Colic

When your baby is a few weeks old he may start to have crying or screaming attacks, sometimes going red in the face and drawing up his legs, as if in pain. If he is feeding well and seems generally healthy apart from these attacks, then he is probably suffering from colic.

Colic is a very common complaint in young babies and usually starts during the first 6 weeks of life. It often attacks in the evenings and can last from between a few minutes to half an hour.

Although colic looks alarming and is very distressing for parents when it first happens, it is harmless and completely disappears by around 6 months of age.

There are many suggestions for the cause of colic but the exact cause is not known.

The most important thing is to try to keep calm and soothe your baby during these attacks. Even very young babies pick up on our moods and if you're tense and anxious, it will only make your baby worse
If you are breastfeeding and your breasts are swollen with milk, express a little by hand (your health visitor will show you how) before you feed. This will make it easier for your baby to suck without swallowing a lot of air, which may make colic worse.

For the same reason, if you are bottlefeeding, make sure the teat hole is not too small, otherwise it can make sucking difficult.

If you're worried about these colic attacks, or if your child seems otherwise unwell, ask your doctor or health visitor for advice.