Wind and colic are two of the most common concerns in the early weeks of parenthood — and two of the most frequently confused. Swallowed air during feeding is common and normal, and most babies benefit from help to release it. Colic is a broader and less well-understood phenomenon: prolonged crying in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby that can seem impossible to comfort and can be one of the most testing experiences of early parenthood.
Understanding the difference between ordinary wind and colic, which winding techniques are most effective, and what the realistic expectation is for resolution helps parents manage this difficult period with more confidence and more patience.
Healthbooq supports parents through the challenges of the newborn period with evidence-based guidance on common newborn behaviours including wind and colic.
Wind in Newborns
Newborns swallow air during feeds — both at the breast and bottle-feeding. At the breast, swallowed air is more common when the milk letdown is fast (the baby gulps to keep up with the flow) or when the latch is shallow. With bottle feeding, fast-flow teats and certain bottle designs increase air ingestion. This swallowed air collects in the stomach and intestines and, because the newborn's digestive system is immature and peristalsis is still developing, may cause discomfort — the baby draws up their legs, grimaces, and cries.
Most babies benefit from winding during and after feeds. The most effective positions are over the shoulder (upright with the baby's abdomen against the parent's shoulder), sitting upright on the parent's lap with the head supported (gently rocking the upper body forward), and lying face-down across the parent's lap. Rubbing the back in upward strokes is generally more effective than patting, which can sometimes worsen discomfort by compressing the abdomen.
Not all babies need extensive winding — some pass wind easily and are not troubled by it. Breastfed babies tend to swallow less air than bottle-fed babies and may need less winding. Following the individual baby's cues is more useful than a fixed post-feed winding routine of arbitrary duration.
Colic
Colic is defined by the "rule of three": crying for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, for more than three weeks, in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby. It affects approximately twenty percent of infants and typically peaks at around six weeks of age before gradually resolving, in the majority of cases, by three to four months.
The cause of colic is not fully understood. Explanations that have been proposed include intestinal wind, gut dysbiosis (imbalance of gut bacteria), immature gut motility, feeding difficulties, and neurological over-reactivity. No single explanation has been definitively established, and this is part of why management is so challenging — there is no reliable treatment because the underlying cause is uncertain.
Interventions with some evidence of benefit include: simethicone (infacol) for wind relief — evidence is modest; Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938 in breastfed colicky infants — reduces crying time modestly in randomised trials; changes to breastfeeding management (addressing overactive letdown, laid-back feeding positions); and switching formula for formula-fed babies to extensively hydrolysed formula (under GP guidance) if dairy allergy is suspected.
The most consistently useful approach is managing the impact on parents — taking turns, accepting support, getting periods of rest — because colic resolves on its own and the risk is parental burnout rather than lasting harm to the baby.
Key Takeaways
Wind in newborns is caused by air swallowed during feeds, which collects in the immature digestive system and causes discomfort. Effective winding techniques (over the shoulder, sitting up, back stroking rather than patting) help most babies bring up swallowed air. Colic — defined as prolonged crying in an otherwise healthy baby — affects around twenty percent of infants and peaks at around six weeks before resolving by three to four months. The cause of colic is not fully understood; wind may contribute but is not the sole explanation.
