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Baby | Crying

Relieve Colic

So many mums go through it. The sleepless nights and the distress of a child who won't stop crying. But you can deal with colic and ease your little one's discomfort.

What happens

Colic is pain in the abdomen, and it is generally thought to be caused by wind. It affects about 40% of babies, usually between the ages of two weeks and four months. The main symptom is the sudden onset of regular, prolonged periods of crying, usually in the evening and lasting around 20 minutes. During these bouts, your baby may draw his knees up towards his stomach, his face may go red and he might have a lot of excess wind.

What you should do

First, rule out other possible reasons for your baby’s distress. Check that he isn’t hungry or ill, or need feeding or changing. Get your GP or health visitor to take a look at him. Once you’re sure colic is causing his discomfort, try the following techniques until you find one that works for you - and for him.

* Give him a cuddle

Hold him to your chest, rock him gently in your arms, or hold him face down, with his stomach across your lower arm. This position can help expel excess wind, and some mothers find it brings instant relief.

* Distract him

Hold a mirror in front of his face, switch on the vacuum cleaner or washing machine, or simply take him into another room for a change of scenery. Taking him for a drive or walk in the pram can be very helpful, as the movement can have a calming effect. Sucking on a dummy may also soothe him.

* Try a massage

A massage can help release trapped wind. Gently move your hands in a clockwise, circular motion from the navel out over your baby’s stomach. Use a baby massage oil to help your hands glide easily over his skin. It’s best to massage him about an hour before you think he’s likely to cry - but not just after a feed.

* Visit a cranial osteopath

Cranial osteopathy involves the gentle manipulation of your baby’s skull, neck and spine. This stimulates the nerves that affect the digestive system, helping stop painful spasms. Because the technique is so gentle, it can be used on babies from birth. Christopher Turner from the British Chiropractic Association believes that there’s a strong link between difficult births and colic.

‘Traumatic deliveries, such as those that are very drawn out or require lots of intervention, can put extra pressure on your baby’s head and neck, where the main spinal nerves controlling muscle movement are situated,’ he explains. ‘This can affect the way that your baby’s whole body works, including his stomach and bowel.’

* Sugar can help

Recent medical research has found that small doses of sucrose solution can soothe some babies. You can make it yourself by dissolving 15ml (3tsp) of sugar in a cup of boiling water and leaving it to cool. Using a plastic syringe, especially for babies (available from pharmacies), dribble 2ml (0.5tsp) of the solution into the corner of your baby’s mouth. Give one or two doses a day for no longer than two weeks. If his condition doesn’t improve within two days, stop. Store any unused solution in the fridge in a sterilised bottle for up to 24 hours, and then discard.

* See your pharmacist

Colic drops, such as Infacol, are specially formulated to relieve wind and griping pain and are free of sugar, alcohol and colourants so are safe to use on tiny babies. Colic drops are available from your pharmacist without prescription, and most are suitable for babies from birth (always read the label). Give your baby a few drops before each feed to help relieve colic and soothe any griping pains.

Top tip

If you find that none of these techniques work the first time, try them again a few days later. What doesn’t work today may work tomorrow - so don’t despair.