Before you think of buying expensive books or medication to help your baby with colic relief, try the simple tips that follow. If colic pains persist in the baby, seek advice from a doctor.

Colic is a broad term that is used to describe unhappy babies. It is not a specific medical condition - the symptoms of colic may be due to trapped intestinal wind and gas, muscle spasms or neurological pain.

If your baby has more than 3 of the symptoms that follow (within a 60 minute period) it probably means your baby has so-called colic:

moaning, restless sleep, clenched fists, cramping, refluxing, grunting, pushing, fretfulness, crying spells, wailing, bloating, groaning, arching, evening, fussiness, greenish stools.

If your baby is under two years old you should avoid feeding with any kind of milk except human breast milk or infant formula milk. In particular, do not give the baby goat’s milk or cow’s milk. Also, do not give the baby soy milk, rice milk, or any other kind of non-dairy milk, unless it is specifically formulated as infant formula.

To be clear: all kinds of soy milk (as sold in supermarkets and retailers) are unsuitable for babies under two years old. When it comes to soy infant formula, there have been reports that infant soy formula may affect sexual development and fertility as adults if they are given soy formula during their first few months of life. Therefore do your utmost to only give your baby breast milk in the first few months of life.

Soy infant formula is not known to be more likely to cause colic compared to formulas that contain whey or casein. Once a baby is over six months old and breast milk can no longer be given, there is no reason to avoid soy formula. However, be aware that some infant formulas contain a mix of soy and whey protein.

To relieve your baby of colic learn how to use special baby-holding positions and stretching techniques designed to give the baby relief. Such information is widely available from maternity wards, baby clinics, and other sources such as the Citizens Advice Bureau, a public library, or by searching on internet.

The main objective of giving the baby stretching and holding exercises is to alleviate gas and reposition intestines. This also relieves pressure on the diaphragm and lumbar spine. Be gentle with the baby whatever you do, and hold the baby safely with plenty of pillow support.