Natural Remedies for Colic in Babies: Safe, Gentle Relief for Your Newborn

For many new parents, hearing the word "colic" can be overwhelming. Colic is common, but it is not always well understood, and just because something is common does not mean it is normal. The term describes episodes of excessive crying and fussiness in infants, often appearing in babies as young as a few weeks old.

If you are here at 2am with a screaming baby and a search bar, I want you to know two things. First, you are not doing anything wrong. Second, there is genuinely a lot you can do. This guide walks through natural colic relief options that actually help, from simple soothing techniques you can try in the next five minutes, to feeding adjustments, to old home remedies for colic in babies that have been passed down for generations, plus an honest look at which ones are safe and which ones are not.

What is colic? Understanding the 333 rule

Colic has a clear clinical definition, often called the 333 rule or the rule of threes: crying for at least three hours a day, three or more days a week, for three weeks or more, in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby.

What colic does not have is a single identifiable cause, which is exactly what makes it so frustrating to address. Colic typically begins around two to three weeks of age, peaks around six weeks, and resolves on its own by three to four months in most babies. That timeline is genuinely reassuring, though it can feel impossibly long when you are in the middle of it.

What causes colic?

Experts believe colic may stem from an immature nervous system that struggles to regulate the flood of new sensory experiences: lights, sounds, temperature changes, and physical sensations that a baby has never encountered before. This heightened sensitivity can lead to extended crying episodes triggered by both unpleasant and even neutral stimuli.

Other contributing factors that commonly show up in practice include:

• Digestive immaturity: An underdeveloped gut microbiome and digestive system that is still learning how to process milk efficiently
• Trapped gas: Air swallowed during feeding that becomes uncomfortable
• Structural tension: Tightness in the neck, jaw, or upper spine, often related to positioning in utero or the forces of birth
• Feeding mechanics: A shallow latch or fast milk flow causing excess air intake
• Food sensitivities: In a smaller subset of babies, a sensitivity to dairy protein in breastmilk or formula
• Overstimulation and overtiredness: A nervous system that has taken in more than it can process

What worsens colic in babies?

Understanding triggers helps you get ahead of episodes rather than just reacting to them. Common aggravators include:

• Overstimulation: Bright lights, loud environments, too many hands, too much activity
• Overtiredness: A baby who has been awake too long becomes progressively harder to settle
• Swallowed air: From a poor latch, an oversized bottle nipple, or crying itself
• Lying flat after feeding: Which makes reflux and trapped gas worse
• Parental stress: Babies genuinely pick up on our nervous systems. This is not a criticism, it is physiology, and it is why caring for yourself matters here too
• Late afternoon and evening: The classic "witching hour" when a full day of stimulation catches up

How to relieve colic quickly: soothing techniques that work right now

Before we get to remedies you have to buy, let's start with what is free and immediately available. These foundational soothing methods are the first line of defense, and for many babies they are genuinely the most effective thing you will do.

The colic carry

Sometimes called the "football hold" or "tiger in the tree," this position applies gentle pressure to the belly, which helps move trapped gas and provides deep, calming input.

Lay your baby face-down along your forearm, with their head resting near the crook of your elbow and their legs straddling your hand. Support them firmly. Use your other hand to steady their back. Then walk, sway, or gently bounce. Many babies settle in this position within a minute or two when nothing else has worked.

Swaddling

Swaddling recreates the containment of the womb and reduces the startle reflex that can jolt a settling baby back into distress. Wrap snugly around the arms and chest, but always leave the hips loose enough for the legs to bend up and out, which protects healthy hip development. Stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows any sign of rolling.

White noise

The womb was loud, roughly the volume of a vacuum cleaner. Silence can be unsettling for a newborn nervous system. Steady white noise, a fan, a white noise machine, or even running water gives the brain something predictable to organize around. Keep the volume around the level of a soft shower, and place the source several feet from the crib.

