22 colic remedies reviewed. What works best to soothe crying babies?
LAST UPDATED 29 FEBRUARY 2024
Babies cry a lot. They cry when hungry, tired, uncomfortable and in pain. Until three months old, it wouldn’t be abnormal for a baby to cry as much as two hours a day. But sometimes it’s a lot more than this. And for no apparent reason. This is called colic and desperate parents have tried many ways to soothe their crying children.
In the long ago past they have resorted to giving their baby opium, alcohol, valium and even trying exorcism. But don’t call a priest yet. Thankfully things have moved on and there are safer alternatives. Here are 21 colic remedies and the science (if any) behind them.
DOES YOUR BABY HAVE COLIC?
Colic is defined as crying for three or more hours a day for three or more days a week with no immediately obvious cause. It affects 20% of babies and usually starts around three weeks old and tails off at three to four months old. The crying is often more intense in the afternoon and evening.
What are the symptoms of colic?
Apart from extended bouts of crying your baby may also:
clench their fists
go red in the face
arch their back and bring their knees up to their tummy
have a rumbling tummy and/or a lot of wind
What causes colic?
Somewhat unbelievably, the medical world doesn’t really know for sure. Bottle-fed and breastfed babies appear to be affected by colic equally. Here are the main theories:
Digestive issues including gut imbalances.
Womb position and birth trauma, particularly with difficult births requiring interventions like forceps.
A struggle to adjust to the outside world.
Neurological developmental differences with the ability to deal with stress, regulate emotions and overcome irritation. It’s also possible that there are issues connected to melatonin production.
Stress which has been picked up from the parents or a lack of parental attention.
There is also a school of thought that colic is an invention of Western society and that it doesn’t exist in the developing world where babies are more likely to be held all day and fed on demand. Some babies want to cluster feed in the evening and too much reliance on a routine can lead to an assumption that the crying baby has colic rather than is just hungry.
How do I know if my baby has colic, reflux or CMPA?
Reflux, silent reflux and cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) also cause excessive crying. A baby with reflux will not just cry but very regularly bring up milk during or after feeding. This is usually because their oesophagus has not fully developed. They may also cough and hiccup during feeding. About half of all babies will get reflux. In more severe cases, the baby will be prescribed medication.
Silent reflux is more difficult to identify as they have the same problems with their food pipe but the milk doesn’t come out of their mouth. It is swallowed back down, along with stomach acid, which can make them very uncomfortable.
Additional symptoms of cow’s milk protein allergy in newborns include a rash, vomiting, diarrhoea, constipation, eczema and wheezing. Breastfed babies can be affected by this but it’s more common in formula-fed babies. It affects around 1 in 50 children.
THE 22 COLIC REMEDIES REVIEWED
My extensive research uncovered twenty-two different ways to attempt to alleviate colic. They are:
Infacol
Dentinox
Gripe water
Windi the Gasspasser
Herbal remedies such as boiled fennel seeds or chamomile
Anti-colic bottles
Tommee Tippee Colicsoothe milk air remover
Winding techniques
A change in breastfeeding techniques
Baby massage
Cranial Osteopathy
Colief Infant drops
A change in the diet of the breastfeeding mother
A change in formula milk, including comfort and non-dairy formulas
Probiotics
Reflexology
Reducing stimulation
A warm bath
Swaddling
White noise
Rocking, swinging and swaying
Dummies
How were these remedies reviewed?
I had a very colicky baby and tried pretty much everything on this list. All babies are different though so I have also researched all the claims of these remedies and studied the clinical evidence where possible. Anecdotal evidence from parents who have tried these different methods to alleviate colic has also been considered.
It may be helpful to know that I believe my son’s excess crying was due to bad wind caused by a slight lactose intolerance as well as birth trauma from a prolonged forceps birth. He was combination fed.
I’ve put links to remedies where appropriate to enable you to learn more and read reviews. If you buy a product through this link, I may earn a small affiliate commission. This helps to keep the website running but will never affect my decision to include it on the list.
1. Infacol
What it claims to help with: wind
Many believe that trapped wind is one of the main causes of colic. Both breastfed and bottle-fed babies will swallow some air as well as milk, If they are not properly winded or have difficulty bringing up wind, this will become trapped and cause pain or discomfort.
