The newborn cry | Could it be colic?

Baby with colic

Eliza is 2 now, and thankfully the days of sleepless nights and endless crying are more or less behind us. But I can remember them well. There were days when I couldn’t put her down, days when she screamed no matter which position you held her in, nights when I paced up and down the hallway willing her to go to sleep, just for an hour. Just for 20 minutes. 

Now, working on the maternity ward, I often see brand new parents pacing the corridors with babies held against their shoulders, and it brings it all back. On postnatal visits, we are often asked ‘why is my baby crying’? Crying is a very useful tool for babies; it allows them to call for help when they’re hungry, uncomfortable or need to relieve tension. A newborn baby can routinely cry for a total of 1 to 4 hours per day as part of their adjustment to the new life outside the womb.

By paying close attention to a baby’s cries parents will soon be able to tell when they need picking up, consoling or if they need feeding. Over time parents may even be able to identify specific
needs by the way they cry. Typical ‘crys’ can be described as the following:

Hungry cry: usually short and low-pitched, it can also rise and fall.
Angry Cry: more turbulent
Cry of pain/distress: generally comes on suddenly and loudly with a long high pitched shriek, followed by a pause then a flat wail
Overstimulated cry: similar to a hungry cry (and this is why it can sometimes be so hard to know what your baby wants!)

However, sometimes, when you have tried feeding, winding, changing a nappy, walking, rocking, music and everything else you can think of, your baby will still cry. And sometimes, the reason for that could be colic. Colic is a medical term for excessive and frequent crying in a baby who appears to be otherwise healthy and well fed. It usually begins within the first few weeks of life, but often stops by the time the baby is four -six months old. In most cases the intense crying occurs in the late afternoon or evening, and the baby may clench their fists and draw their knees up to their tummy or arch their back.

Eliza suffered terribly with colic, and nothing we did seemed to help. She sometimes got relief from a warm bath, but it never lasted. We found the most useful remedy to be Nelsons Colica granules. These are a homeopathic medicinal product used within the homeopathic tradition for the symptomatic relief of colic in babies over one month of age. Nelsons Colica Colic Granules contain a unique formulation of 30c potencies of natural Citrullus colocynthis and Dioscorea villosa. I loved the fact that they were a natural and gentle solution, nothing chemical and nothing that would cause harm. They didn’t get rid of the colic altogether, but they eased the symptoms hugely, gave Eliza some relief from the griping pain, and allowed us all to get some much needed sleep! They are incredibly easy to use too, even with a fractious baby – the granules simply dissolve in the mouth.Nelsons ColicaNelsons Colica Colic Granules are available at Superdrug and currently on offer –  2 packs for £7.50.

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14 Comments

  1. December 12, 2017 / 8:15 am

    George suffered terribly with Colic, but sadly there was no real remedy although he did grow out of it. I love the Nelsons products so I would add this to my list if I had a little one
    Kerri-Ann recently posted…Wrapping up warm with La Coqueta…My Profile

  2. December 12, 2017 / 8:57 am

    My little one suffered for colic for very long time by and nothing seemed to help him
    #TriedTested

  3. December 12, 2017 / 11:06 am

    None of my kids suffered with colic but it is horrible to see a baby crying and not knowing how to help, glad to see you have found something to provide a bit of relief! #triedtested

  4. December 12, 2017 / 11:39 am

    I’ll be. getting some of these in just in case baby boy suffers from colic. Olly did suffer with a touch of it so I’m hoping his baby brother doesnt get much of it, if at all! #triedtested

  5. December 12, 2017 / 2:50 pm

    Oh you have brought back so many memories from Mia was a baby, she is now 4 however we are about to have another baby so will no doubt be going through it all again! I have made a note of the anti colic stuff as we may need it! 🙂

    #TriedTested

  6. December 12, 2017 / 4:10 pm

    My daughter had colic and it was awful, it just breaks your heart. I didn’t try these granules but I think they sound great definitely something I will be mentioning to friends with tiny babies! #triedtested
    Jenni recently posted…Bookabees Subscription Box ReviewMy Profile

  7. May 21, 2019 / 6:22 pm

    Thanks for this wonderful guide on baby colic. I know there are a lot of products out there to help soothe colic in a baby. But what if the mother is so busy (usually with work) and can’t really make use of a specific product such as a carrier or swaddle blanket? What do you advise in such a situation? Thanks.
    Chenden recently posted…How Many Baby Bottles Do I Need? [Ultimate Guide for Busy Moms]My Profile

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