Colic vs Reflux or Just Wind: How to Tell the Difference

Your baby has been fed, changed and cuddled.

Yet they are still crying, arching their back, pulling up their legs or becoming unsettled after every feed.

Naturally, you start searching:

Is it colic? Reflux? Trapped wind? Something I ate? The formula? Am I feeding them incorrectly?

The honest answer is that colic vs reflux is not always easy to distinguish from symptoms alone. Wind, reflux, feeding difficulties and normal newborn crying can all cause similar behaviour.

The pattern matters more than one individual sign.

This guide explains the typical differences between colic, reflux and trapped wind, what you can safely try at home, which symptoms may suggest something else and when your baby needs medical advice.

The quick answer: Trapped wind is often linked closely to feeds and may improve after burping or passing wind. Colic usually involves repeated, prolonged crying in an otherwise healthy baby, often later in the day. Reflux commonly causes milk to come back up during or after feeds, although silent reflux may happen without visible spit-up. Persistent distress, feeding refusal, poor weight gain, unusual vomit or a change in your baby’s normal cry needs professional assessment.

This article offers general UK guidance. It cannot diagnose your baby. Speak to your health visitor, GP or NHS 111 whenever you are concerned.

Colic vs Reflux vs Wind at a Glance

Sign	Trapped wind	Colic	Reflux
Common timing	During or shortly after feeding	Often afternoon or evening	During or after feeding
Crying pattern	Shorter bursts linked to discomfort	Prolonged, repeated and difficult to soothe	Often linked with feeding or lying down
Bringing up milk	May happen with a burp	Not a defining feature	Common, but may be absent with silent reflux
Body language	Squirming, drawing legs up, going rigid	Clenched fists, red face, knees up, arching	Arching, gulping, coughing, hiccupping
Feeding behaviour	May pause or become unsettled	Often feeds normally between episodes	May become unsettled, pull away or refuse
What may bring relief	Burping or passing wind	Comfort may help, but episodes can continue	Upright feeding, burping and feeding review
Usual age pattern	Common in young babies	Starts in early weeks and usually improves by 3–4 months	Often starts before 8 weeks and usually improves during the first year
Weight gain	Usually unaffected	Usually normal	May be affected when reflux is troublesome

This table describes common patterns, not diagnostic rules.

A baby can have wind and reflux.

A baby with colic can also bring up milk.

A baby with reflux can cry for reasons unrelated to reflux.

What Is Trapped Wind in Babies?

Babies can swallow air while:

• Breastfeeding
• Bottle feeding
• Crying
• Feeding quickly
• Struggling with positioning or attachment
• Drinking from a teat with an unsuitable flow

Air can become trapped in the stomach and create temporary discomfort.

Possible signs of trapped wind include:

• Squirming during or after a feed
• Pulling the knees towards the tummy
• Going stiff or arching briefly
• Clenching fists
• Becoming unsettled partway through a feed
• Crying in short bursts
• A firm or rumbling tummy
• Settling after burping or passing wind

However, these signs are not exclusive to wind.

Babies with colic or reflux may also draw their knees up, arch or appear windy.

The strongest clue is often timing: discomfort begins around feeding and improves after air is released.

How Long Does Trapped Wind Last?

Wind usually causes temporary discomfort rather than several continuous hours of unexplained crying.

Some babies burp quickly.

Others need a position change and a few calm minutes.

The NHS advises that you do not need to spend a very long time winding your baby. A couple of minutes may be enough before trying another position or continuing the feed.

Read the NHS guide to burping your baby for illustrated positions.

What Is Colic?

Colic is the term used when a young baby cries frequently and intensely without an obvious cause but otherwise appears healthy.

The NHS describes possible colic as crying for:

• More than three hours per day
• At least three days per week
• For at least one week

The baby is otherwise generally healthy.

Colic often begins when a baby is a few weeks old and usually improves by around three or four months.

Possible baby colic symptoms include:

• Long crying episodes
• Crying that is difficult to soothe
• Episodes occurring around a similar time each day
• Increased crying in the afternoon or evening
• A red face
• Clenched fists
• Knees drawn towards the tummy
• Arching the back
• A rumbling tummy
• Appearing very windy

The exact cause of colic is not fully understood.