Infacol is a liquid containing simeticone, which is an anti-foaming agent. It breaks down smaller bubbles in the gut making bigger ones that are easier for the baby to burp out.
Infacol is suitable from birth and very simple to use. A dropper full of the liquid is given to the baby before each feed. It also contains purified water, Hypromellose, orange flavour, saccharin sodium, Methyl Hydroxybenzoate (E218) and Propyl Hydroxybenzoate (E216).
They claim to be Britain’s number one selling colic remedy and have some evidence to support its use. A study carried out by Infacol found that when their product was used 97% of babies cried less and 8 out of 10 slept better and passed more wind. 69.7% noticed a same-day difference in their child.
These are impressive results but I have studied the data¹ (which is available on their website) and it’s worth noting that this was not a clinical trial and there was no placebo for comparison.
Other concerns I had were:
Those sceptical about using a licensed treatment for colic were excluded from the trial.
The results were collected through social media surveys and relied on accurate reporting from parents whose definitions of fussiness and extreme crying will almost certainly vary.
17% of responders were recruited from either Infacol’s website or social media pages so were probably already fans of Infacol.
Parents were incentivised to complete the questionnaire by entry into a prize draw.
It’s questionable as to whether the babies involved in the study actually had colic. Only around 24% had had colic diagnosed by a medical professional. Only 41.7% of parents reported crying for more than 3 hours a day and only 26.5% reported crying for more than 3 days a week.
More than half (53%) were also using other colic remedies, which could have impacted more on the reduction in crying time.
It was, however, a large-scale survey involving 4004 parents of a colicky baby.
There have been clinical trials testing the efficacy of simeticone. Sethi and Sethi (1988)² used 26 colicky babies. Half were given simeticone and half were given a placebo. Neither group knew which one they’d been given. They found that the use of simeticone reduced the amount of crying. However, studies in 1985 and 1994 didn’t come to the same conclusion.³
Despite this, it is still a very popular remedy and 19% of those surveyed in the Infacol trial had bought it on the advice of their health visitor.
My son definitely had issues with trapped wind and I tried Infacol over a period of a few weeks but I personally didn’t find it made any difference.
Other parents disagree. Reviews for this product on Amazon include the words ‘life-saver’ and ‘game changer’. It’s inexpensive, so if you think trapped wind could be causing problems, it’s worth a try.
2. Dentinox Infant Colic Drops
What it claims to help with: wind
The active ingredient in Dentinox Colic Drops is activated dimeticone, which is the same as simeticone. The only slight difference to Infacol is in the additional ingredients. With Dentinox these are carbomer (similar to hypromellose), sucrose, sodium hydroxide, E214, E216, E218, dill oil and water.
The dill oil is the most significant difference and makes it worth trying if Infacol fails as dill oil is thought by some to help with wind.
One dropper-full of the liquid is given to the baby with or after a feed. It can also be added to a baby’s bottle. It’s suitable from birth.
Like Infacol, this didn’t work for my baby but it has many positive reviews online. There are, however, some complaints about the smell and taste.
3. Gripe water
What it claims to help with: wind
My mum absolutely swears by gripe water and turned up to greet her new grandson with three bottles. She claims it made me and my sister very placid and sleep through the night. However, this was in the Seventies when gripe water also contained alcohol. No wonder we slept so well.
Things have changed since then and the original and best-known one by Woodwards now just contains Terpeneless Dill Seed Oil, the antacid Sodium Hydrogen Carbonate, E215, E217 and E219.
It works in the same way as simeticone, by breaking down gas bubbles to make them easier to pass.
It can only be used from one month old onwards. One 5ml spoonful is given to babies between 1 and 6 months during or after a feed. It can be used up to 6 times in 24 hours.
There is no scientific evidence to suggest it helps with colic and I actually found it made my son cry more. But my mum is not alone and many parents love it. It has been suggested that any calming effect is down to the pleasant, sweet taste.
4. Windi the gasspasser
Windi tubes
What it claims to help with: wind and constipation
This also claims to help release trapped wind but is not a liquid like the others. This is completely different. It’s a tube, which is inserted into the baby’s anus and was invented by a Swedish doctor to relieve colic, constipation and trapped wind.
