Why is my baby crying nonstop at night and difficult to comfort?

"My baby cries every night around the same timing."
"She always knees drawn up to chest"
"He is really difficult to comfort, once start crying took me a while to calm down.."

You can’t prevent or avoid your baby from being colicky. If this is how you feel or you see, your baby might be suffering from colicky.

What is colic?

Colic is when an otherwise healthy baby cries or fusses frequently for no clear reason. It’s defined as crying for more than 3 hours a day at least 3 days per week for more than 3 weeks. Sometimes there’s nothing you can do to relieve your baby’s crying. Managing colic can add stress to already tired or stressed new parents.

Colic can start a few weeks after birth. It’s generally the worst between 4 and 6 weeks of age. Babies usually grow out of colic by the time they are 3 to 4 months old.

Symptoms of colic

It’s normal for babies to fuss and cry. Babies who have colic cry more than most babies, even though they’re otherwise healthy. Other features of colic can include:

• Crying for no obvious reason. As examples, they’re not hungry or don’t need a diaper change.
• Crying around the same time(s) each day. Colicky babies often get fussy toward the end of the day. However, the crying can happen at any time.
• Clenching their fists when crying or curling up their legs.
• Crying like they’re in pain.
• Turning bright red when crying.

When your baby cries, they can swallow air. This may give your baby gas. It can make their tummy look swollen or feel tight. They might show some relief in symptoms after passing gas or having a bowel movement (pooping).

How is colic treated?

Feeding your baby

If you’re breastfeeding your baby:

• Keep track of what you eat and drink. Everything you consume gets passed to your baby and can affect them.
• Avoid caffeine and chocolate, which act as stimulants.
• Avoid dairy products and nuts, in case your baby is allergic to them.
• Ask your doctor if any medicines you’re taking could be causing the problem.

If you’re feeding your baby formula:

• Try feeding your baby smaller meals but more often.
• Avoid feeding your baby too much or too quickly. One bottle feeding should last about 20 minutes. If your baby eats faster, try using a nipple with a smaller hole. This will slow down their feeding.
• Try warming the formula to body temperature.
• Try feeding your baby in an upright position.
• Use an anti-colic type of feeding bottle, avoid baby intake too much gas during the feeding.

Comforting your baby

Try these movements and stimuli to sooth your baby.

• Provide extra skin-to-skin contact.
• Swaddle your baby. This means wrapping them in a blanket.
• Hold your baby across your arm or lap while you massage their back.
• Give your baby a warm (not hot) bath or put a warm towel on their stomach.
• Massage your baby. Ask your doctor for guidelines.
• Provide white noise, such as a fan, vacuum cleaner, washing machine, hair dryer, or dishwasher.
• Give your baby a pacifier.

Nevertheless, do contact your baby’s doctor if:

• Your baby’s crying is mixed with a fever, vomiting, loose or bloody stools, or decreased movement.
• Your baby’s crying or behavior changes all of a sudden.