What is the 'rule of 3s' for colic?

It is a common way to describe colic: crying for 3 or more hours a day, 3 or more days a week, for 3 or more weeks, in a baby who is otherwise healthy, growing, and feeding well. It describes a crying pattern rather than a specific illness. Your pediatrician confirms colic by ruling out other causes, so it is worth a visit rather than a self-diagnosis.

For most babies it improves on its own. According to the AAP, fussing usually peaks at about 3 hours a day around 6 weeks of age, then drops to 1 or 2 hours a day by 3 to 4 months. It often starts in the second to fourth week and stops by 3 to 4 months, though occasionally it lasts until about 6 months. Crying that first appears after 4 to 6 months is less likely to be colic and worth a call to your doctor.

Do probiotics like L. reuteri actually help colic?

For some breastfed babies, there is real evidence. A 2018 individual-participant meta-analysis of 4 trials (345 infants) found that L. reuteri DSM 17938 reduced crying and fussing by about 25 minutes a day by day 21 and roughly doubled the odds of treatment success. The benefit was seen in breastfed babies; there was not enough data to draw conclusions for formula-fed babies. Probiotics are a supplement, so talk to your pediatrician before starting one, including which product and dose.

Does gripe water or simethicone (gas drops) work for colic?

There is little good evidence that either reduces colic crying. Gripe water products are not standardized and are not a proven treatment. Simethicone gas drops have generally performed no better than placebo in studies. Neither is reliable, so do not count on them, and check with your pediatrician before giving any product to a young infant.

Should I cut dairy from my diet to stop my baby's colic?

Only with your pediatrician's guidance. Cow's milk protein allergy causes a small share of colicky crying. The AAP notes that less than 5% of colicky crying comes from food sensitivity, so eliminating dairy on a hunch often changes your diet without changing the crying. If your baby also has eczema, blood or mucus in the stool, vomiting, or poor weight gain, tell your doctor. They can guide a supervised elimination trial or a formula change for formula-fed babies.

What if I can't take the crying anymore?

That feeling is common and does not make you a bad parent. Never shake your baby; per the AAP, shaking can cause brain damage, blindness, seizures, or death. When you reach your limit, place your baby on their back in a safe crib or playpen with no blankets or toys, leave the room, and take 10 to 15 minutes to reset. Call a partner, friend, or relative to take over, and tell your pediatrician how the crying is affecting you. A baby crying safely in a crib is safe.

Colic · 0–4 mo

Colic Remedies: What Actually Works

Creator: ParentFlow
Published: 2026-06-17

Your baby cries for hours, every day, and nothing seems wrong. You want a remedy that works, not a shelf of products that don't.

Colic is hours of crying in a healthy, well-fed baby, often in the late afternoon or evening, with no clear cause. It is not a sign you are doing something wrong. Most of it peaks around 6 weeks and fades by 3 to 4 months. This guide grades the common remedies by what the evidence actually shows, so you spend your energy where it helps. It also covers the part most lists skip: protecting yourself when the crying does not stop.

7 min read Colic Updated June 2026

Reviewed against current AAP and CDC guidance

What counts as colic

Clinicians often use a 'rule of 3s' to describe colic: crying for 3 or more hours a day, 3 or more days a week, for 3 or more weeks, in a baby who is otherwise healthy, growing, and feeding well. The key phrase is 'otherwise healthy.' Colic is a description of a pattern, not a disease with a single cause. According to HealthyChildren.org (AAP), fussing usually peaks at about 3 hours a day by 6 weeks of age, then declines to 1 or 2 hours a day by 3 to 4 months. It typically starts between the second and fourth weeks and stops by 3 to 4 months, though it can occasionally last until 6 months. Colic is a diagnosis your pediatrician makes after ruling other things out, not one you confirm at home.

Colic remedies, graded by evidence

Remedy	What the evidence shows	Grade
Soothing: the 5 S's, motion, white noise	Low-risk comfort measures recommended by the AAP. They calm many babies in the moment; they do not 'cure' colic, and that is fine.	Reasonable, try first
Probiotic: L. reuteri DSM 17938	A 2018 individual-participant meta-analysis of 4 trials (345 infants) found about 25 minutes less crying/fussing per day by day 21 and roughly double the treatment success, but the benefit held for breastfed babies, with insufficient data to draw conclusions for formula-fed babies. Ask your doctor.	Some evidence (breastfed); ask first
Gripe water	No reliable evidence it reduces colic crying. Formulas vary and are not standardized. Not recommended as a treatment.	Limited evidence
Simethicone gas drops	Studied for colic and generally performed no better than placebo. Considered low-harm but not effective.	Limited evidence
Maternal dairy elimination (if CMPA suspected)	Helpful only in the small share of cases driven by cow's milk protein allergy. The AAP notes less than 5% of colicky crying is caused by food sensitivity. Do this with your pediatrician, not as a guess.	Doctor first
Formula change (e.g., protein hydrolysate)	Reserved for formula-fed babies when a milk protein issue is suspected. Decide with your pediatrician.	Doctor first

Soothing that is worth trying first

Swaddle

Wrap your baby in a large, thin blanket so they feel secure.
Ask your nurse or pediatrician to show you the correct, hip-safe technique.
Stop swaddling for sleep once your baby shows signs of rolling over.

Snug, not tight. Their hips should still move.

Side or stomach hold

Hold your baby on their side or stomach across your arms for support.
Lay them tummy-down across your knees and gently rub their back.
This is a holding position only. Babies always sleep on their back, alone, on a firm flat surface.