Here’s how you use it. First, massage the stomach with downward strokes. Then lubricate the tip with a lubricant like coconut oil before inserting the tip into the anus until you hear a whistling sound. If you don’t hear anything massage and insert again until you do. Each packet has 10 single-use tubes.
I’ve researched medical opinions on this device and other very similar ones and some believe it’s an unnecessary intervention and may even interrupt a child’s ability to defecate and pass wind normally.⁵
This was one of the few colic remedies that I didn’t try. But only because I didn’t know about it. I’m sure I would’ve given it a go otherwise. If your baby is in intense discomfort due to trapped wind or constipation, very occasional use shouldn’t cause any problems.
Online reviews of this product range from “amazing”, “it very much does work”, “my baby is so much more comfortable” to “didn’t work at all” and “waste of money”.
5. Herbal remedies such as boiled fennel seeds or chamomile
What it claims to help with: wind
Fennel has been used for centuries as a remedy for digestive and wind issues. A 2003 double-blind placebo-controlled study found that 125 colicky babies given fennel seed oil emulsion showed a significant improvement in symptoms.⁶
Chamomile is also thought to relieve colic. In two separate double-blind placebo-controlled studies, babies with colic were given a herbal tea which included German chamomile and fennel. Crying was reduced significantly more than in the placebo group.⁷
It’s hard to know how to give it to a baby though as you’re not going to hand an 8-week-old a mug of tea. Some suggest the breastfeeding mother drinks the tea but it’s hard to see how this would have enough impact on her breast milk.
Interestingly, you can actually buy baby fennel tea. HIPP Organic make one, which is available in the UK but only through third-party companies. I spoke to HIPP Organic about this and learned that while the tea was still sold abroad, it had been discontinued here due to poor sales. They also said they don’t recommend it to children under weaning age and therefore not as a colic remedy. This is because of the danger of a baby filling up on the liquid and then refusing the breast milk or formula with all of their nutritional needs.
There is no strong evidence that it will help and because of the concerns of babies ruining their appetite with herbal tea and the possibility of your child being allergic to fennel, I wouldn’t try this without speaking to your GP or health visitor first.
An alternative to tea is the Mamaearth Easy Tummy Roll On. This contains fennel oil as well as Asafoetida, dill seed, peppermint and ginger oil. It’s applied to the tummy area as often as needed but it can only be used from three months old so is not really suitable for colic, which has usually resolved by then.
6. Anti-colic bottles
What it claims to help with: wind
If your baby is bottle-fed and you think trapped wind may be causing excessive crying, make sure the teat is filled with just milk and no air. Anti-colic bottles can make this easier as they are designed to stop air from getting into the teat.
Most baby bottle brands sell anti-colic bottles but two of the most popular ones are MAM bottles and Dr Brown’s. MAM bottles have a vented base and self-sterilise in the microwave. Dr Brown’s have a tube, which makes them slightly trickier to clean but a mini pipe cleaner is included for the job.
I used Dr Brown’s bottles with my combination-fed son as they claim to be the number one choice for healthcare professionals for the relief of colic. This was after research in 2017 where 200 healthcare professionals were questioned and 92% said they would recommend Dr Brown’s bottles in cases of colic.
The study was commissioned by Dr Brown’s and all the healthcare professionals had regular contact with new parents and their babies. In 15-20 minute face-to-face interviews they were asked about colic but there is no information available about how they were asked about Dr Brown’s bottles.
However, in a previous study by Dr Brown’s in 2010 involving 253 healthcare professionals they were asked the question: if a baby had colic and you suggested changing bottles, which bottle would you suggest?
But do anti-colic bottles work? A 2011 study with MAM bottles and 73 colicky babies around 7 weeks old showed that 79.3% of the parents reported fewer symptoms of colic over six weeks.⁸
Evidence was reported by parents during fortnightly telephone meetings so it is far from conclusive as it was a small trial and could have been subjected to parental bias or inaccurate reporting.
One other thing that is important when it comes to bottle feeding and swallowing air is teat size. I say this as the idiot who was still using a slow-flow newborn teat when my son was seven months old. As they get older they need a faster flow or they are doing too much sucking, which leads to too much air intake.
