Crying babies and colic

Working through the usual causes

• Hunger, a dirty nappy, being too hot or too cold.
• Tiredness and over-stimulation - babies often need less input, not more.
• Wind, and needing to be held upright after a feed.
• Simply needing contact; being carried is a need, not a habit.

What often helps

Skin-to-skin contact, gentle rhythmic motion, a calm dim room, white noise, a warm bath, and a sling that keeps your baby close while freeing your hands. If a feed becomes fraught, stopping, resetting and starting again is usually better than pushing on.

Colic and reflux

Colic describes prolonged crying in an otherwise healthy, thriving baby, often in the late afternoon and evening. It resolves with time; probiotics and simeticone have modest evidence at best. Frequent posseting is normal, but arching, distress with feeds, refusal to feed or poor weight gain should be reviewed rather than assumed to be reflux.

Look after yourself

If you feel overwhelmed, put your baby down somewhere safe, step out of the room and take a few minutes. Never shake a baby. Tell your health visitor or GP how you are coping - persistent crying is one of the strongest triggers for parental low mood, and help is available.