Colic and Milk

Colic causes agony for babies and their parents alike. A baby who constantly screams and cries after eating may have an intolerance to milk or dairy products.

Colic

• Pediatricians use the word "colic" to describe frequent, sustained abdominal distress in a baby. Standard colic symptoms include intense crying or wailing, bloating, and constipation or diarrhea, according to AskDrSears.com.

Breast-Feeding

• Mothers who consume gas-producing foods such as dairy products, cruciferous vegetables, spices or certain grains may transfer hard-to-digest substances to their babies through their own breast milk.

Cow's Milk

• Babies can suffer from lactose intolerance just as adults can. Cow's milk contains a protein that can upset a baby's stomach, either through direct consumption or through the breast milk of a mother who consumes cow's milk.

Milk Formulas

• A milk formula will not spare a baby from colic if it contains lactose from cow's milk. A lactose-sensitive baby should receive lactose-free or hypoallergenic formula.

Strategy

• Parents of colicky babies should examine their own diets and their baby's diet for potentially irritating foods, eliminating one suspect food at a time in an "elimination diet" until they know precisely which food/s to avoid.