Yes, a newborn can have colic, which means long bouts of intense, unexplained crying in an otherwise healthy baby that usually fade by 3–4 months.
New parents often ask a simple but stressful question: can a newborn be colic? You may be rocking a tiny baby who cries for hours, even when they are fed, clean, and warm, and you start to worry that something is seriously wrong.
The word “colic” gets used for all sorts of fussy moments, yet doctors mean something more specific. Understanding what colic is, when it starts, and how it looks in newborns can help you decide when to seek medical care and when to lean on soothing steps and time.
What Colic Means In Newborns
Colic is not a disease or a long term condition. It is a label doctors use for frequent, intense crying in a baby who otherwise seems healthy. Many pediatric criteria describe colic with the “rule of threes”: crying for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, for at least three weeks in a row in a baby who feeds and grows as expected.
Newer criteria describe colic as repeated, hard to soothe crying in babies younger than five months with no clear cause and a normal exam. The common thread is a healthy baby who has long, draining crying spells that are tough to calm, matching descriptions on the NHS baby colic page.
| Colic Fact | Typical Pattern | What Parents Often See |
|---|---|---|
| Age When Colic Starts | Often around 2–3 weeks of life | A newborn who suddenly cries much more than before |
| Peak Colic Age | Around 6 weeks of age | Longest, loudest crying spells most days |
| When Colic Eases | Usually by 3–4 months of age | Crying slowly shortens and evenings feel calmer |
| Daily Crying Time | Often more than 3 hours per day | Baby may seem upset for long stretches, often later in the day |
| How Common Colic Is | Up to about one in five babies | Even healthy, full term newborns can have colic |
| Baby’s Growth And Health | Normal weight gain, normal exam | Pediatrician finds no ear infection, lung issue, or fever |
| How Long Each Spell Lasts | From several minutes up to a few hours | Crying often starts suddenly, stays strong, then stops just as suddenly |
This pattern can appear in the newborn period. Colic often starts during the first weeks of life, rises over the next month or so, then fades on its own as the baby’s nervous system and digestion mature.
Can A Newborn Be Colic? Signs Pediatricians Watch For
So, can a newborn be colic? Yes. Colic does not wait until three months; many babies meet the pattern while they are still tiny, which can feel especially hard for tired parents.
Pediatricians look at the whole picture when they suspect infant colic. They listen to your story, check your baby from head to toe, and rule out problems such as infection, reflux with poor weight gain, hernias, or cow’s milk protein allergy. When those causes seem unlikely, the crying pattern itself often points toward colic.
Typical Colic Signs In Newborns
Common signs that a newborn’s crying may fit colic include:
- Crying that starts suddenly, often in the late afternoon or evening, and lasts at least 30 minutes or much longer.
- A cry that sounds intense or high pitched, not just grumbly or whiny.
- Body tensing during spells, such as clenched fists, arched back, or pulled up knees.
- Baby feeds well between spells and has steady weight gain, wet diapers, and alert periods.
- No fever, breathing trouble, rash, or other clear sign of illness found on exam.
If this picture fits your baby and your doctor has checked for other causes, they may say that your newborn has colic. The label does not change how healthy your baby is. It simply describes a crying pattern that feels draining but usually does not harm the baby and tends to pass with time.
Normal Newborn Crying Versus Colic
All newborns cry. In the first few weeks, even babies who do not have colic may cry one to two hours per day. Crying is your baby’s main way to signal hunger, a wet diaper, feeling too hot or cold, or needing closeness. Sorting out typical crying from colic can help you know when to seek medical help and when to lean on soothing and patience.
How Regular Crying Differs From Colic
Regular newborn crying often links to hunger, a wet diaper, or a need for cuddling and usually settles once you meet that need. Colic spells last longer, feel harder to calm, and often seem to come out of nowhere even when feeding, changing, and holding do not help.
If you are unsure where your baby’s crying fits, bring notes to your next visit. Jot down when spells start and stop, what you had tried before crying began, and any other symptoms such as spitting up or changes in stool. Short logs help your pediatrician sort through patterns with you.
Safe Ways To Soothe A Colicky Newborn
There is no single cure for colic, and what helps one baby may not help another. The goal is to try safe, gentle steps that lower the intensity of crying or shorten spells, while also guarding your baby’s safety and your own energy.
Comfort Techniques You Can Try
Common soothing ideas for a colicky newborn include:
- Swaddling in a light cotton blanket during awake spells, with hips free to move. Always place a swaddled baby on their back to sleep and stop swaddling once they show signs of rolling.
