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Do you ever wonder why your baby just suddenly cried for no reason while or after being breastfed? The reason might be colic. Many parents get confused every time it happens, because most of the time it occurs even when your baby is well-fed and dry. While it can be overwhelming and stressful to deal with, it's actually normal. In this article, we’ll help you understand the signs, what causes them, and how to soothe your baby in this scary time.
What Are the Colic Symptoms in Breastfed Babies?
Colic often shows up when your baby is around 2 to 3 weeks old and might stick around until about 3 or 4 months. You can spot it using the “rule of threes”: crying for 3 hours a day, at least 3 days a week, for over 3 weeks. These cries are different than usual, they’re louder, longer, and tough to soothe. They tend to hit like clockwork, often in the evening, and can leave both baby and parent feeling drained.
Here are some common signs of colic:
- Intense crying (mostly happens in the afternoon or evening)
- Clenched fist, arched back, and flailing legs
- Inconsolable
The American Academy of Pediatrics or AAP says that 20% of babies experience colic, it doesn't matter if they are breastfed or not. While the causes are still unknown, they speculate that it's because your baby must have an underdeveloped digestive system, and oversimulation.
Potential Causes of Colic in Breastfed Babies
Even though many parents and babies experience colic, the cause is still unclear. Many doctors are still trying to find the exact cause and the reason behind your baby’s inconsolable cries.
Here are some of the common reasons for colic symptoms in breastfed babies:
- Digestive immaturity. Your baby’s digestive system is still underdeveloped, which causes the food to go down slowly or too fast. This digestive immaturity brings discomfort and gas to your baby.
- Overfeeding or undereating. When your baby has been fed too much or not enough, it can cause them to swallow air, which interferes with their digestion and causes discomfort.
- Oversimulation. Newborns are still not used to their surroundings. They are sensitive to loud noises and crowds, which causes them to feel overwhelmed, resulting in inconsolable cries.
The exact causes are still unknown when it comes to colic, but adjusting feeding and the environment around your baby helps lessen the colic episodes.
When Does Colic Start and How Long Does Colic Last?
Colic normally appears at around 2-3 weeks after birth, however, be ready at around 4-6 weeks because this is when it peaks. In breastfed babies, colic cries often happen from 6 pm to evening and are often difficult to soothe, even if you’ve changed their diapers, fed them, and burped them.
However, colic in babies doesn’t last. It will usually sort itself out, and you will discover that by the time your baby is between 3 and 4 months old, it is improved. It is also claimed by experts that colic does not do lasting damage to your baby and is part of the normal development of your infant.
How Do You Know If Your Newborn Has Colic?
With cries being a normal occurrence for babies, identifying what colic cries are and when they are not is difficult. However, colic cries have a tell. These cries are often high-pitched, intense, and happen like clockwork (it might seem like your baby has a crying schedule because it happens at the same time each day).
Here are some other signs that you can tell if your baby has colic:
- Crying that follows the rule of three (3 hours a day, 3 days a week for 3 weeks)
- Crying that suddenly just appeared for no reason and hard to soothe.
- A red face during crying
- Having a bloated belly
If it already follows the rule of three then it can be considered as a colic, pediatricians use this rule as a guide in identifying colic. As long as your baby is healthy, eating properly, and gaining weight then colic is just a symptom that your baby is growing healthy.
Things That Probably Won’t Work with Colic
Every time you experience these intense cries, you most likely want to do everything that you search on the internet to help your baby feel calm. However, most of these “tips” have little to no effect when it comes to soothing your baby.
Here are some of the tips that look promising but are ineffective when it comes to colic:
- Switching from breast to formula. If you think that your baby cries because of your breastmilk, which caused you to switch to formula, it will not do anything. Breastmilk is still the best solution, unless your doctor suspects that your baby has a true milk protein allergy.
- Overfeeding. Most parents think that when their baby cries, it means it's feeding time and it's the only way to soothe them. However, feeding your baby all the time may cause them to cry more because of the buildup of more gas and discomfort.
- Loud white noise or vibration. Although gentle white noise helps, if the volume of it is too much for your baby to handle then it most likely gonna make them cry more.
Even though colic cries are heartbreaking to hear, overcomplicating things will not help. Just keep doing what you’re used to from the start, and keep the usual, like breastfeeding.
