Causes and prevention of colic

Some parents worry that a tendency toward colic in a baby might be an inherited trait. We checked up on our partner Dr. Sears, to see if he had an opinion on this matter. Here's what he said:

Dr. Sears: It was once thought that colic was entirely the result of a baby's temperament. While high-strung babies are indeed more prone to colic, new studies have shown that the two most common causes of colicky abdominal pain are gastroesophageal reflux (GER) and food or formula allergies. While neither condition has a high risk of inheritability, there is a slightly increased chance of a family tendency.

Dr. Sears goes on to recommend, for colic prevention:
*Breastfeeding or, if using formula, using a hypo-allergenic forumula
*Feeding twice as often, half as much; and, for the new mom,
*remaining calm.

Have you had an experience with a colicky baby? Any theories as to what caused it?

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