- Holding your baby upright against your chest and walking in a slow, steady pattern so air bubbles can rise.
- Skin to skin contact on your chest, with your baby in only a diaper and a light blanket over both of you.
- Pacifiers, if your baby likes to suck between feeds and your pediatrician has no concerns about weight gain.
- Gentle motion, such as rocking in your arms or swaying in place in a safe way.
| Soothing Technique | How To Try It | Helpful Tips |
|---|---|---|
| Swaddling | Wrap baby from shoulders down in a thin blanket | Keep hips loose, stop once baby can roll, always place on back |
| Upright Holding | Hold baby against your chest, head held, and walk slowly | Use a soft carrier if your arms get tired |
| Gentle Rocking | Rock in a chair or sway from side to side while standing | Avoid rough shaking; smooth, rhythmic motion is safest |
| White Noise | Use a machine or fan to create steady background sound | Place the device away from the crib and keep volume low |
| Skin To Skin | Place diapered baby on bare chest and add a light blanket | Helps steady baby’s breathing, heart rate, and temperature |
| Pacifier | Offer a clean pacifier between feeds if baby wants to suck | Talk with your pediatrician if you are working on breastfeeding |
| Feeding Adjustments | Feed smaller amounts more often or check latch with a feeding expert | Any formula change should be made with your baby’s doctor |
Gripe water, herbal teas, probiotics, special formulas, and medicines for colic are widely advertised, yet research evidence is limited and some products carry risks. Always talk with your pediatrician before starting drops, teas, or any over the counter remedy for a newborn.
Safe sleep comes first even when colic is intense. Always place your baby alone, on their back, in a flat, firm sleep space with no loose blankets, pillows, or bumpers. Car seats, swings, and baby seats are for supervised time, not routine sleep.
When To See A Doctor About Crying Or Colic
Hard crying in a newborn can feel scary, and parents often worry about missing a serious illness. Medical checks are part of keeping your baby safe. Call your baby’s doctor or local urgent care line the same day if you see any of these signs during crying spells:
- Fever in a baby under three months (follow your clinic’s exact temperature limits).
- Fast or hard breathing, grunting, or a bluish color around lips or face.
- Vomiting that is green, yellow, or streaked with blood.
- Blood in stool, black stool that is not linked to iron drops, or a markedly swollen belly.
- Poor feeding, fewer wet diapers, or clear weight loss.
- Extreme sleepiness, limp body, or unusually weak cry between spells.
- Crying that suddenly changes to an unusual, high pitched sound that worries you.
Seek emergency care right away if your baby has trouble breathing, becomes floppy or unresponsive, has a seizure, or you suspect injury. Trust your instincts; if you feel scared by how your baby looks, calling emergency services is the safest choice.
If none of these red flags are present and your doctor has checked your baby, yet crying is still long and hard to soothe, the label of colic may apply. That does not mean you need to face the crying alone. Your baby’s care team can walk through feeding, sleep patterns, and soothing steps and can check again if anything changes. Resources from the American Academy of Pediatrics, such as their crying and colic advice, also give clear ideas and warning signs.
Caring For Yourself While Caring For A Colicky Newborn
Colic drains adults as well as babies. Long stretches of loud crying add to sleep loss and worry, so caring for your own health is part of caring for your baby.
Practical Ways To Protect Your Energy
Share baby care with another adult when you can, keep meals and housework simple, take safe breaks when anger rises by placing your baby in the crib and stepping into the next room for a few minutes, and talk with your baby’s doctor or a trusted person about how you feel.
Never shake a baby, even once. Shaking can cause brain injury within seconds. If you feel close to losing control, place your baby in a safe sleep space and step away, or ask another adult to take over while you cool down. Calling a trusted friend, crisis line, or health service for help with those feelings is a sign of care, not failure.
Bringing It All Together For Worried Parents
So, can your newborn have colic? Yes, colic can appear during the earliest weeks of life, often peaks around six weeks, and fades by three to four months. The pattern centers on long, intense crying spells in a baby who otherwise eats, gains weight, and has a normal exam.
Checking in with your pediatrician, watching for red flags, and trying safe soothing steps can make this phase more manageable. While colic can shake your confidence, it does not last forever. With time, your baby’s nervous system settles, days feel calmer, and those loud evenings slowly turn into ordinary bedtimes.