Rhythmic motion

Rocking, swaying, babywearing, and gentle bouncing all provide vestibular input that helps regulate an overwhelmed nervous system. Babywearing in particular does double duty: it provides motion, warmth, upright positioning that helps digestion, and closeness, all while freeing your hands.

Side-lying or stomach position (while awake and supervised)

Holding your baby on their side or stomach across your lap can relieve gas pressure. This is for supervised, awake soothing only. Babies should always be placed on their back for sleep.

Skin-to-skin contact

Direct skin-to-skin contact regulates a baby's heart rate, breathing, and temperature, and releases oxytocin for both of you. It is one of the most physiologically powerful calming tools available, and it costs nothing.

Warm bath

A warm bath relaxes tense abdominal muscles and provides a sensory reset. Some parents find that a bath during the predictable evening fussy window heads off the worst of it.

Feeding and burping techniques to reduce trapped gas

A significant portion of colic-type fussiness traces back to how air is getting into your baby during feeds. Small adjustments here often produce meaningful results.

Feed upright

Hold your baby at a 30 to 45 degree angle or more during feeding, rather than lying flat. Gravity keeps milk down and helps air rise to the top of the stomach where it can be burped out. Keep them upright for 20 to 30 minutes after the feed as well.

Check the latch

For breastfeeding mamas, a shallow latch means your baby is swallowing air with every suck. Signs of a shallow latch include clicking sounds, nipple pain, a flattened or lipstick-shaped nipple after feeding, and milk leaking from the corners of the mouth. A deep latch, where your baby takes in a good portion of the areola, not just the nipple, dramatically reduces air intake. If latch is a struggle, an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) is worth their weight in gold.

Try the football hold for feeding

Tucking your baby along your side, supported on a pillow, with their body angled slightly upright, gives you excellent control of the latch and keeps their head higher than their stomach. It is particularly helpful for babies who tend to gulp.

Paced bottle feeding

For bottle-fed babies, paced feeding mimics the natural rhythm of breastfeeding and prevents gulping. Hold the bottle horizontally rather than tipped up, let your baby draw the milk out, and pause every few sucks. Use a slow-flow nipple, and make sure the nipple stays full of milk so your baby is not sucking in air.

Burp more often, not just at the end

Rather than waiting until the feed is finished, burp midway through and again at the end. For breastfeeding, burp when you switch sides. Effective burping positions include:

• Over the shoulder: Baby upright against your chest, head above your shoulder, patting or rubbing upward along the spine
• Sitting on your lap: Supporting the chin and chest with one hand, leaning your baby slightly forward, patting with the other
• Across your lap: Baby face-down over your knees, gently patting the back

Pat gently with a cupped hand rather than a flat one, which is both more effective and more comfortable.

Bicycle legs and tummy massage

Lay your baby on their back and gently cycle their legs, then bring both knees up toward the belly and hold for a few seconds. This helps move trapped gas through the intestines. Follow with a gentle clockwise tummy massage, which follows the natural direction of the digestive tract. Both are best done between feeds, not immediately after.

For breastfeeding parents: consider your own diet

In a minority of cases, proteins from the parent's diet can pass into breastmilk and irritate a sensitive baby. Dairy is the most common culprit, followed by soy, and sometimes caffeine or cruciferous vegetables. Before eliminating anything, talk with your provider or an IBCLC. Elimination diets are hard on a postpartum body, and they should be a targeted response to real evidence, not a first move.

Building a calming daily routine

Colicky babies do better with predictability. A nervous system that knows what is coming has less to brace against. You do not need a rigid schedule, just a recognizable rhythm.

Watch wake windows

Newborns can typically only handle 45 to 90 minutes of awake time before becoming overtired, and an overtired baby is exponentially harder to soothe. Watch for early tired cues: staring off, red eyebrows, jerky movements, fussing at stimulation. Acting on the first cue rather than the last one prevents a lot of crying.

