Colic remedies: what works, what doesn't and what to avoid

Most colic remedies on pharmacy shelves have little or no good evidence that they reduce crying, and a few carry real risks. The NHS says anti-colic drops and herbal or probiotic supplements aren't recommended because there's no evidence they help. The main exception is one probiotic strain, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938, which has helped breastfed babies in trials but not formula-fed babies. Colic usually improves on its own by around 3 to 4 months, so the most useful steps are ruling out illness with your GP or child-health nurse, finding soothing that works for your baby, and getting support for yourself.

The NHS describes colic as a baby who cries more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week, for at least 1 week, but is otherwise healthy. For what's normal and how to cope with the crying itself, see colic and PURPLE crying.

Which colic remedies have evidence behind them?

Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne's parent fact sheet sums it up: many products claim to reduce colic, but there's often no evidence they help and some can be harmful. It says medicine isn't usually recommended for excessive crying because it may mask illness, interfere with feeding or make your baby too sleepy.

Before trying anything, the AAP advises checking with your baby's doctor that the crying isn't caused by a medical problem.

Is gripe water safe, and does it work?

Gripe water is a liquid sold to ease wind and colic. Ingredients vary by brand. Cleveland Clinic notes it historically contained sugar and alcohol, and that modern versions often contain fennel, ginger and sodium bicarbonate.

• Evidence: the Better Health Channel says there's no evidence it can improve colic, and that it should only be used after talking to a doctor.
• Safety: RCH Melbourne's clinical guideline lists herbal colic mixtures such as gripe water as "not effective, possibly harmful". Cleveland Clinic points out that gripe water isn't regulated like a medicine in the US, so there's no way to be sure of its quality, and describes recalls for contamination.

If you're considering it, check the label for alcohol, sugar and herbal ingredients and ask a pharmacist. Don't give any remedy in place of a feed.

Do colic drops like simethicone work?

Simethicone (spelt simeticone in the UK) is the active ingredient in many colic and wind drops. A 2016 Cochrane review by Biagioli and colleagues looked at 18 trials of pain-relieving agents involving 1,014 babies. It found no difference between simethicone and placebo in crying time or in how many babies improved, and concluded there was no evidence to support using it for colic.

RCH Melbourne's guideline calls simethicone "not effective, possibly harmful", and the NHS says anti-colic drops aren't recommended. The same Cochrane review found low-quality evidence for herbal agents and sugar water, and concluded these, along with prescription antispasmodic medicines, can't be recommended for babies with colic. RCH warns that one antispasmodic, dicyclomine, carries a risk of significant harm.

Do probiotics help colic?

This is where the evidence is strongest, but it depends on how your baby is fed.

Breastfed babies. A 2018 meta-analysis by Sung and colleagues pooled raw data from 4 double-blind trials of L. reuteri DSM 17938, covering 345 babies with colic. Overall, babies given the probiotic cried and fussed about 25 minutes a day less than those given placebo after 21 days, and were almost twice as likely to improve. The effect was large in breastfed babies.

Formula-fed babies. The same analysis found no significant effect, and said there wasn't enough data to draw conclusions. RCH Melbourne says studies suggest probiotics don't make any difference to excessive crying in formula-fed babies, and the Better Health Channel says formulas with added probiotics don't seem to make much difference.

A 2026 meta-analysis by Bianchi and colleagues of 11 trials with 555 colicky babies also found the strain improved response and reduced crying, with no safety concerns, but called for better trials.

Sources don't agree on what to do with this. RCH's guideline describes emerging evidence for exclusively breastfed babies under 3 months and names L. reuteri DSM 17938 as the only strain shown to work, while its parent sheet says it may help but won't take the crying away entirely. The NHS doesn't recommend probiotic supplements for colic. RCH says no other strain has been shown to work, so check the exact strain and ask your GP or pharmacist first.

Should I change formula, use lactase drops or change my diet?

Changing formula. A 2018 Cochrane review of dietary changes included 15 small trials with 1,121 babies aged 2 to 16 weeks. All were at high risk of bias, benefits of hydrolysed formulas were inconsistent, and the authors couldn't recommend any dietary change. The AAP suggests asking your doctor about a hydrolysed formula, but says food sensitivity causes less than 5% of colicky crying. RCH Melbourne says formula or diet changes rarely reduce distress unless a non-IgE food allergy (such as a cow's milk allergy) is suspected, and that bottle and teat changes are usually ineffective.