You can find a guide as to when to change teat size here.
7. Tommee Tippee Colicsoothe milk air remover
The Tommee Tippee Colicsoothe milk air remover is the new kid on the colic block. This device uses vacuum technology to remove any air present in the baby’s milk. Just place your open bottle inside the chamber and wait three minutes. It’s been designed to fit most bottles.
In a study involving fifty parents who tried the Colicsoothe, 90% felt their baby’s colic symptoms improved within a week. 40% found an improvement within three days. Once again, this is a very small sample and this kind of self-reporting can lend itself to bias and inaccuracies.
As it’s a new product, there aren’t many reviews available but the few that have been written are largely favourable.
It’s not cheap at £39.99 but if you want to try it, Boots and Tommee Tippee are the places to go.
8. winding techniques
What it claims to help with: wind
Babies which take in air while feeding will then need to release that air or face discomfort. While you can minimise the amount of air they swallow with anti-colic bottles or by ensuring a good latch, a baby will always need burping after feeding. If you’re finding it hard to burp them you can try these three things:
1. Change your technique. This page has various techniques and tips.
2. Wind your baby mid-feed as well as after the feed.
3. Keep your baby upright after feeding to encourage them to naturally bring up any excess wind. Do this either by holding them or popping them in a sling. Try to keep them this way for around 15 minutes.
All three of these helped my baby massively.
It is not advisable to try and raise the bed of a baby with digestive issues. Safe sleeping experts the Lullaby Trust state very firmly that to minimise the risk of SIDS babies should only sleep on a flat surface.
However, if you find keeping your baby more upright during the day helps, you could make small changes like raising the head end of a changing mat, for example.
Never put a pillow in a baby’s cot. This can cause suffocation. The NHS doesn’t recommend they are used until a baby is one and some are more cautious and suggest waiting until 24 months.
In cases of reflux, if your health professional has suggested tilting the bed, it should be a slight incline and you should ensure there is no way the baby could slide down or the mattress bend. The crib or cot should also be very stable. Some co-sleepers like the Chicco Close to Me have options for an incline.
9. breastFeeding techniques
What it claims to help with: wind and lactose overload
As mentioned, a good latch will help a breastfed baby take in less air. If this is proving difficult, here is the NHS guide to a good attachment. You can also get help from your local free NHS breastfeeding clinic. It’s possible your baby may have a tongue tie so they can check for that.
If you have an oversupply of milk or a strong letdown, this can cause a baby to gulp and take in excess air. Leaning back while feeding may help with this but your local breastfeeding clinic or local La Leche League group can give advice tailored to you.
Another important thing to do is allow your baby to finish one breast before offering the other one. Not doing this results in a baby getting too much foremilk (the less fatty first milk) and not enough hindmilk (the more fatty second stage of milk).
Breast milk is 7% lactose (compared to 5% in cow’s milk) which needs to be broken down to be digested. This is done with the naturally occurring lactase enzymes in the small intestine.
Fat slows the journey of milk into the stomach so with the higher fat hindmilk, the baby’s body has more time to break down the lactose. If they are getting an excess of foremilk this is moving very quickly into the gut and may cause lactose overload and digestive issues. So allowing a baby to finish one breast before the other one is offered could help with colic.
10. Baby massage
What it claims to help with: wind and constipation
This is not an invigorating deep-tissue sports massage. Baby massage involves gentle stroking of their skin. It could help with colic by moving trapped wind through their body but there is little clinical evidence for this.
However, your baby (and you!) may find it relaxing and advocates of baby massage will also tell you that it helps with bonding, makes you more aware of their needs and can even help the baby sleep better. At the very least it’s something positive you can do with your baby.
There may be baby massage classes in your area. Alternatively here is a guide on how best to do it.
You can use baby oil or lotion once your baby is one month old. Or try coconut oil. There are also some special baby massage oils with a soothing fragrance. Like the one by Earth Friendly Baby. It is 100% natural and smells beautifully of calming lavender.
