Colic in Babies – Why Does Baby Cry?

Have noticed your baby crying uncontrollably without any specific reason lately?  One out of four babies is effected by baby colic, making it very likely that your baby’s pain is caused by colic.  It can be very trying for new parents and experienced parents alike when all their attempts to comfort their baby don’t work.

What is Colic?

By definition, colic is when a normal baby starts crying and screaming frequently without any identifiable reason, and this happens on a regular basis. It has been observed that the baby cries for two to three hours during different times of the day.

Babies are usually affected by colic from the age of two to three weeks and can last up to 3 months. If your baby has colic, you will be able to notice one or more of the following symptoms:

• Babies become irritable, cry hard for a long time, with any attempts to soothe the baby failing.
• The baby keeps crying for a long time and it tends to clench its fists and pull the legs to the stomach while crying.
• Colic is more common for babies who are bottle-fed over breast-fed.
• The baby crying occurs once or twice a day, usually around the same time everyday, more than often after a feed. Late afternoon and evenings are the more likely times.
• The baby seems to be in pain and uncomfortable, and has difficulty in falling sleep. Even if the baby falls asleep, it tends to get up often.
• The baby becomes fussy before and after eating.
• The baby tends pass gas often and may have abdominal bloating.

What causes Baby Colic?

The cause of colic cannot be ascertained to a specific one. The most common reason is observed to be abdominal pain due to gas problems. However, there could be other reasons causing colic in your baby:

• It could a combination of the baby’s developing nervous system and sensitive temperament.
• Problems pertaining to the baby’s digestive system, mainly the building up of gas.
• The mother’s diet affecting her breast milk: food products such as dairy products, citrus juices, or high intake of spices or caffeine could be the causes.
• If one or both of the parents have been victims of colic, the baby is more likely to be affected.

Be careful not to mistake a fussy baby as a baby with colic. A fussy baby can be cajoled and comforted to be quiet, but it almost impossible to soothe a baby suffering from colic.  Don’t miss the next part of this series: Colic Cures for a Crying Baby.  If you have a favorite colic curing method that you’d like added to the article,  leave a comment below.

Baby photo by Critical Moss.

You might like these too:

1. Colic Cures for a Crying Baby
2. Newborn Care: How to Keep Baby Clean and Groomed