Colic: crying more than 3 hours a day, at least 3 days a week, for at least a week in an otherwise healthy baby - the NHS definition - and the mercy is the end date: it should improve by around 3 or 4 months of age.
No cause is proven and no remedy works reliably; holding, motion, white noise, and a feeding-technique check help some. A one-time GP visit excludes other causes. The real protection is for the parents: colic is the peak shaking-risk window, so work in shifts, use earplugs off-duty, and put the baby safely down when coping frays.
What to do
Common questions
What is colic and when does it end?
Colic is the label for intense, frequent crying in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby - the NHS definition: crying more than 3 hours a day, at least 3 days a week, for at least a week, with no obvious cause found. It typically starts in the first few weeks, and the mercy built into it is the end date: the NHS says it should get better by around 3 or 4 months of age - colic has a finish line even when tonight does not feel like it. The honest treatment section: no cause is proven and no remedy is reliably effective - gripe water, drops, and special formulas all have weak-to-no evidence, though some babies seem helped; what does help some: holding through the storm, motion, white noise, checking feeding technique, and for suspected allergy patterns, a doctor-guided trial (never freelance formula roulette). A GP visit is worth it once to exclude other causes - reflux, allergy, infection. And the part that actually protects the baby: colic is the peak shaking-risk window, so the survival strategy is for the parents - shifts, earplugs off-duty, putting the baby safely down and stepping out of the room. In crisis: 988 in the US, or your local crisis line. Pymander, a free AI doctor available 24/7 by text, can help you triage crying tonight.