11. Cranial osteopathy
What it claims to help with: wind and birth trauma
Cranial osteopathy treats the skull and spine and practitioners claim it can help with colic by releasing trapped wind and easing discomfort from the birth or the baby’s position in the womb.
There have only been small clinical trials to assess the effectiveness with colic and some of these have shown a reduction in crying time.⁹ But the sample size plus concerns about bias mean there is currently no firm evidence that it helps.
In the session, the body is gently manipulated and the baby does not have to fully undress. They will usually have around 3 to 5 treatments.
My son, who suffered from trapped wind and had a bruised face and possibly a strained neck from a prolonged forceps birth was a different child the day after cranial osteopathy but reverted back to tears the next. And at around £25 a session it didn’t feel like it was something I could do daily.
12. Colief infant drops
What it claims to help with: temporary lactose intolerance
A baby with colic may be lactose intolerant. The NHS describe the symptoms of this as including diarrhoea, vomiting, stomach rumbling and pains and wind.
Lactose is a sugar that occurs naturally in animal and human breast milk. It has to be broken down by the body to be absorbed. There are lactase enzymes in the small intestine which do this job for you. Some people are born without lactase. This is a condition called galactosaemia and is very rare.
But problems may occur in babies if they have temporary lactose intolerance following a stomach bug or if they are prematurely born and their small intestine has not had time to fully develop.
They may also have a normal level of lactase in their stomach but an oversupply of milk means their body can’t keep up to digest it.
Colief Infant Drops contain lactase to help break down the lactose and can be used with breast milk and formula. If breastfeeding you have to express a few tablespoons of breast milk into a sterilised container, add four drops of Colief and then give it to the baby on a sterilised spoon before breastfeeding. If formula feeding, the drops must be added to warm, not hot formula and then left to work for 30 minutes. As you can imagine, this is not ideal for night feeds.
I used Colief Infant Drops for a few months and I do feel like it did help to some extent. But what’s the clinical evidence?
Colief say that a small trial (13 babies) in Cork in 1998 showed it had a significant effect on babies with a reduction in crying and that a large trial (53 babies) in London in 2001 confirmed these results.10
However, the NHS say there is a lack of quality evidence supporting its use and they do not recommend it.
13. A change in diet of the breastfeeding mother
If you think your baby may have issues with lactose, going dairy free will not remove lactose from your baby’s diet as there’s more lactose in breast milk than in cow’s milk. (Although you can reduce lactose overload as mentioned in the breastfeeding techniques at number 8.)
It’s only if your child has a cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) that you would need to remove dairy products from your diet. According to the NHS, CMPA can cause a range of symptoms including rashes, swelling, digestive problems, a runny or blocked nose or eczema.
It is rare in exclusively breastfed babies, affecting only around 0.5%. And the level of protein is 100,000 times lower in breast milk than in cow’s milk formula. (Source) Any dietary elimination should be carried out under medical supervision and supplements taken for calcium and Vitamin D.
One study shows it may help though. The mothers of 66 breastfed colicky babies ceased all intake of cow’s milk and colic disappeared in 35 of them.¹¹
For colic with no obvious reason, it’s possible that a change in diet can help if you’re breastfeeding. Some research has found a link between certain foods and colic. Apart from cow’s milk, these are cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, onion, wheat, soy, peanuts, tree nuts, fish, eggs, caffeine and chocolate.
One 2016 study concluded that removing bananas from the diet may help with colic and eating more grapes, lemons and potatoes could be beneficial. ¹²
There is no evidence that eating spicy food can cause problems and on the whole, there has been nothing conclusive to suggest manipulating your diet can improve colic.
14. Comfort, lactose-free, non-dairy and goat’s milk formula
What these claim to help with: lactose intolerance, cow’s milk protein allergy, digestion and wind
Lactose-free formula
If you believe your baby is struggling to digest lactose, your healthcare professional may recommend a lactose-free formula. SMA and Aptamil both make lactose-free formulas.
These are designed for babies with temporary lactose intolerance or struggling with lactose overload, rather than those with the rare genetic condition of galactosaemia, where a baby is born with no lactase enzymes.
Comfort formula
Cow’s milk protein allergy (CMPA) affects around 7% of formula-fed babies. Your healthcare professional may recommend a comfort formula. In these, the milk proteins have been partially broken down to make them easier to digest. They also have less lactose.
