It is normal for babies to cry, as this is their main method of communication. There are several reasons as to why babies cry and these include hunger, dirty nappies and bad moods. Babies may also cry because they are uncomfortable from sitting or lying in one position for too long. Perhaps they feel too hot, too cold, bored, ignored or just plain moody. The crying that lasts after the apparent cause has been removed by the mommy (or daddy) i.e. after feeding him, changing him etc, is the crying that needs closer evaluation.

Thus when a healthy baby cries inconsolably and this crying lasts for more than three hours (often even longer) and this happens for at least three days in a given week, this baby will be diagnosed as having colic. During this period of crying, the baby will be irritable and will appear to have severe abdominal pain and he will not respond to the usual methods that his mom uses to comfort him.

Often the baby will start crying at the same time every day, usually after a feed. In many cases the crying starts in the late afternoon or early evening and continues for at least three or four hours. Sometimes this crying lasts much longer and in severe cases it can last almost all of the night or day.

Colic occurs in approximately 20% of all babies and more often than not it occurs in the firstborn baby. Colic also tends to affect more boys than girls.

This infant condition is a nightmare for parents and will generate a great deal of anxiety, desperation, concern, guilt and even anger in the parents and will often leave the parents and the baby feeling exhausted and upset. But despite the distress and discomfort, babies suffering with colic are usually well, thriving, gaining weight and healthy in all other respects and the phase does pass.