Why do babies cry: what is colic?

Every baby – starting as early as three weeks and lasting up to three months of age – has an upset period sometime during the day. However, some babies cry for three hours a day or more, three or more days a week, for three or more weeks in a row. These kids (about 15 per cent of all babies) have colic.

Colic crying

Babies who are temperamentally sensitive and a bit intense seem most likely to be colicky. Their excitement about life just seems to spill over at the end of each day! However, not all children develop colic. You'll know if your child has it by the time he's four to six weeks old. Colic crying seems intense, loud and inconsolable. Colicky babies sometimes seem to be in pain. Since crying infants swallow air, colicky babies often have distended stomachs and pass gas.