Cow and Gate, SMA, Aptamil and HIPP Organic all make Comfort formulas. Some, like Aptamil, are thickened with starch so the baby takes in less air when feeding. This may mean you need a teat with a bigger hole.
However, they are more expensive and there is no clinical evidence that this can improve colic. You should only use a comfort formula after speaking to a medical professional like your midwife, GP or health visitor.
There are also extensively hydrolysed formulas where all the proteins are broken down to be more digestible and amino acid formulas for babies with severe CMPA. Once again, these should only be used on the advice of your healthcare professional.
Goat’s milk formula
Goats’ milk formula is also available but it is not suitable for babies allergic to cows’ milk protein because of the similarity in the proteins. However, it does have slightly less lactose and it is more similar to human breast milk.
There are no medical or health reasons why cow’s milk formula is more commonly used. When formula first became popular it was the increased availability of cow’s milk which made it the preferred choice. Goat’s milk formula wasn’t permitted in the EU and UK until March 2014, which was after years of research and clinical trials. But in other parts of the world, for example, New Zealand, goat’s milk has been just as popular as cow’s milk for formula.
Some claim it is easier for a baby to digest than cow’s milk formula. However, a study carried out by the European Food Standards Agency in 2012 found no difference between the two.¹³
Soy formula milk
Soy formula is a dairy-free option but should only be used from 6 months onwards and only on the recommendation of your health visitor or GP. There are some concerns about soya milk as it contains phytoestrogens, which are similar to oestrogen and could affect a baby’s reproductive development.
Hungry baby formula
Some suggest trying this for colic but it’s unlikely to help as it has more casein than whey and casein is harder for a baby to digest.
Switching formula brands
If you’re formula feeding you could try a different brand to see if that makes a difference. There is some anecdotal evidence that babies can get on better with a different kind of formula and I believe my son’s discomfort improved when I switched brands.
The NHS say there's no evidence that switching to a different formula does any good or harm. But if you feel that your current formula is disagreeing with your baby, talk to your midwife or health visitor.
The most important thing to remember is to never give a baby under any milk other than human breast milk or formula milk. No animal or plant-based milk should be used. (Cow’s milk can be used in cooking from six months old.)
15. Probiotics
What it claims to help with: digestive issues
One theory for colic that is gathering pace, is that a baby’s digestive issues are caused by an imbalance of gut bacteria. And therefore a probiotic can be very beneficial.
But the evidence for the effectiveness of probiotics in babies is not conclusive. As with many other studies into colic, the trials are often small and with unreliable methods for measuring crying times. The following two studies are interesting though.
A double-blind, placebo-controlled randomised trial in Australia in 2014 involved 165 babies over a month. At the end, the parents of the babies given probiotics actually reported significantly more crying than the placebo.14
In contrast, a review of 32 studies into the use of manual therapy, simeticone and probiotics for colic undertaken between 2009 and 2019 revealed that probiotics seemed to have the most positive effects out of all the remedies.15
If you use probiotics designed for babies they are safe to use and have no side effects, so they could be worth a try. It was actually my baby’s cranial osteopath who mentioned probiotics to me. He said it’s not something he could recommend but suggested I do my own research as some parents had had miraculous results after starting their use. I was not one of those parents, sadly.
When choosing a baby probiotic, look one for containing Lactobacillus reuteri as this appears to be the most effective. Optibac is the best known and was the one I used. The online reviews vary. Here is a selection:
“Two weeks into using them it’s like we have a different baby….it’s worked wonders.”
“I’m not sure it really made a difference.”
“Baby really settled down.”
“Didn't help and I'm sure it upset our baby more and made issues worse.”
“Found it made no difference whatsoever.”
“It won’t work instantly but give it time it does help.”
“Only thing I’ve ever used for colic that I feel really helped.”
16. Reflexology
What it claims to help with: pain, relaxation
Reflexology involves putting gentle pressure on certain parts of the foot. Practitioners believe these are linked to different parts of the body and can have a positive effect on them.
There is no scientific evidence that it actually works and there have been very few studies regarding reflexology and babies with colic.