Protect the late afternoon

If your baby has a predictable fussy window, usually late afternoon into evening, plan around it. Keep that stretch low-stimulation. Dim the lights, lower the noise, limit visitors, and get ahead of it with a feed, a bath, or babywearing before the crying starts rather than after.

A simple evening wind-down

A predictable sequence signals to your baby's nervous system that the day is closing. Something like:

1. Dim the lights in the main living space an hour before the last feed
2. Warm bath or a warm washcloth wipe-down
3. Gentle massage with a clockwise tummy focus
4. Feed in a quiet, low-light room
5. Upright hold for 20 to 30 minutes with white noise
6. Swaddle and settle

The specific steps matter far less than the consistency. Same order, roughly the same time, every night.

Take care of your own nervous system

This is not a soft add-on. It is clinical. Your baby co-regulates with you, meaning their nervous system takes cues from yours. When you are dysregulated, which is entirely understandable after hours of crying, it becomes physiologically harder for your baby to settle.

It is completely acceptable to put your baby down somewhere safe, like their crib, and step out of the room for five minutes to breathe. A safely placed baby crying alone briefly is far better than a parent at the end of their rope. Tag out with a partner when you can. Ask for help. This season is genuinely hard, and needing support is not a failure.

Natural remedies for babies with colic

Natural remedies can offer calming and comforting effects for babies experiencing colic. These options are gentle, non-invasive, and work to ease discomfort without relying on medications.

Magnesium cream

Magnesium is known for its relaxing properties and can help ease muscle tension. For babies, a gentle magnesium cream applied to the feet or tummy may help them feel more relaxed. Magnesium is naturally calming, and small, safe applications may help relax the baby's muscles, which might ease colicky symptoms. Speak with your healthcare provider before starting, as they can recommend safe products and guide proper application.

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Baby probiotics

The digestive system plays a major role in colic, and probiotics, particularly those containing Lactobacillus reuteri, have shown real promise in reducing symptoms.

A study published in the National Library of Medicine found that babies taking probiotics experienced significant reductions in fussiness and improved parental perception of colic. Specifically, the study reported a 66% decrease in fussiness and a 72% improvement in parents' perception of their baby's colic by the end of the study period. Probiotics support a healthy balance of gut bacteria, which may improve digestion and comfort for colicky babies.

L. reuteri DSM 17938 is the specific strain with the strongest evidence base for colic, and it is the strain used in most clinical trials on this topic.

Herbal remedies

Certain herbs, like chamomile and fennel, are known for their gentle, calming effects and can sometimes aid digestion. Chamomile is soothing and helps relax the nervous system, which may help a colicky baby feel more settled overall. Fennel is commonly used in baby colic formulas as it can help reduce gas and bloating.

It is crucial to ensure these are safe for your baby's age and used in appropriate dosages, as some herbs are not suitable for infants. Always check with your pediatrician before introducing any herbal preparation, especially in babies under three months.

Homeopathic remedies

Homeopathic options are another area some parents explore for colic relief. Remedies like Colocynthis, Carbo vegetabilis, Cuprum metallicum, and Chamomilla are commonly suggested for colic symptoms. Consult a qualified homeopathic professional to ensure safety and suitability for your baby, and choose products from reputable manufacturers with transparent ingredient lists.

Old home remedies for colic in babies: what actually holds up

Generations of parents have passed down colic remedies, and many families ask about them specifically. Here is an honest look at the traditional approaches, including which ones are worth trying and which have not aged well.

Gripe water

Gripe water is probably the most well-known old-time remedy for colic. Traditional formulas typically contain water, sodium bicarbonate, and herbs like fennel, ginger, chamomile, or dill.

Modern, alcohol-free formulations from reputable manufacturers are generally considered safe for babies over one month, and many parents report that they help. The evidence base is thin, but the risk is low with a well-made product. If you try it, read the label carefully: avoid any gripe water containing alcohol, sucrose or added sugar, or sodium bicarbonate in significant amounts, which can disrupt a baby's natural stomach acidity. Check with your pediatrician first, particularly for very young infants.

