A pharmacy-trained guide to infant colic — what it is, what causes it, the evidence on gripe water and Infacol, and the interventions that actually have clinical backing.
At 3am, with a baby who has been screaming for four hours and shows no sign of stopping, you will buy anything. Gripe water. Infacol. Colief. The dentinox gel. The probiotic drops. The special anti-colic bottle. I understand that impulse completely. And I am going to tell you what the evidence actually says.
Colic is defined as crying for more than 3 hours per day, more than 3 days per week, for more than 3 weeks in an otherwise healthy baby. It typically starts at around 2–3 weeks, peaks at 6 weeks, and resolves by 3–4 months. Nobody knows exactly what causes it.
Gripe water is not recommended by the NHS. There is no high-quality clinical evidence that it reduces crying in colicky babies. Infacol (simethicone) has similarly limited evidence. It is licensed for infant colic, but the clinical trials are small and the effect size is modest at best.
The interventions with the best evidence are the simplest ones: responsive holding · motion (rocking, pram walks, car rides) · white noise at a volume similar to a shower · skin-to-skin contact.
If you are breastfeeding, a trial of dairy exclusion from your own diet for 2–4 weeks is worth doing if crying is severe — there is some evidence that dairy sensitivity in the mother can contribute to infant distress.
See your GP if: crying is associated with vomiting · blood or mucus in stools · baby is not gaining weight adequately · the crying pattern changes suddenly · you are struggling. Colic is one of the most common triggers for postnatal depression and parental overwhelm. You deserve support.
NHS Colic guidance · NICE CG37 · British Dietetic Association (BDA) · Reviewed April 2026.