It is not proof that you are feeding incorrectly, producing “bad milk” or failing to comfort your baby properly.

Read the NHS colic guidance for the official symptoms and support advice.

What Does Colic Crying Sound Like?

Colic crying can feel:

• Sudden
• Intense
• Repetitive
• Difficult to interrupt
• Much stronger than ordinary fussing

Your baby may resist soothing even when held.

However, a weak, unusually high-pitched or completely unfamiliar cry should not automatically be labelled as colic.

A cry that sounds significantly different from your baby’s normal cry requires medical advice.

Does Colic Happen Only at Night?

No, but episodes are often more noticeable later in the day.

Many babies naturally cry more in the late afternoon and evening during the first months.

This can make parents believe every evening crying episode is colic.

Before assuming colic, check:

• Hunger
• Nappy
• Temperature
• Tiredness
• Overstimulation
• Wind
• Feeding discomfort
• Illness
• Need for closeness

Read next on MyBoo: Why Is My Baby Crying? A Practical Guide to Decoding the Cues

What Is Reflux in Babies?

Reflux happens when milk travels back from the stomach into the food pipe and may come into the mouth.

It is common because the ring of muscle that helps keep stomach contents down is still developing.

Typical signs of reflux in babies include:

• Bringing up milk during or shortly after feeding
• Being sick after feeds
• Coughing or hiccupping during feeding
• Gulping or swallowing after feeding
• Becoming unsettled during feeds
• Crying after feeding
• Arching the back
• Pulling away from the breast or bottle
• Frequent small spit-ups
• Difficulty gaining weight in more troublesome cases

Reflux usually begins before eight weeks and commonly improves as the digestive system matures.

Many babies bring up milk but remain happy, feed well and gain weight.

These babies are sometimes informally called “happy spitters”. They may not need medical treatment.

Read the current NHS guidance on reflux in babies for symptoms and treatment information.

What Is Silent Reflux in Babies?

Silent reflux in babies describes reflux symptoms without obvious milk coming out of the mouth.

The milk may rise into the food pipe and then be swallowed again.

Possible signs include:

• Repeated swallowing after feeds
• Gulping
• Hiccupping
• Coughing
• Arching
• Becoming unsettled during feeding
• Crying after feeds
• Pulling away from feeds
• Difficulty settling

The difficulty is that these signs are not specific to silent reflux.

They may also happen with:

• Wind
• A fast milk flow
• A slow milk flow
• Feeding-position difficulties
• Overfeeding
• Normal crying
• Cow’s milk protein allergy
• Illness
• Tiredness

Persistent symptoms should be assessed rather than diagnosed from a social-media checklist.

Is Reflux the Same as Reflux Disease?

Not always.

Simple gastro-oesophageal reflux is common and often causes little distress.

Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease may be considered when reflux causes significant problems, such as:

• Persistent distress
• Feeding difficulty
• Feed refusal
• Poor weight gain
• Repeated troublesome vomiting
• Complications affecting the baby’s health

A GP or paediatric professional should make that assessment.

Colic vs Reflux: The Most Useful Differences

Because the signs overlap, focus on the overall pattern.

1. Look at When the Crying Happens

Wind or reflux often becomes noticeable:

• During feeding
• Immediately after feeding
• When the baby is moved after feeding
• When they are placed flat shortly after feeding

Colic often follows a less direct pattern and may happen at a similar time each afternoon or evening.

Timing alone cannot diagnose the problem, but it gives useful context.

2. Look at Feeding Behaviour

A baby with wind may:

• Pause during the feed
• Squirm
• Need a burp
• Settle and continue feeding afterwards

A baby with colic may feed normally outside crying episodes.

A baby with troublesome reflux may:

• Arch during feeds
• Pull away repeatedly
• Cough or gulp
• Cry while feeding
• Refuse feeds
• Feed briefly and then become distressed

When feeding itself appears painful or repeatedly breaks down, ask a health visitor or GP to assess it.

3. Look at What Happens After Burping

Trapped wind often improves after:

• A burp
• Passing wind
• A position change
• Being held upright

Colic may continue despite successful burping.

Reflux symptoms may improve somewhat with upright holding and burping but can return after the baby is moved or laid down.