Does olive oil help with colic?

This one comes up constantly. The short answer: olive oil is fine as a massage medium, but never give it to your baby orally.

Traditionally, some cultures have used warmed olive oil for infant tummy massage. As a topical massage oil, it is generally safe and can make a gentle clockwise abdominal massage more comfortable. However, the benefit almost certainly comes from the massage itself, not the oil. Some newer research suggests olive oil may not be ideal for infant skin barrier function, so an oil formulated for babies may be a better choice.

Giving olive oil by mouth to relieve gas or constipation is not safe for infants. It carries a genuine risk of aspiration into the lungs, and it is not an appropriate treatment for babies. Skip this one entirely.

Warm compress

A warm (not hot) compress or a warmed cloth placed on your baby's tummy is a genuinely useful traditional remedy. The warmth relaxes abdominal muscles and can ease gas discomfort. Always test the temperature on your own inner wrist first, and never use anything hot enough to redden the skin.

Chamomile tea

Weak, cooled chamomile tea is a traditional colic remedy in many cultures. However, babies under six months should not be given water or tea, as it can dilute their electrolytes and displace the milk they need for nutrition. For breastfeeding mamas, drinking chamomile tea yourself is a reasonable way to get a trace of the calming benefit through your milk, and it will do you good too.

Motion, wearing, and the "colic dance"

Generations of parents have walked, swayed, bounced, and driven their babies around the block at midnight. This traditional wisdom is entirely sound. Rhythmic motion regulates an overstimulated nervous system, and it remains one of the most effective non-medical interventions available.

Home remedies to avoid: what is not safe for your baby

This section matters as much as everything above it. Some traditional and internet-sourced remedies are genuinely dangerous for infants. Please avoid all of the following.

• Honey. Never give honey to a baby under 12 months. It can cause infant botulism, a serious and potentially life-threatening illness. This applies to honey in any form, including in gripe water or as a pacifier dip.
• Any oil given orally, including olive oil, castor oil, or mineral oil. Aspiration risk is real and serious.
• Alcohol in any amount, including whiskey on the gums, brandy in a bottle, or alcohol-containing gripe water. There is no safe amount of alcohol for an infant, and older generations who did this did not have the information we have now.
• Water or juice for babies under six months. This can cause dangerous electrolyte imbalance and water intoxication.
• Star anise tea. Chinese star anise is sometimes contaminated with Japanese star anise, which is neurotoxic and has caused serious harm to infants.
• Solid foods before four to six months, including rice cereal in a bottle. It does not help colic and carries choking and digestive risks.
• Over-the-counter adult medications, including antacids or gas relief products not specifically formulated and dosed for infants.
• Herbal supplements without pediatric guidance. "Natural" does not mean "safe for infants." Dosing for a small body is genuinely different.
• Chiropractic or bodywork from an untrained provider. Gentle infant care requires specific pediatric training. Look for ICPA certification.

Hands-on therapies for colic relief

While remedies like creams and probiotics work from the outside or within, hands-on therapies address underlying physical tension in your baby's body. These approaches are non-invasive and focus on supporting the nervous system directly.

Chiropractic care for colic

Chiropractic care focuses on the connection between the brain and body, and many parents find that gentle adjustments meaningfully reduce their baby's colic symptoms.

One study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics compared chiropractic care with dimethicone (a digestive aid) in infants with colic. After a week, babies receiving chiropractic care had a significant reduction in crying time, by 2.4 hours, compared to a one-hour reduction in the dimethicone group.

Chiropractic care may help address misalignments in the upper spine, allowing better communication between the nervous system and the body, which can reduce overstimulation and calm colicky episodes. Tension in the upper neck, often related to birth positioning, can also affect how comfortably a baby feeds and swallows, which ties directly back to trapped gas.

