Why Is My Baby Crying? Colic and How to Comfort Them

Start with the boring checklist: hungry, wind, hot or cold, nappy, tired, overstimulated. Most crying is one of those. Colic is a description of repeated, inconsolable crying in an otherwise well baby — often evenings, often weeks 2–6 — not a disease you catch. If crying comes with a fever, a rash that does not fade, breathing trouble, or a baby who is hard to wake, that is medical, not colic.

Who should skip this crying and colic guide?

Skip this if your baby has a fever, a non-blanching rash, or you are worried they are unwell — use when to take a baby fever to A&E or call 111/999. Skip sleep-training advice if they are under 12 weeks. Skip "colic products" marketing if the checklist above has not been tried for a week.

What should you check first when a baby will not stop crying?

Feed, wind, nappy, temperature (chest or neck, not hands), too much light and noise, or not enough holding. Then try a change of position: skin-to-skin, a walk, a carrier. The NHS crying-baby page is the source for "it is common, it passes, and you should never shake a baby" (NHS — crying, checked 12 August 2026).

If you are at the edge, put the baby down in a clear cot on their back and walk out for a few minutes. That is safer than holding on through panic. Call a friend or the ICON / crying-baby helpline on your health visitor's card.

What is colic, actually?

A pattern: crying that looks painful, often late afternoon and evening, in a baby who is otherwise feeding and growing. It usually eases by 3–4 months. We do not have a single proven cause. That is why every product claims to fix it and none reliably does. Gripe water, special formula, and "colic drops" have weak evidence; some families swear by them, which is not the same as a trial.

If crying is worse during or after feeds, or there is arching, vomiting, or poor weight gain, talk to your GP or health visitor — that may be reflux, cow's milk allergy, or something else, not "colic".

Which calming techniques actually help?

White noise, a wrap or carrier, motion (pram, car, your own walking), a dim room, and a consistent wind-down. The "5 S" set (swaddle if they are not rolling, side/stomach while holding, shush, swing, suck) is a holding pattern, not a cot position — back to sleep in the cot, always. See carriers, white noise, and bouncers if you want kit. Never use a bouncer or car seat as an overnight sleep space.

How do you look after yourself during colic weeks?

Shifts if there are two of you. One protected 4-hour block of sleep is worth more than a gadget. If you feel rage, hopelessness, or fear you might harm the baby, that is a health emergency for you — call your GP, 111, or 999. You are not a bad parent for needing that call.

When is crying a red flag that needs medical help?

Call 999 if they are struggling to breathe, are floppy or hard to wake, have a rash that does not fade under a glass, or you think they have had a seizure. Call 111 or your GP the same day for a fever in a baby under 3 months, fewer wet nappies, bile-green vomit, or crying that feels different from their usual. Trust that instinct.

One next action: write the checklist on a card for the 7pm witching hour, and put the 111 number next to it.