When is colic the worst

Usually the worst of crying and colic is over by the time your child is 4 months old. If your baby does have colic, it does not mean that he will be a difficult toddler. Colic will end. Beware the quick fix. Cereal in the bottle? Colic drops? There in no evidence to show that these strategies work. Soothe yourself. You deserve it. Caring for a crying baby can be very stressful. But when you take the time to calm yourself, it helps your baby calm down too.

If you find yourself feeling really frustrated, put your baby in a safe place—like the crib—and take a short break to give yourself the time you need, and deserve, to take a deep breath and calm down. Share your feelings. Talk to your partner, friends, and family.

Look for parent or parent—child groups. It can be very helpful to talk to other parents coping with similar challenges both to feel less alone and to share ideas and strategies. Ask your health care provider about these resources.

Get as much sleep as you can! Sleep deprivation makes everything more difficult. So try to get the sleep you need. Nap when your baby naps. When another caregiver can watch your baby, go back to sleep.

The grocery shopping, housecleaning, and e-mails can wait. How are you feeling right now? Coping with crying can be very challenging. What do you need to feel supported? How can you get this kind of support? Are there friends or family who can help out?

Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. You bring your newborn home, and for weeks you marvel at your baby who does little more than sleep, eat, pee and cry. Then one day a few weeks later, he erupts in prolonged, ear-shattering wails, complete with clenched fists, flailing legs and an unhappy red face.

Welcome to the world of colic. The reality is, all babies cry. It's the best and only way for them to communicate their needs at this tender age. But in babies with colic, the crying starts suddenly for no apparent reason … and has no apparent cure. Colic is not a disease or diagnosis but a combination of baffling behaviors. These fussy periods can go on for hours at a time, sometimes late into the night.

Worst of all, try as you might — and try you will — it's extremely difficult to calm a colicky baby, which only compounds your own frustration, worry and exhaustion. In addition to frustration and exhaustion, you may have feelings of inadequacy and guilt as you try in vain to soothe your fussy baby.

So while staying calm is easier said than done, these strategies may help ease the strain until colic passes. Just give each a fair shot before you switch to another and don't pull out too many tricks at one time, or you'll overload baby's circuits — and step up the crying you're trying to stop. Talk to your doctor for tips and possible causes of your baby's colic too. Remember, you should never give your baby any medication, herbal or otherwise, without talking to your pediatrician first.

There isn't a clear definition of exactly what colic is or how and if it differs from other types of crying. Risk factors for colic are not well-understood. Research has not shown differences in risk when the following factors were considered:. Infants born to mothers who smoked during pregnancy or after delivery have an increased risk of developing colic.

Colic is stressful for parents. Research has shown an association between colic and the following problems with parent well-being:.

The stress of calming a crying baby has sometimes prompted parents to shake or otherwise harm their child. Shaking a baby can cause serious damage to the brain and death. The risk of these uncontrolled reactions is greater if parents don't have information about soothing a crying child, education about colic and the support needed for caring for an infant with colic.

Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. Overview Colic is frequent, prolonged and intense crying or fussiness in a healthy infant. Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Help prevent abdominal gas in your baby. Gas can cause pain, leading to extended crying. Practice good hygiene to avoid illness.

A sick baby usually has more frequent and intense crying episodes. To help prevent illness as much as possible, use good hygiene, such as washing hands frequently, including your baby's. Ask visitors to do the same.

Avoid being around large crowds during a baby's first weeks, especially around people who smoke. Breathing in second-hand smoke can increase a baby's risk for respiratory problems, ear infections, and asthma.

Comfort After a colic episode begins, comforting measures may help. Respond to the crying quickly and appropriately. Quickly assess whether a cry likely indicates "I'm hungry" or "I need to be changed," and so on, and act accordingly. Doing so may prevent your baby from getting so upset that he or she cannot be consoled.

For more information on figuring out what your crying baby needs, see the topic Crying, Age 3 and Younger. Burp your baby , especially if you suspect abdominal gas started the crying episode. Reduce the activity around your baby. Overstimulation from noise, lights, and too much attention can trigger a crying episode.

Move your baby to a quiet and calm environment. Try infant massage. Some parents use infant massage to try and relieve colic. Soothe your baby by helping him or her to be more comfortable.

Don't worry that you may be spoiling your baby by giving frequent and loving attention. Place your baby in a crib to cry while you go into another room and calm yourself. Ask someone to take over for you.

If nobody else is home, call a friend who can help you calm down. If you are afraid you cannot control yourself and cannot get other help, call Other measures Do not use unproven or dangerous treatments for colic. For example, do not : Let your baby stay in the crib and cry until he or she is exhausted. Stop breastfeeding your baby. This will not cure colic. Give your baby aspirin or aspirin products, because of the risk for Reye syndrome.

Give your baby alcohol even a pacifier dipped in brandy or other alcoholic beverages. Shake or spank your baby for crying. Serious or even fatal brain injuries may result shaken baby syndrome. Give your baby medicine unless it is recommended or prescribed by your doctor. Self-care It is important to take care of yourself and remember that colic is not caused by poor parenting.

When to Call a Doctor Call or other emergency services immediately if: You are afraid that you are about to harm your baby and you cannot find someone to help you.

Your baby has been shaken , has a change in his or her level of consciousness , or has signs of severe difficulty breathing. Call your doctor immediately if your baby: Cries in a peculiar manner or for a very unusual length of time. Has not been diagnosed with colic but cries excessively and also has symptoms such as vomiting, diarrhea, fever, or blood or mucus in the stool. Call your doctor and schedule an appointment if: Your baby is not gaining weight.

Your baby has no symptoms other than crying, but you want to check for health problems that may be related. Your baby seems to be acting odd, and you can't identify exactly what concerns you. You have tried comfort measures repeatedly and have not been able to console your baby.

Call your doctor if you: Frequently feel anxious or think you may be depressed. Feel that you are not able to nurture or emotionally connect with your baby. Who to see Your family doctor , general practitioner , or your child's pediatrician can examine your baby and diagnose colic or other conditions that may be related to excessive crying. Routine Checkups You can ask your doctor about your concerns regarding your baby's crying during regularly scheduled routine checkups.

To find out, your doctor: Will take a medical history.