Colic is characterized by a baby’s inconsolable crying over an extended period of time (more than 3 hours a day on more than 3 days a week), for no easily-pinned-down reason in an infant younger than 3 months old. Colic is a symptom for which there may be no easily explainable cause. This means it can be hard for parents to know what to do to soothe colic. Wondering if it’s related to breastfeeding? Read on for more.
Infant feeding and colic
Even ten minutes of crying can feel like an eternity, so it makes sense to wonder if what you’re feeding your baby could make all the difference. The good news is that breastmilk is not more likely to cause colic than formula. Some studies even suggest that breastfed babies are less likely to develop colic. Colic is complex, and it’s not as black and white as breastmilk versus formula.
Reasons for colic
First and foremost, poor growth and hunger need to be looked at as a potential cause. If a baby is crying often and not growing well – suspect hunger and address it before taking further steps.
On the other hand, maybe you have a baby who is growing much faster than expected? Tons of breastmilk or overfeeding by bottle can both cause digestive upset that can contribute to colic. Working with a feeding expert can be a huge win towards getting Baby more comfortable.
If you haven’t already, it’s super important to discuss colic and crying with your pediatric provider. There are medical reasons behind colic for some babies. These may have obvious symptoms like vomiting or constipation, but in many cases, there are very few physical symptoms apart from crying. A thorough exam and history is so important. Keep in mind that if your baby is diagnosed with reflux, medications and thickeners have not been shown to increase comfort.
Some newer research has also suggested that babies with colic may be stuck more often in “fight or flight” mode. This means that babies with colic may benefit from mood and calm supporting measures like skin to skin, baby wearing and infant massage much more than a baby without colic. Parents also deserve support to understand how to use these interventions and potentially reduce crying and increase calm.
Can breastfeeding diet or type of formula affect colic?
When your baby is crying for multiple hours, it makes sense to think of anything and everything you can do to help them. Like most things related to colic, this is a nuanced answer. To start, caffeine is one substance that people have tried to link to colic, but evidence from several studies, including a 2016 study in Pediatrics, suggests that traces of caffeine in breastmilk don’t have much of any impact on babies’ sleep or crying patterns.
The effect that other foods have is less clear. A small 2005 study showed a decrease of colic crying in the babies of mothers who went on diets that excluded 7 common allergens: cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy and fish. Thankfully, more recent data suggests that removing cow’s milk, soy and egg is an ideal place to start. Food proteins from these foods rapidly leave breastmilk. Some people start to see improvement within 2-3 days, while others find it takes 1-2 weeks to see improvement as their baby’s gut gets a longer break. Diets like these are called elimination diets, and they’re very challenging to follow long-term. It’s always important to get expert guidance when removing foods from your diet. This is so that you can identify which foods may be triggers for your baby, and to keep your own body healthy and well fueled.
Some well-meaning people may suggest that foods which cause adult gas can make colic symptoms worse, these are foods like garlic, onions, cabbage, turnips, broccoli, beans, and fruits like apricots, rhubarb, prunes, melons, peaches, and others. The good news is that this is not supported by any evidence, and you should enjoy these nutritious foods if you like them.
Because colic occurs in formula-fed babies too, you may be wondering about switching to a different formula. There are many formulas that exist to support babies who don’t digest cow’s milk well or who don’t tolerate a certain carb/sugar source. Talk to your pediatric provider or a formula expert for more support!
No matter the cause of your baby’s colic, it usually improves or disappears by the time a baby is around 3 or 4 months old. You deserve support to manage crying and your own well-being during this time.
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
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Sources
- David H. Hill, et al. “Effect of a Low-Allergen Maternal Diet on Colic Among Breastfed Infants: A Randomized, Controlled Trial.” Pediatrics. 116(3). Web. November 2005.
- Ina S. Santos, Alicia Matijasevich, Marlos R. Domingues. “Maternal Caffeine Consumption and Infant Nighttime Waking: Prospective Cohort Study.” Pediatrics. 129(5): 860-868. Web. May 2012.
- “Breastmilk and Your Diet.” HealthyChildren. American Academy of Pediatrics, Jan 21, 2025. Web.
- Ali MK, Chen JDZ. Roles of Heart Rate Variability in Assessing Autonomic Nervous System in Functional Gastrointestinal Disorders: A Systematic Review. Diagnostics (Basel). 2023 Jan 12;13(2):293. doi: 10.3390/diagnostics13020293. PMID: 36673103; PMCID: PMC9857852.
- Harb, T., Frederiksen, N., & Hill, R. J. (2017). Is sensory processing an issue for infants with colic? Infant Behavior and Development, 48, 105–113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.infbeh.2017.05.003
- Salvatore, S., Agosti, M., Baldassarre, M. E., D’Auria, E., Pensabene, L., Nosetti, L., & Vandenplas, Y. (2021). Cow’s Milk Allergy or Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease—Can We Solve the Dilemma in Infants? Nutrients, 13(2), Article 2. https://doi.org/10.3390/nu13020297