4. Look at Milk Coming Back Up

Visible spit-up points more towards reflux, but it does not automatically mean the reflux is harmful.

Many healthy babies bring up small amounts of milk.

Colic does not require vomiting or regurgitation.

Wind may cause a small amount of milk to come up with a burp.

5. Look at Weight Gain and Nappies

A baby who:

• Feeds effectively
• Produces expected wet nappies
• Appears alert when awake
• Gains weight appropriately

is less likely to have a serious feeding problem, although they can still experience colic or uncomplicated reflux.

Poor weight gain, fewer wet nappies or difficulty keeping feeds down needs medical assessment.

Read next on MyBoo: Breastfeeding vs Formula: An Honest, Judgment-Free Guide

6. Look at What Happens Between Episodes

Babies with colic are generally healthy between crying episodes.

A baby who remains unusually sleepy, distressed, difficult to feed or different from normal between episodes may have something other than simple colic.

7. Look for Symptoms Outside the Digestive System

Skin, breathing or stool symptoms may point away from simple wind or colic.

Look for:

• Hives
• Facial swelling
• Worsening eczema
• Wheezing
• Persistent cough
• Blood or mucus in poo
• Ongoing diarrhoea or constipation
• Poor growth

These symptoms may need assessment for allergy or another condition.

Could It Be Cow’s Milk Protein Allergy?

Cow’s milk protein allergy can sometimes resemble reflux or colic.

Possible symptoms may affect more than one area of the body.

They can include:

• Vomiting or reflux-like symptoms
• Diarrhoea
• Constipation
• Blood or mucus in the stool
• Painful wind
• Feeding distress
• Poor weight gain
• Eczema
• Hives
• Facial swelling
• Coughing or wheezing

Do not remove dairy from your diet or change your baby’s formula based only on crying or reflux.

Unnecessary elimination can create nutritional problems and make feeding more complicated.

A healthcare professional may use a carefully supervised elimination and reintroduction process when delayed cow’s milk allergy is suspected.

Lactose intolerance is different from cow’s milk protein allergy and is uncommon in young babies.

The NHS provides further guidance on food allergies in babies and young children.

15 Safe Ways to Help an Unsettled Baby

These strategies may help with wind, colic or mild reflux, but no single technique works for every baby.

1. Review Feeding Position

During breastfeeding or bottle feeding:

• Keep your baby well supported
• Keep their head and neck aligned
• Avoid feeding while they are curled tightly
• Keep them reasonably upright
• Make sure their nose remains clear
• Allow pauses

A poor position can increase swallowed air and make feeding harder.

2. Check Breastfeeding Attachment

A shallow attachment may cause:

• Clicking
• Milk leaking from the mouth
• Frequent slipping off
• Nipple pain
• Swallowing more air
• Ineffective milk transfer

Ask your midwife, health visitor or breastfeeding specialist to observe a full feed rather than relying only on a description.

3. Use Responsive Bottle Feeding

Hold your baby close and semi-upright.

Keep the bottle almost horizontal so the milk does not flow too quickly.

Allow pauses and stop when your baby shows fullness cues.

Do not pressure them to finish a bottle.

A teat that flows too quickly may cause coughing, gulping and air swallowing. A teat that is too slow may cause frustration and tiring.

4. Burp During and After Feeds

Some babies need a burping break during the feed.

Others need winding only afterwards.

Try:

• Over your shoulder
• Sitting upright on your lap
• Lying face-down across your lap while fully supported

Support the head and neck and gently rub or pat the back.

Avoid forceful patting.

5. Keep Your Baby Upright After Feeding

Holding your baby upright for a while after a feed may help with reflux symptoms.

Keep their body supported and avoid slumping them forward.

Once it is time to sleep, always place them flat on their back in their own safe sleep space.

Do not leave them sleeping upright on your chest when you may fall asleep.

6. Avoid Immediate Bouncing After Feeds

Energetic bouncing, vigorous play or repeated position changes immediately after feeding may encourage milk to come back up.

Handle your baby calmly and support their head and body.

7. Review Feed Amounts Without Restricting Them Yourself

Bottle-fed babies may become uncomfortable when:

• The flow is too fast
• Feeds are repeatedly encouraged beyond fullness
• The bottle is offered every time they cry
• The formula is prepared incorrectly

Follow responsive feeding cues.