But it's great to get a break every now and then, and to have something like the Momcozy M5 Wearable Breast Pump on hand. It's hands-free, discreet pumping that lets you keep your milk supply going even when you're feeling emotionally or physically drained. It's meant to accommodate your baby's unpredictable colic schedule — and get you through it.
7 Tips for Soothing Colic Symptoms
When you’re at this stage of your baby’s growth, all you would wish for is soothing them. Although there are no certain techniques to make it stop, there are things you can do to help make it feel easier.
Here are some of the things you could do to provide some relief:
- Hold your baby close. There is no better way to tell your baby that you're by their side than skin-to-skin contact. Holding them and rocking them gently is the best way to calm them fast.
- Creating a calming routine. When you create a calming environment like dimming the lights, removing the noise, and avoiding any stimulation when it's time for your baby to sleep helps.
- Use a gentle motion. Gentle motion helps mimic the movement of the womb, it's an effective way to calm your baby. Walking, slow dancing, and rocking are a good way to soothe your baby.
- Burped them after feeding. One of the common reasons why a baby cries is a digestive problem. Always burp your baby after feeding to avoid discomfort or gas buildup.
- Try a warm bath. Warm water helps relax their muscles and calm their senses.
- Offer a pacifier. Sucking is somewhat calming to your baby; giving them pacifiers, especially when they are not hungry, helps.
- Use white noise. Soft, consistent, and humming sounds calm them because they remind them of your womb.
Every baby is different, so it may take time to find what works best, but gentle comfort, patience, and the right tools can make a big difference.
Occasionally, holding skin-to-skin with your baby without having to do anything isn't feasible. For a safe hold, baby carriers such as the Momcozy PureHug Baby Carrier can be tried. It holds your baby close on your chest and your hands are free — you can walk, sway, or bounce them gently through long, difficult crying fits. It's a lifesaver for those long, weary nights.
When to See a Doctor?
Most of the time, colic is just a normal part of a baby’s growth and usually doesn’t point to anything serious. However, if it's accompanied by other symptoms and behaviours which are not normal for your baby, then it’s a sign for you to call a doctor.
Here are some other symptoms, along with colic cries, you should look out for:
- Crying sounds different than usual
- Your baby is refusing to eat and not feeding well
- Vomiting
- Clean diapers or infrequent changing of them (can be a sign of dehydration)
- Fever in a baby under 3 months
- Diarrhea
- Harder to wake sleeping
These are symptoms that can mean something serious. It's best to trust your instinct and don't hesitate to call your pediatrician for help.
FAQs
What Is the 3 3 3 Rule for Colic?
Rule of three is what pediatricians use to identify colic. It means 3 hours a day, 3 days a week, for 3 weeks. If your baby is feeding well, behaving happy most of the time, and gaining weight, then you can use this rule to identify the colic cries from normal cries.
Is My Breast Milk Causing Colic?
It’s rare for breast milk to cause colic, however, it may be linked to the food you're eating which then gets picked up by your baby’s sensitive senses. It's best to talk to your doctor if you think that your breastmilk somewhat causes inconsolable cries to your baby.
Is Gripe Water Good for Colic?
Gripe water is not a science-supported remedy for colic even though it's well known. It is also heavily based on the ingredients used when making the drink. To avoid complications, talk to your doctor before providing gripe water.
How Do I Take Care of Myself If My Baby Has Colic?
This stage is one of the most overwhelming stages for parents. Whenever you feel overwhelmed, take a short break after putting your baby in a safe place. If you’re at the point where it's too much to handle alone, you can always ask for help from your partner, parents and even doctors. This stage is temporary and all will be quiet and calm soon.
Conclusion
Colic in breastfed babies can be one of the hardest parts of early parenting. As painful as hearing them cry intensively and not being able to soothe them, it’s normal. You’re not doing anything wrong. All you need to do is keep giving them proper care and love, these cries will go away on their own.
Colic cries are temporary. Most of the time, all your baby needs is love and care, rarely does this cry call for the need of a doctor. You can always trust your instinct, lean on your supports, and use tools that can help you in this stressful stage, like the Momcozy PureHug Baby Carrier and the Momcozy M5 Wearable Breast Pump. You got this.