For comfort while you hold them, not for sleep.

Shush or white noise

Turn on a steady sound: a fan, a white-noise device, a vacuum, or a recorded heartbeat.
Sounds that echo the womb settle many babies.
Keep the volume low and the speaker away from the crib.

Womb sounds are familiar. That is the point.

Swing or motion

Walk your baby in a carrier or rock them gently.
Slow, rhythmic motion mimics what they felt before birth.
Support the head and neck; keep movements gentle, never forceful.

Gentle and rhythmic does more than fast and hard.

Suck

Offer a pacifier, or help your baby find their thumb or finger.
Sucking is calming for many babies, separate from hunger.
If breastfeeding, your doctor may suggest waiting until feeding is well established before introducing a pacifier.

Sucking soothes even on an empty stomach.

Rule out feeding and CMPA before you blame colic

Feeding fit: a poor latch, fast or slow flow, overfeeding, or swallowing air can all drive crying.
Reflux symptoms: frequent painful spit-up, arching, or refusing to feed.
Cow's milk protein allergy (CMPA): crying paired with eczema, blood or mucus in the stool, vomiting, or poor weight gain. This is a doctor's call, not a home guess.
Diet changes belong with a clinician: the AAP notes less than 5% of colicky crying comes from food sensitivity, so eliminating dairy on your own often changes your diet without changing the crying.
Weight and growth: a baby who is gaining well and feeding normally fits the colic picture. A baby who is not, does not.

Protect the parent: colic is exhausting, and that is normal

Hours of inconsolable crying wears anyone down. Frustration does not make you a bad parent. What matters is what you do with it. A baby should never be shaken. Per the AAP, shaking an infant can cause brain damage, bleeding around the brain, blindness, seizures, or death. Crying that you cannot soothe is one of the situations that pushes caregivers to their limit. When you feel that limit approaching, it is okay to put your baby down and step away. Place them on their back in a safe spot with no blankets or stuffed animals, such as a crib or playpen, and leave the room for 10 to 15 minutes while you reset. Your baby crying alone in a safe crib is safe. A shaken baby is not. Call someone, hand the baby off if you can, and tell your pediatrician how the crying is affecting you. That is part of the medical picture too.

Call your doctor: it may not be 'just colic'

Fever, especially in a baby under 2 months old
Poor feeding, or much less interest in feeding than usual
Repeated or forceful vomiting (not ordinary spit-up)
Blood or mucus in the stool
Poor weight gain, weight loss, or not gaining as expected
Crying that suddenly sounds different, weaker, or unusually high-pitched
Floppiness, unusual sleepiness, or a baby who is hard to wake
Crying that starts for the first time after 4 to 6 months of age

When to call 911

Trouble breathing, or blue color around the lips or face
Limp, unresponsive, or will not wake
A seizure, or stiffening and jerking
Any head injury, fall, or shaking
You fear you may hurt your baby and have no one to step in

Quick answers

What is the 'rule of 3s' for colic?: It is a common way to describe colic: crying for 3 or more hours a day, 3 or more days a week, for 3 or more weeks, in a baby who is otherwise healthy, growing, and feeding well. It describes a crying pattern rather than a specific illness. Your pediatrician confirms colic by ruling out other causes, so it is worth a visit rather than a self-diagnosis.
When does colic end?: For most babies it improves on its own. According to the AAP, fussing usually peaks at about 3 hours a day around 6 weeks of age, then drops to 1 or 2 hours a day by 3 to 4 months. It often starts in the second to fourth week and stops by 3 to 4 months, though occasionally it lasts until about 6 months. Crying that first appears after 4 to 6 months is less likely to be colic and worth a call to your doctor.
Do probiotics like L. reuteri actually help colic?: For some breastfed babies, there is real evidence. A 2018 individual-participant meta-analysis of 4 trials (345 infants) found that L. reuteri DSM 17938 reduced crying and fussing by about 25 minutes a day by day 21 and roughly doubled the odds of treatment success. The benefit was seen in breastfed babies; there was not enough data to draw conclusions for formula-fed babies. Probiotics are a supplement, so talk to your pediatrician before starting one, including which product and dose.
Does gripe water or simethicone (gas drops) work for colic?: There is little good evidence that either reduces colic crying. Gripe water products are not standardized and are not a proven treatment. Simethicone gas drops have generally performed no better than placebo in studies. Neither is reliable, so do not count on them, and check with your pediatrician before giving any product to a young infant.
Should I cut dairy from my diet to stop my baby's colic?: Only with your pediatrician's guidance. Cow's milk protein allergy causes a small share of colicky crying. The AAP notes that less than 5% of colicky crying comes from food sensitivity, so eliminating dairy on a hunch often changes your diet without changing the crying. If your baby also has eczema, blood or mucus in the stool, vomiting, or poor weight gain, tell your doctor. They can guide a supervised elimination trial or a formula change for formula-fed babies.
What if I can't take the crying anymore?: That feeling is common and does not make you a bad parent. Never shake your baby; per the AAP, shaking can cause brain damage, blindness, seizures, or death. When you reach your limit, place your baby on their back in a safe crib or playpen with no blankets or toys, leave the room, and take 10 to 15 minutes to reset. Call a partner, friend, or relative to take over, and tell your pediatrician how the crying is affecting you. A baby crying safely in a crib is safe.

Sources & further reading

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This guide reflects current AAP and CDC guidance and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. ParentFlow is a wellness companion — not a substitute for your pediatrician. For any medical concern, contact your healthcare provider.