Do not reduce feeds, dilute formula, thicken feeds or alter the concentration without professional advice.

8. Use Calm Repetitive Movement

Some babies settle with:

• Gentle rocking
• Walking
• A pram walk
• Rhythmic patting
• A warm bath
• Low-level background noise
• Skin-to-skin contact

Keep movement gentle.

Never shake a baby.

9. Reduce Stimulation

During a prolonged crying episode, try:

• Dimming the lights
• Moving to a quieter room
• Holding your baby close
• Using fewer toys or voices
• Repeating one calming technique before changing to another

Rapidly switching between ten different soothing methods can sometimes create more stimulation.

10. Offer Feeding When Your Baby Shows Hunger Cues

Do not delay a feed because you are worried that feeding may worsen colic.

Continue feeding normally unless a health professional gives you an individual plan.

At the same time, do not assume every cry means hunger.

Check for tiredness, wind, temperature, discomfort and the need for closeness.

11. Keep a Short Symptom Record

A simple record over several days may help your health visitor or GP understand the pattern.

Write down:

• Feed times
• Breast or bottle
• Approximate bottle amount when relevant
• Spit-up or vomiting
• Crying times
• Stool changes
• Wet nappies
• Sleep
• Skin symptoms
• Anything that brings relief

Avoid tracking every minute indefinitely.

The purpose is to identify patterns, not create more anxiety.

12. Do Not Elevate the Cot

Babies with reflux should still sleep:

• Flat
• On their back
• On a firm, level mattress
• In a clear cot or Moses basket

Do not raise the head of the cot.

Do not use pillows, wedges, positioners, nests or rolled towels to keep your baby elevated.

These products can create additional sleep risks.

Read next on MyBoo: The Complete Newborn Sleep Guide: Wake Windows, Routines and What Actually Works

13. Be Cautious With Colic Products

Products marketed for colic include:

• Anti-colic drops
• Herbal remedies
• Gripe water
• Probiotics
• Special bottles
• Special formula

The NHS states that many colic remedies are not recommended because there is insufficient evidence that they work.

Do not keep changing formula or buying new products after every difficult evening.

Speak to a pharmacist, health visitor or GP before giving remedies or changing to a specialist formula.

14. Do Not Change a Breastfeeding Parent’s Diet Without Advice

Breastfeeding parents are often told to remove:

• Dairy
• Caffeine
• Spicy foods
• Onions
• Broccoli
• Gluten

because their baby is unsettled.

Routine dietary restriction is not recommended for uncomplicated colic.

When an allergy is genuinely suspected, seek professional guidance so the elimination is nutritionally safe and the diagnosis can be properly assessed.

15. Protect the Person Doing the Soothing

Prolonged crying can be mentally and physically exhausting.

When you feel overwhelmed:

1. Place your baby safely on their back in their cot or Moses basket.
2. Leave the room briefly.
3. Take several slow breaths.
4. Ask someone to take over when possible.
5. Return when you feel calmer.

A safely placed baby crying for a few minutes is safer than being held by an adult who feels close to losing control.

Never shake your baby.

Read next on MyBoo: The Parent’s Guide to Asking for Help Without Feeling Guilty

Also read: Postnatal Anxiety and Depression: What It Really Feels Like and What Helps

When Should You Contact a GP or NHS 111?

Ask for medical advice if your baby:

• Is not improving
• Regularly appears distressed during or after feeds
• Frequently refuses feeds
• Is not gaining weight as expected
• Is losing weight
• Has fewer wet nappies
• Has reflux that begins for the first time after six months
• Still has significant reflux after their first birthday
• Still has apparent colic symptoms after four months
• Has blood or mucus in their poo
• Has persistent diarrhoea or constipation
• Has eczema alongside digestive symptoms
• Seems unusually sleepy
• Has a swollen or tender tummy
• Keeps vomiting and cannot keep feeds down
• Has a fever
• Cries constantly and cannot be settled
• Has a cry that sounds different from normal
• Causes you concern for any other reason

You know your baby’s usual behaviour better than a checklist does.

Trust your instincts.

When Is Vomiting an Emergency?

