The birth of a baby is a beautiful thing. Many people prepare their entire lives for having children. They read all the baby books possible and carefully monitor their pregnancy. They watch their blood pressure and do not eat raw fish. They avoid caffeine and always wear their seat belt in the proper manner.

The baby’s room is completely outfitted and stocked with every thing imaginable. Diapers, wipes, ointments, bottles and medicines are lined up on all the shelves just waiting for the baby to come home from the hospital. The big day arrives and the precious bundle of joy comes how with the tired but happily exhausted parents.

Everything seems to be going according to plan until one night the baby will not stop crying. The crying just goes on and on without cessation. Is it colic? Is it gas? Should the baby be rushed to the hospital? Being a new parent is tough without having a fussy infant that does not feel well. But if you add in colic you have a recipe for disaster.

In this article you will learn the basics of colic and hopefully get a little piece of mind should your child come down with a case of colic and you feel as if you are at your wits end.

Who can get colic?

Colic seems to confine itself to infants from birth to around three or four months. No one is sure why infants older than this no longer seem to be "colicky." Perhaps no one notices the new crying because there are often other symptoms such as a low grade fever that can occur with fussiness when a tooth is trying to emerge. If your baby is going to have colic, you can generally bet it is going to happen within the first couple of weeks to two or three months of age.

Are there any risk factors?

No one knows for sure what causes colic. If doctor’s could absolutely prove that it was the digestive system and the specific type of formula used on nursing babies, they would be able to warn bottle feeding mothers about the possible risk factors and help promote wider use of breast feeding. Or if a baby seems to be suffering from breast feeding, the doctor’s may advocate a switch to a soy based formula.

What is the cuddle method?

Ah, the cuddle method or otherwise known as the "cuddle cure" employ the five "S’s" of helping to soothe a fussy child that may have colic. Step one is to Swaddle the child. Step number two is Side or stomach and means you place the baby on his or her side or stomach to rest. Step three is Swinging the baby while you are doing step four which is the Shhhhh sound. The last step is to give the baby a pacifier to Suck on. That is the five "S’s" of helping soothe a fussy child. You can use it for a child with colic or one that is simply not feeling well.

Are there ways I can help my baby avoid colic?

Since doctors are not sure what exactly colic is and what causes colic, they cannot give any solid advice when it comes to avoiding colic. Some babies never have a case of colic and some cry almost non-stop for three months. If your baby is colicky you may have to try a variety of remedies and methods until either something works for you or the baby grows past that phase.

Does colic have something to do with acid reflux?

Some doctors do believe that colic is associated with acid reflux. But the problem is that no one can prove it nor can they disprove it. There is still far too little information available for anyone to be able to make a concrete judgment and publish the information as scientific fact. Until there is solid evidence either for or against this theory, individual doctors will have to decide how they treat their patients.