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Colic and crying: how to cope

Why babies cry, what colic is, how to soothe your baby and how to look after yourself when the crying does not stop.

4 min read

In this article

All babies cry, and in the first weeks the crying increases. It peaks around week 6, often at about 3 hours a day, and eases by 3 or 4 months. About 1 in 5 babies have colic: intense crying that will not settle, often in the evening, with legs pulled up and wind. Colic usually starts in weeks 2 to 4 and passes by 3 or 4 months, occasionally lasting until 6.

Colic is not your fault, and it does not mean you are feeding your baby wrongly or failing to understand them. The exact cause is not known. Often a baby’s nervous system is still immature and finds it hard to settle on its own.

First, check

  • Are they hungry? Is their nappy wet?
  • Are they too hot or too cold?
  • Are they overwhelmed by people, noise or light?
  • Do they need burping after a feed?

Tell your paediatrician about the crying, so they can make sure there is no other medical reason.

Things that often help

  1. 1

    Movement

    Walk with your baby in your arms or a carrier, rock them gently, go out with the pram.

  2. 2

    Steady noise

    The sound of a fan, a vacuum cleaner or a long “shhh” reminds your baby of the sounds of the womb.

  3. 3

    Tummy down across your knees

    Lay your baby tummy down across your knees and rub their back. If they fall asleep, put them in the cot on their back.

  4. 4

    Light swaddling

    Wrap them in a thin cloth, not tight around the hips, and stop once they start to roll.

  5. 5

    A warm bath

    A warm bath or skin-to-skin contact calms many babies.

  6. 6

    Unhurried feeds

    Do not overfeed. If bottle feeding, keep your baby fairly upright and take breaks to burp.

Teas and drops

Fennel tea, chamomile tea or sugar water are often given in families. Before 6 months a baby needs no drink other than milk, and these teas have not been shown to help. The evidence for colic drops sold in pharmacies is thin too. Ask your paediatrician before giving your baby anything other than milk.

If you are breastfeeding, your paediatrician may sometimes suggest cutting dairy or caffeine from your diet for a few weeks, one at a time. Do not change your diet or your baby’s formula without talking to your paediatrician first.

When you cannot take any more

Endless crying wears anyone down. If you feel tense or angry:

  • put your baby on their back in their cot and leave the room for a few minutes
  • breathe deeply, drink a glass of water, call someone
  • ask your partner, your mother or a friend to look after the baby for an hour

Never shake a baby, however exhausted you are. Shaking can cause severe brain damage, blindness or death. Tell everyone who looks after your baby this too.

If the exhaustion and sadness do not lift, read about postnatal depression.

When to call a doctor

  • your baby’s cry sounds different, very high-pitched or like moaning
  • they have a fever, vomit often, have diarrhoea or blood in their poo
  • they will not feed, or have fewer wet nappies
  • they are not gaining weight
  • the crying continues after 4 months

Common questions

When does colic start and stop?
It usually starts in weeks 2 to 4, peaks around week 6 and passes by 3 or 4 months.
Does fennel tea help colic?
It has not been shown to help, and before 6 months babies need no drink other than milk. Ask your paediatrician.
Will I spoil my baby by picking them up every time they cry?
No. You cannot spoil a young baby. When you respond, they learn they are safe.

Sources we consulted

Written by the mam.al editors as general information. It does not replace advice from your doctor or paediatrician. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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