If you’ve ever been told, “Don’t worry, your baby will grow out of it,” while holding a screaming, inconsolable newborn — this is for you. 💛

You’re not doing anything wrong, and your baby isn’t just “fussy.” Colic isn’t something babies grow out of — it’s something they often grow into. The same stress patterns that cause endless crying and sleepless nights in infancy can later show up as focus issues, sensory challenges, anxiety, or emotional dysregulation.

At New Hope Chiropractic, we help parents understand what colic is really telling us about a baby’s nervous system — and what you can do to help your little one heal and thrive.

The Deeper Story Behind Colic

Most parents are told colic is caused by gas, digestion issues, or food sensitivities. While these things can play a role, they’re often just surface-level symptoms of something deeper — a stressed and overwhelmed nervous system.

Your baby’s nervous system controls every function in their body — sleep, digestion, growth, and emotional regulation. When stress from pregnancy, labor, or delivery overwhelms that system, it can get stuck in high alert. This “stuck” pattern keeps the body tense and reactive, making it difficult for your baby to settle, sleep, or digest properly.

Why “Growing Out of It” Isn’t the Whole Picture

Every week, families come to our office with older children who are struggling with anxiety, ADHD, or sensory sensitivities — and when we trace their story back, nearly all of them started as colicky babies.

The symptoms may change, but the underlying stress pattern often stays the same:

0–6 months: Colic, reflux, sleepless nights
6–18 months: Recurrent ear infections
18–36 months: Speech delays or feeding struggles
3–5 years: Sensory processing issues or meltdowns
5–10 years: ADHD, anxiety, or focus challenges

What looks like “growing out of colic” may actually be your child’s nervous system adapting — not healing.

The Hidden Connection: Birth & Early Stress

Nearly every colicky baby we see has experienced some form of birth intervention — whether that’s a C-section, induction, vacuum, or forceps delivery. These interventions, while often necessary, can place significant strain on the upper neck and vagus nerve — the major nerve responsible for calming and regulating the body.

Even before birth, maternal stress, anxiety, or physical strain during pregnancy can prime your baby’s nervous system for overwhelm.

This helps explain the telltale signs you see: back arching, stiff neck, clenched fists, and inconsolable crying. Your baby’s body is communicating — not with words, but with movement — that their nervous system is stuck in distress.

Why the Nervous System Holds the Key

The vagus nerve connects the brain to the gut, controlling digestion, heart rate, and relaxation. When it’s under stress, digestion slows down, reflux worsens, and your baby can’t find calm — no matter what remedies you try.

That’s why neurologically-focused chiropractic care is so different. It looks beyond symptoms to identify and relieve the underlying tension and stress within the nervous system itself.

When that tension is released and the nervous system starts to regulate again, you’ll often see:
💤 Better sleep
🍼 Improved digestion
😊 More calm, content moods
💩 Easier bowel movements
❤️ A happier, more connected baby (and family!)

You Are Not Failing — You’re Just Missing the Missing Piece

If you’ve tried every remedy, every feeding change, and every soothing technique and still feel stuck — it’s not your fault. You’re doing everything right. You just haven’t been given the full picture.

Your instincts are right — there is something deeper going on, and it can be addressed. The earlier we help a baby’s nervous system reset, the faster they can heal and thrive.

What You Can Do Next

🌿 Trust your intuition. You know your baby better than anyone.
🧠 Look for root-cause care. Seek out practitioners who understand the nervous system’s role in development.
💛 Reflect on your pregnancy and birth story. These details often hold powerful clues.
🤝 Start early. The brain and nervous system are incredibly adaptable in infancy — healing happens fastest when addressed young.

There Is Hope for Colicky Babies

Your baby isn’t “broken” — they’re simply stuck in a stress pattern that can be unwound. At New Hope Chiropractic, we specialize in helping families calm, balance, and restore their child’s nervous system so they can grow, thrive, and reach their full potential.

If you’re ready to find answers — not just wait it out — we’d love to connect with you.
✨ Schedule your first visit or learn more
If you’re not local, you can find a trusted provider through the PX Docs directory.

Because your baby doesn’t just need time — they need help getting unstuck. 💛

Do Infants Really Grow Out of Colic? What Every Parent Needs to Know