Lactase drops. The same Cochrane review found 3 trials of lactase enzyme with 138 babies, but none reported data that could be analysed. No side effects were reported.

Your diet, if you're breastfeeding. Sources differ here:

• the NHS says you don't need to change your diet
• the AAP says some parents may consider cutting out dairy, caffeine, onions, cabbage or other foods, after discussing it with their doctor, changing one thing at a time and allowing about 2 weeks to see a difference
• the Better Health Channel says diet changes are only of proven benefit for lactose intolerance or cow's milk allergy, and suggests cutting back on caffeine
• the Cochrane review found one small study where a low-allergen diet helped, but rated all the evidence very low quality

Talk to your GP, child-health nurse or a breastfeeding helpline (the Australian Breastfeeding Association on 1800 686 268 in Australia, the National Breastfeeding Helpline on 0300 100 0212 in the UK) before cutting out foods, so you still eat well yourself.

Are chiropractic, osteopathy, massage or herbal teas worth trying?

Chiropractic and cranial osteopathy

The NHS says not to try spinal manipulation or cranial osteopathy, because there's little evidence it works and it may hurt your baby. RCH Melbourne's guideline says spinal manipulation is "not effective, risk of significant harm".

A 2012 Cochrane review by Dobson and colleagues found 6 trials with 325 babies. Parents of treated babies reported less crying, but when the analysis was limited to trials where parents didn't know whether their baby had been treated, the difference was no longer significant. The authors said there wasn't enough data to draw conclusions about safety.

Baby massage

RCH Melbourne lists massage among settling ideas, and the AAP suggests trying massage strokes for colic. The Better Health Channel notes that baths and gentle massage relax some babies but often don't help once a baby is already crying. Try it when your baby is calm — see baby massage.

Herbal teas and mixtures

The 2016 Cochrane review found only low-quality evidence for herbal agents and concluded they can't be recommended, and RCH calls herbal colic mixtures possibly harmful. Don't give teas in place of milk feeds — see water for babies for advice on drinks in the first months.

What helps colic without buying anything?

The NHS, AAP and RCH all suggest simple soothing first:

• hold and cuddle your baby, or carry them close in a baby carrier
• hold your baby upright during feeds and wind them afterwards
• rock them gently, or take them for a walk in the pram
• try a warm bath or gentle background noise
• offer a dummy or the breast for comfort sucking
• keep feeding as usual

No single technique works every time. Many parents rotate through a few. The soothing a crying baby, burping and wind and white noise guides have more detail.

Look after yourself too. Both the AAP and RCH say never shake a baby, because shaking can cause brain damage, blindness or death. If you feel overwhelmed, put your baby on their back in their cot and step away for a few minutes. If you're worried you might hurt your baby, put them somewhere safe and call a crisis line (Lifeline on 13 11 14 in Australia, Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, 988 in the US) or your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US). a parenting support service (Tresillian or Karitane in Australia, your health visitor in the UK, your pediatrician's office in the US) can help you cope with the long days.

When is crying not colic?

Colic is only diagnosed in a baby who is otherwise well. Get help if any of these happen.

Call your local emergency number (000 in Australia, 999 in the UK, 911 in the US) now if your baby:

• has a weak, high-pitched or continuous cry, or a cry that doesn't sound like their normal cry
• has difficulty breathing, or blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
• is floppy, hard to wake or has a seizure
• has a temperature of 38°C (100.4°F) or higher and is under 3 months old
• has a rash that doesn't fade when pressed, or a bulging soft spot
• has green or yellow vomit, or red, black or brown vomit
• has had no wet nappy for 12 hours

These come from the NHS list of urgent signs. Sydney Children's Hospitals Network says green vomit is usually a sign of a twisted or blocked bowel, a medical emergency, and that babies can look healthy while the bowel is being damaged.

See a doctor today if your baby isn't feeding or is feeding much less, has fewer wet nappies, keeps vomiting, has a swollen tummy or blood in their poo, or if the crying started suddenly and is different from usual. RCH Melbourne lists sudden irritability and persistent crying as a red flag, and says to go to hospital if you can't settle your baby and think they're unwell.

See your GP or child-health nurse soon if colic symptoms continue after 4 months, your baby isn't gaining weight as expected, or you're finding it hard to cope, as the NHS suggests.

A simple diary of crying times, feeds, nappies and anything you've tried can help your GP or nurse see the pattern.