Infant adjustments bear no resemblance to adult chiropractic. The pressure used is comparable to what you would use to test a ripe tomato: gentle fingertip contact, no twisting, no thrusting, no popping sounds. Most babies stay calm, and many fall asleep.

When seeking chiropractic care for your infant, the most important thing is finding a qualified pediatric chiropractor with appropriate training and experience. Look for ICPA certification specifically. It is also worth finding a nervous-system-focused chiropractor who can perform non-invasive neurological scans to help pinpoint the root cause of your baby's colic rather than guessing at it.

Craniosacral therapy (CST)

Craniosacral therapy is a gentle technique that works with the baby's soft tissues, particularly around the head and spine. A CST practitioner uses light pressure, no more than the weight of a nickel, to help release tension or compression in the cranial area that may be causing discomfort.

This therapy is believed to help the baby's nervous system relax, potentially reducing symptoms associated with colic. It is particularly worth considering for babies whose colic seems connected to feeding difficulties, jaw tension, or a demanding birth involving forceps or vacuum assistance. While research on CST for colic specifically is still limited, many parents report meaningful results, and the approach is exceptionally gentle.

In our practice, we often combine gentle chiropractic adjustment with craniosacral work in the same visit, which tends to be more effective than either approach alone.

When to call your pediatrician: colic red flags

Colic, by definition, occurs in an otherwise healthy baby. Excessive crying can occasionally signal something that needs medical attention, and knowing the difference matters.

Contact your pediatrician promptly if your baby has any of the following:

• Fever of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher, particularly in a baby under three months. This always warrants same-day medical evaluation.
• Forceful or projectile vomiting, or vomit that is green, yellow, or contains blood
• Blood or mucus in the stool
• Poor weight gain or failure to gain weight as expected
• Persistent diarrhea or constipation
• Lethargy, difficulty waking, or unusual floppiness
• Refusing to feed or a significant drop in feeding
• Fewer wet diapers than usual, which can indicate dehydration
• A high-pitched, unusual, or shrieking cry that sounds different from typical crying
• Difficulty breathing, rapid breathing, or a bluish tint around the lips
• A bulging or sunken soft spot on the head
• Crying that starts suddenly after 4 months, when true colic typically resolves
• Arching, stiffening, or apparent pain that is escalating rather than improving

Also reach out if the crying has changed in character, if you have a gut feeling that something is wrong, or if you are struggling to cope. That last one is not a small thing. Prolonged infant crying is a known risk factor for parental depression and burnout, and your pediatrician can help you find support for yourself as well as your baby.

Preparing for the appointment

If you are seeing your provider about colic, bringing specifics helps enormously. Track for a few days beforehand:

• When crying episodes start and how long they last
• Feeding times, method, and amounts
• Wet and dirty diaper counts, plus stool color and consistency
• Sleep patterns
• What you have tried and what has or has not helped
• Any dietary changes on your end if breastfeeding

Frequently asked questions

You are doing better than you think

Colic is one of the most exhausting seasons of early parenthood, and it can feel isolating in a way that is hard to describe to anyone who has not lived it. Please hear this: colic does not last forever, it is not caused by anything you did, and with the right support most families find real ways to ease their baby's discomfort.

Start with the free things: the colic carry, swaddling, white noise, upright feeding, and more frequent burping. Layer in probiotics or magnesium cream if you would like. Consider gentle pediatric chiropractic or craniosacral therapy if the crying seems connected to physical tension or feeding struggles. And call your pediatrician if anything on that red flag list appears, or if you simply need someone to check.

Every baby is unique, so finding the right combination may take some time. Be patient with your baby, and equally patient with yourself.

At MotherBaby Wellness, Dr. Kelly combines the clinical depth of a chiropractor with the whole-family perspective of a certified professional midwife. If your baby is struggling with colic here in the Twin Cities, we would love to help you find some relief.

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Written by Dr. Kelly – perinatal and pediatric chiropractor, ICPA Webster Certified, and Certified Professional Midwife, serving families in the Twin Cities, MN.