummy massage for gas relief when appropriate, and managing any contributing digestive discomfort while allowing time for the condition to improve naturally.