Feeding Your Baby

If you're breastfeeding your baby:

• Keep track of what you eat and drink. Everything you consume gets passed to your baby and can affect them.
• Avoid caffeine and chocolate, which act as stimulants.
• Avoid dairy products and nuts in case your baby is allergic to them.
• Ask your doctor if any medicines you’re taking could be causing the problem.

If you're feeding your baby formula:

• Try a different brand. Babies can be sensitive to certain proteins in formula.
• Try feeding your baby smaller meals but more often.
• Avoid feeding your baby too much or too quickly. One bottle feeding should last about 20 minutes. If your baby eats faster, try using a nipple with a smaller hole. This will slow down their feeding.
• Try warming the formula to body temperature.
• Try feeding your baby in an upright position.

Holding Your Baby

Babies who have colic can sometimes respond well to different ways of being held or rocked, including:

• Across your arm or lap while you massage their back
• Upright, if they have gas
• Rocking your baby in your arms or by using an infant swing

Comforting Your Baby

Try these movements and stimuli to soothe your baby:

• Provide extra skin-to-skin contact.
• Swaddle your baby. This means wrapping them in a blanket.
• Sing to your baby.
• Give your baby a warm (not hot) bath or put a warm towel on their stomach.
• Massage your baby. Ask your doctor for guidelines.
• Provide white noise, such as a fan, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, hair dryer, or dishwasher.
• Give your baby a pacifier.
• Go for a walk with your baby in their stroller. Or go for a drive with your baby in their car seat.
• Give your baby simethicone drops. This over-the-counter medicine can help relieve gas.

Things to Keep in Mind About Colic

• You didn’t cause the colic, so try not to feel guilty.
• Colic will go away. Most babies outgrow it by the time they are 3 to 4 months old.
• Just because your baby has colic doesn’t mean they’re unhealthy.
• There are many ways to soothe your baby.
• Giving your baby extra attention, such as holding them for extended periods, won’t spoil them.