But a small pilot study in Finland in 2019 treated 35 colicky babies with reflexology over 12 days and there was a significant reduction in crying time.16
If you want to try it yourself, Colic Sox are reflexology socks designed for babies so you know where to place the gentle pressure. They come with full instructions.
17. Reducing stimulation
What it claims to help with: replicating life in the womb for relaxation
After nine months in the womb, it could be quite overwhelming to be thrust into the world. And perhaps like the time I went straight from Yosemite National Park to Las Vegas.
I read once about a man who cured his son’s colic by decamping into a dark, empty room for three days. Which seems quite extreme. But some believe that a lot of stimulation could produce too much of the stress hormone cortisol and lead to crying. And when the world is brand new, there is a lot of stimulation. Even different smells can be very tiring for a baby.
Advocates of this say to reduce the stimuli, make sure your TV or radio is not on all day and try being alone with your baby in a dimly lit, calm room and taking some deep breaths.
18. A warm bath
What it claims to help with: pain and relaxation
A warm bath can be very soothing to a colicky baby. Sadly not mine. He detested baths until he was older. But the warm water can help with any pain or discomfort your baby may be experiencing and could relax any tension.
19. Swaddling
What it claims to help with: replicating life in the womb for relaxation
Swaddling involves using a cloth to wrap a baby up, usually with their arms and legs tucked in. This restriction of movement can mimic the secure environment of the womb and settle a baby. Historically this has been a popular way to calm a baby. Unfortunately, my son acted like I’d put him in a strait jacket in a padded cell so not all babies enjoy it.
It has to be done correctly to avoid hip problems later in life and you should make sure the baby doesn’t overheat. It’s also very important that you stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows signs that they can roll over.
Swaddle cloths are available to buy which makes it all much easier.
20. White noise
What it claims to help with: replicating life in the womb for relaxation
This is another remedy which attempts to replicate the sensations of being in the womb. And there is some evidence that white noise can improve colic.
A 2016 study of 40 colicky babies found white noise was more effective than swinging at reducing the amount of crying.17
You can get white noise by tuning a radio into static or alternatively there are machines, cuddly toys and apps which play a variety of white noise sounds. Simply shushing a baby can also be effective.
I didn’t find that white noise reduced the crying but it was useful in helping my baby get to sleep, which supports the results of this 1990 trial.
21. Rocking, swinging and swaying
What it claims to help with: relaxation
White noise may have beaten swinging in the 2016 study above but soothing babies by rocking and swaying has always been popular. This gentle motion can be beneficial as it stimulates the vagus nerve which is the calming nerve.
You don’t always have to be holding your baby for them to experience this motion. There are a huge variety of baby bouncer chairs available, which can rock, swing and bounce and vibrate. And many Moses baskets, cribs and nursing chairs have a rocking or gliding motion.
There is also a device called the Rockit, which is designed to vibrate the pram to stimulate the kind of constant movement which calms a baby.
However, you may find your baby just wants to be held. In which case, get a good comfy sling. Here are some of the most popular ones to buy.
Another popular soothing technique is to place the baby on their side or tummy on your forearm or lap. Only do this when they are awake though as sleeping in the position is a SIDS risk.
22. Use of a dummy
What it claims to help with: relaxation and pain
Babies are born with a reflex to suck and it’s not just for enabling them to feed. Sucking also reduces the amount of the stress hormone cortisol in their brain. A small 2012 study even suggested that sucking may help to reduce pain.18
So if they are comfort sucking on the breast (i.e. not taking any breast milk) try giving them a dummy.
I had a very ‘sucky’ baby who was constantly comfort sucking on my breast and it wasn’t until the health visitor suggested a dummy that I thought - oh right, yes, that’s what they are for. My son happily sucked on his dummy for the next 6 weeks or so before then turning violently against it. Who knows why?
If you’re breastfeeding, hold off until they are into the swing of things and putting on weight well. The British Dental Health Foundation recommends that babies stop using dummies sometime between 6 and 12 months.
Conclusion
I’ll give the last word to NICE - the National Institute for Care and Excellence. They provide guidance and advice for health and social care.
They do not recommend the following as there is insufficient good-quality evidence:
Simeticone (such as Infacol) or lactase (such as Colief) drops.