Seek urgent medical help if your baby has:

• Green vomit
• Yellow-green vomit
• Blood in vomit
• Forceful projectile vomiting
• Blood in the stool
• A swollen or painful abdomen
• Signs of dehydration
• Serious breathing difficulty
• Extreme sleepiness or unresponsiveness
• Blue, grey or unusually pale lips, skin or tongue
• A seizure
• Severe facial or tongue swelling after feeding

Call 999 if your baby is struggling to breathe, becomes limp or unresponsive, has a seizure or develops blue, grey or very pale colouring.

Colic vs Reflux FAQs

How Can I Tell if My Baby Has Colic or Reflux?

With colic, crying is usually prolonged and repetitive in an otherwise healthy baby and often becomes worse later in the day.

Reflux is more closely associated with feeding and may involve milk coming back up, gulping, coughing, arching or feeding distress.

The symptoms overlap, so persistent problems should be assessed professionally.

How Can I Tell if It Is Trapped Wind?

Trapped wind may cause squirming, temporary crying, knees drawn upwards or discomfort during or after a feed.

Your baby may improve after burping or passing wind.

If the distress continues for long periods or repeatedly affects feeding, consider other causes.

Can a Baby Have Colic and Reflux Together?

Yes.

The terms describe different patterns, and a baby can experience reflux while also having prolonged unexplained crying.

What Is Silent Reflux?

Silent reflux describes stomach contents moving into the food pipe and being swallowed again rather than visibly coming out.

Possible signs include gulping, coughing, arching and feeding distress, but these signs can have other causes.

Does Arching Mean Reflux?

Not necessarily.

Babies may arch because of reflux, wind, frustration, tiredness, overstimulation or normal movement.

The timing and full pattern matter.

Does Pulling the Legs Up Mean Colic?

Not always.

Babies may draw their knees up with wind, colic, constipation or ordinary discomfort.

It is not enough to diagnose colic by itself.

Does Every Baby With Reflux Need Medicine?

No.

Reflux is common and often improves without medicine when the baby is healthy and gaining weight.

A GP may consider treatment when symptoms cause significant distress, feeding difficulty or poor growth.

Should I Change My Baby’s Formula for Colic?

Do not repeatedly change formula without professional advice.

Standard infant formulas must meet UK nutritional standards, and crying can have many causes.

Specialist formulas should be used following guidance from a health professional.

Should I Stop Breastfeeding if My Baby Has Reflux?

Usually not.

Continue feeding your baby unless your healthcare professional advises otherwise.

Support with positioning and attachment may help.

Can Overfeeding Cause Reflux?

Taking more milk than the stomach comfortably holds may increase spit-up in some babies.

Use responsive feeding and stop when your baby shows signs of fullness.

Do not restrict necessary feeds without advice.

Can Colic Drops Help?

Evidence for many colic drops, herbal products and probiotic supplements is limited.

Speak to a pharmacist, health visitor or GP before using them.

When Does Colic Usually Stop?

Colic usually improves by around three to four months.

Seek advice when significant symptoms continue beyond four months.

When Does Reflux Usually Improve?

Reflux commonly improves as the digestive system matures and often settles during the first year.

Speak to a GP when it is persistent, severe or affecting feeding and growth.

Is My Baby’s Crying My Fault?

No.

Colic, reflux and wind are not evidence that you are a bad parent.

Responding, seeking help and taking breaks when overwhelmed are appropriate ways to care for both your baby and yourself.

A Final Word From MyBoo

The hardest part of colic vs reflux is not always finding the perfect label.

It is watching your baby appear uncomfortable while every person and search result gives you a different explanation.

Start with the pattern.

Does it happen around feeds?

Does burping help?

Is milk coming back up?

Is feeding becoming difficult?

Is your baby gaining weight and producing wet nappies?

Are there skin, stool or breathing symptoms?

Then ask for support when the answer is unclear.

You do not need to diagnose your baby alone.

And you do not need to keep trying random remedies until something happens to work.

Your baby needs safe feeding, calm support and medical assessment when the signs do not fit ordinary wind, uncomplicated reflux or temporary newborn crying.

Still unsure what the pattern means? Ask Boo, MyBoo’s 24/7 parenting guide for general guidance, and contact your health visitor, GP or NHS 111 for diagnosis or individual medical advice.