Medical treatments
As colic eventually improves on its own, medical treatment isn't usually recommended. But if you're finding it hard to cope, speak to your GP or pharmacist for advice about possible treatments.
There are some over-the-counter treatments available you may want to try. These are described below.
There isn't much good evidence for the effectiveness of these treatments, although some parents find them helpful. It may be worthwhile trying them one at a time for about a week or so each to see if they help.
Simeticone drops
Simeticone drops, such as Infacol, are a supplement that can be added to your baby's bottle or breast milk before a feed. The drops are designed to help release bubbles of trapped air in your baby's digestive system.
A one-week trial of simeticone drops is usually recommended. If your baby's symptoms do not improve within this time, it's usually felt there's little point carrying on with the treatment.
Simeticone drops are safe for babies to have and there have been no reports of side effects from the treatment.
Lactase drops
Lactase is an enzyme that helps break down a sugar called lactose, which is found in breast and formula milk. Your baby may have a temporary problem digesting lactose, which could contribute to their colicky symptoms.
Lactase drops, such as Colief, can be added to your baby's feed to make digesting the lactose easier. As with simeticone, using lactase drops for more than a week if symptoms don't improve isn't usually recommended.
Removing cows' milk
It's possible your baby may have developed a short-term intolerance to proteins found in cows' milk and other dairy products.
If you're breastfeeding, you can try removing dairy products from your diet for a week or two to see if your baby's symptoms improve.
Speak to your GP for advice if you decide to continue with a dairy-free diet after this point, as they may recommend taking additional calcium supplements to ensure you maintain good bone health.
If you're bottle feeding, see your GP for advice about switching to a hypoallergenic milk formula. This type of milk has low levels of the protein that may be causing the intolerance. Again, you can try using it for a week or two to see if your baby's symptoms improve.