Colic. A word that will strike fear into mums and mums-to-be everywhere, and one of the few things capable of blowing a hole in your new-baby bubble. But what exactly is it? Well, rather than a diagnosis, ‘colic’ is a type of behaviour, and refers to babies that cry a lot for no apparent reason. They’re not sick, hungry, wet or tired but are utterly inconsolable for more than three hours at a time, during episodes that occur three or more days a week, hence the term, ‘rule of threes’ [1]. Ultimately it’s something of a mystery and can be maddening, saddening and baffling all at the same time. To help relieve some of the stress associated with colic, here are five answers to common questions, starting with the biggy – does my baby have it?

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