🌿 Colic or Reflux? How to Tell the Difference
- Sam Watts
- Nov 17
- 3 min read
When you’re holding a crying baby who won’t settle, it can feel impossible to know what’s really going on. Many parents are told their baby “just has colic,” while others are told “it’s reflux” — and often, it’s not clear what the difference is.
But understanding which one your baby is struggling with can make a huge difference to finding the right support.
Let’s gently break down the signs of colic and reflux, how they overlap, and how you can begin uncovering the true cause of your baby’s discomfort.
💛 1️⃣ What Is Colic?
Colic isn’t a diagnosis — it’s a description.
It simply means:
“A baby who cries for long periods, without an obvious reason.”
But crying itself is a symptom, not a cause.
Colic can be triggered by:
digestive discomfort
swallowed air
food sensitivities
oral tension
overstimulation
trapped wind or immature digestion
That’s why “just wait it out” rarely helps — and why parents often feel dismissed when they know something isn’t right.
🍼 If you’re unsure what your baby’s symptoms point to, my Colic Symptom Questionnaire can help you make sense of what you’re seeing.
🌿 2️⃣ What Is Reflux?
Reflux happens when milk travels back up from the stomach into the oesophagus.
Signs your baby may have reflux include:
frequent spitting up
arching their back during or after feeds
crying when lying flat
gulping, coughing, or hiccupping
seeming uncomfortable shortly after feeding
frequent swallowing movements, even when not feeding
Some babies have silent reflux, where they don’t spit up at all — but are still in discomfort.
Reflux can be linked to:
swallowing extra air during feeds
tongue tie or oral tension
fast letdown
food sensitivities
immature digestion
These are all things you can gently support once you understand them.
🌸 3️⃣ The Overlap: When It’s Hard to Tell the Difference
Many babies show signs of both colic and reflux because the two often share common root causes.
Examples:
A baby who swallows too much air may have reflux and colic-like crying.
A sensitivity to cow’s milk protein can cause both reflux symptoms and excessive crying.
Feeding tension from tongue tie can lead to wind, pain, gulping, and back-arching.
So the question isn’t “Is it colic or reflux?
”It’s often “What’s causing the discomfort in the first place?”
And once you understand that, things become much clearer.
🌙 4️⃣ Questions to Help You Tell the Difference
These simple questions can highlight patterns:
Does your baby cry mostly after feeding?
➡️ More common with reflux, especially if paired with back-arching.
Do they cry in long, predictable episodes at certain times of day?
➡️ More suggestive of colic.
Do they spit up, gulp, choke, or hiccup often?
➡️ Stronger signs of reflux (including silent reflux).
Do they pull up their legs, go red, or show signs of tummy pain?
➡️ Could be wind, gas, or sensitivities — overlapping both colic and reflux.
Does feeding feel difficult, tense, or noisy?
➡️ Consider oral issues like tongue tie or fast-flow feeding.
If you’re unsure, you’re not alone — most parents are confused at this stage.
💛 That’s exactly why I created the Calm Baby Plan — a gentle space where I help you understand what your baby’s symptoms really mean.
🕊️ 5️⃣ What You Can Do Next
The good news?
Whether it’s colic, reflux, or a mix of both, there is always a reason — and always a way forward.
Your next steps might include:
adjusting feeding technique
supporting digestion
checking for oral tension
exploring potential sensitivities
reducing overstimulation
supporting gut development
You don’t need to guess on your own.
✨ Final Thoughts
Colic and reflux often look similar, overlap, or feed into each other — but they’re not mysteries you have to suffer through.
When you understand the cause, you can begin making small, gentle changes that bring comfort to your baby and peace to your home.
💛 Ready to understand your baby more clearly? Start with my Colic Symptom Questionnaire, or book the Calm Baby Plan for personalised support.
Very helpful ☺️