Baby colic can occur from birth and usually disappears by the time the baby is 6 months old. Baby colic is not harmful to your baby, but can be stressful as a parent. The causes of colic are thought to be

• From swallowing air whilst bottle or breast feeding.
• It is also thought to be caused by some foods eaten by mothers whist breastfeeding
• It has also been suggested that colic may be due to the fact that baby’s have an immature digestive system. One suggestion is that the muscles that help push food along the digestive tract in a process known as peristalsis – and may not have fully developed yet. If this is the case, food cannot be pushed properly down the digestive tract and may result in the build up of wind and discomfort.
• Another suggestion is that newborn and very young babies do not have the bacteria that is present naturally in the gut to help aid the digestion of food. These bacteria are known as probiotics. As most baby’s usually grow out of their colic by around 6 months of age this does appear to support the suggestions that colic is due to immaturity of the digestive system