Changing the breastfeeder’s diet or the baby’s formula.
Probiotics.
Herbal supplements.
Manipulative strategies, such as spinal manipulation or cranial osteopathy.
Here’s what they do recommend:
Holding the baby through the crying episode.
Gentle motion (such as pushing the pram or rocking the crib).
White noise
Bathing the infant in a warm bath.
Ensuring an optimal winding technique is used during and after feeds, if needed.
As you can see they take a narrow view of most colic remedies. However, when you’re desperate and your baby is in such discomfort, I know from experience it can make you feel better to be doing something proactive. Many of these remedies are harmless and may have the added benefit of promoting bonding with your child. But always speak to your midwife, health visitor or GP first.
If you are really struggling with the crying, make sure you get the support you need. If you’re feeling really alone, there is a UK charity called Cry-sis with a helpline open between 9am and 10pm. Give them a call on 08451 228 669.
Disclaimer
Everything provided here is for informational purposes only and obtained from various sources. It is no substitute for advice from your health visitor or GP. Where I have outlined a particular remedy it does not necessarily mean that it is safe for your baby or that I endorse it. Any decisions should be made alongside your healthcare professional.
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1. Infacol evidence data
https://www.infacol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/ICORE-Final-12pp-April-2017.pdf
2. Clinical trial of simeticone by Sethi and Sethi (1988)
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/3064072/
3. 1985 study on colic and simeticone:
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1651-2227.1985.tb11001.x
4. 1994 study on colic and simeticone:
https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article-abstract/94/1/29/59096/Simethicone-in-the-Treatment-of-Infant-Colic-A?redirectedFrom=fulltext
5. Medical opinion on Windi:
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/the-windi-revolutionary-relief-for-colic-or-a-pain-in-the-butt/
6. Fennel seed oil study:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12868253/
7. Chamomile studies:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/51382558_Complementary_Holistic_and_Integrative_Medicine_Chamomile
8. MAM bottles study:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/235006978_Reduction_of_abdominal_colic_in_infants_by_using_bottom_ventilated_bottles
9. Clinical trials with colic and cranial osteopathy:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16648084/
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965229922000875
10. Colief clinical trial in Cork (1998):
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/275129157_A_trial_of_lactase_management_of_infant_colic
Colief clinical trial in London (2001):
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/11906576/
11. Study of breastfeeding mothers eliminating cow’s milk:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/6823433/
12. 2016 study of food elimination of breastfeeding mothers:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26523529/
13. A European Food Safety Authority study of goat’s milk formula:
https://efsa.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.2903/j.efsa.2012.2603
14. Trial involving colicky babies and probiotics:
https://www.bmj.com/content/348/bmj.g2107
15. Review of various colic remedies (2014) which showed probiotics to be the most effective:
https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/10/2/e035405#ref-16
16. 2019 pilot study in Finland on reflexology and colic:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31747081/ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0020748911003725?via%3Dihub
17. White noise and baby sleep
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28618052/
18. Sucking as pain relief
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0020748911003725?via%3Dihub
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Reflux in babies: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/reflux-in-babies/
The use of Infacol: https://thegeekfatherblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/03/infacol-the-evidence-and-why-it-doesnt-matter/
CMPA and breastfeeding: https://www.breastfeedingnetwork.org.uk/cows-milk-protein-allergy-cmpa-and-breastfeeding/
Foremilk and hindmilk imbalance: https://www.llli.org/breastfeeding-info/foremilk-and-hindmilk/
NHS guide to different types of formula: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/baby/breastfeeding-and-bottle-feeding/bottle-feeding/types-of-formula/
Overstimulation in babies: https://colicsos.com/overcoming-overstimulation-in-babies/
General colic advice: https://colicsos.com/5-ways-to-soothe-colic/
https://www.parents.com/baby/care/colic/how-to-soothe-a-colicky-baby/
What causes colic: https://parentingscience.com/what-causes-colic/
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Annabel Port is the founder of Get Get Got and in a former life a Sony award-winning radio presenter. After the birth of her son, she brought her forensic research skills to the world of baby products to help new parents not repeat her mistakes.