Colic in Breastfed Babies:
Common Triggers and How to Help

Let’s talk about how breastfeeding might affect colic. Sometimes, what a mom eats can impact her baby’s digestion. Certain foods may weaken the ileocecal valve—a muscle between the small and large intestines—allowing partially digested food to leak back where it shouldn’t, leading to gas and discomfort.
Foods that may cause issues include:
  • High-fiber or high-protein foods (harder to digest, creating more gas)
  • Spices, caffeine, soda, coffee, tea, and chocolate
  • Certain fruits and carbonated drinks
  • Vitamin supplements with iron
Every baby is different, so noticing how your diet affects your baby can help reduce colic symptoms.

Breastfeeding ​Mom’s Diet

Breastfeeding a Baby with Colic
Wondering if something you’re eating is making your baby’s colic worse? Use this simple approach along with The Colic Doc's Treatment to help your baby feel better faster.
   We recommend that breastfeeding moms follow this temporary diet until colic treatment is complete. It helps reduce your baby’s gas, bloating, and pain—and can shorten treatment time. We know it’s not the healthiest long-term diet, but most babies improve after 8–10 treatments.
Once your baby is doing well, we slowly add foods back—usually starting with hamburger. If your baby does fine for a couple of days, you can continue adding foods one at a time. Within a week, most moms can eat almost everything again without triggering symptoms.

Yes List

  • Chicken
  • Turkey
  • Cheese
  • Vanilla Yogurt
  • Milk
  • Vanilla Ice Cream
  • Carrots
  • Bread
  • Pasta
  • Butter
  • Green Beans
  • Corn
  • Macaroni and Cheese
  • Cottage Cheese
  • White Bread – Toast
  • Potatoes
  • Cheerios
  • Oatmeal
  • Fruit or Fruit Juice (no bananas)

No LISt

  • Tomatoes
  • Rice
  • Nuts
  • Broccoli
  • Cauliflower
  • Celery
  • Lettuce
  • Chocolate
  • Caffeine - Pop, Coffee, Tea           
  • Cinnamon
  • Garlic
  • Onions
  • Peppers
  • Eggs
  • Pork
  • Beef
  • Ketchup
  • Mustard
  • Italian Food
  • Spices
  • Pickles
  • Mexican Food
  • Beans
  •  Alcohol

Tips for Breastfeeding Mom’s to Reduce Colic Symptoms

Here are simple tips to help reduce gas, bloating, and discomfort in breastfed babies while you follow treatment.

1. Start with Simple Foods
Every baby is different, so begin with basic, gentle foods like:
  • Plain chicken
  • Plain turkey
  • Bread or pasta (plain)
Add one new food at a time and watch for any changes in your baby’s symptoms.

2. Read Food Labels Carefully  
Some foods that seem harmless may actually trigger colic. Common culprits include:
  • Honey Nut Cheerios (nuts can trigger colic symptoms)
  • Granola bars (often contain nuts, rice, or cinnamon)
  • Eggs and turkey bacon (smoke flavoring can cause issues)
  • Seasonings with garlic or onions
  • Sandwich toppings like mustard, pickles, or mayonnaise (contains eggs)
  • Coconut Water 
  • Peanut Butter (nuts can trigger colic symptoms)

3. Add Foods Back Slowly After Treatment
Most moms can return to their normal diet—except for chocolate and caffeine—within 2–3 weeks after treatment.
  • Reintroduce foods one at a time.
  • Watch for reactions in your baby before adding more foods back in.

4. Follow the YES and NO Lists
Here’s what we’ve learned:
  • If you eat a NO list food, your baby may react at the very next feeding.
  • It takes 12–24 hours for that food to leave your system.
  • High-fiber and high-protein foods often make colic worse.
  • Lettuce and celery are the biggest triggers for many babies.
Stick to the YES list until treatment is complete for the best results.

5. Be Patient—Relief Is Coming!
​We know this diet isn’t easy, but it truly helps your baby feel better faster. Most families see improvement within a few weeks, and soon you’ll be able to return to a normal diet without triggering symptoms.

Breastfeeding and Colic: ​Why It Can Be Challenging

​Breastfeeding is great for your baby’s brain, body, and emotional health. It also strengthens the bond between mom and baby. But colic can make breastfeeding more stressful for both of you.

Treating the Root Cause of Colic

​Diet changes can ease symptoms, but they don’t fix the problem. The Colic Doc uses a gentle, proven method to strengthen the ileocecal valve—a small muscle that, when weak, can cause gas, bloating, and pain. By treating the root cause, your baby can feel better, and breastfeeding can become easier and more enjoyable.

Common Breastfeeding Challenges with Colic

  • Baby wants to nurse all day: Nursing often comforts a baby in pain.
  • Baby keeps latching and unlatching: Discomfort makes babies latch on, then let go repeatedly.
  • Pain for mom: Frequent latching and unlatching can make breastfeeding painful for mothers.

Reading Body Language

Knowing why your baby is crying is important—sometimes it’s hunger, sometimes it’s pain. Watch your baby’s body language to see if they are ready to eat. If you only feed your baby when they show signs of hunger it will help reduce bloating and frequent spit-ups from overfeeding.  
Pain cues:
  • Kicking Legs and Flailing Arms  The baby will kick harder and flail its arms more as the pain increases.
  • Arching Back, Head to the Side The baby will become stiffer and stiffer as the pain increases.
  • Scratching Face and Ears, Pulling Hair The baby is trying to minimize pain by distracting the body. 
  • Wincing Facial Expression  Eyes will be closed tightly with a wincing facial expression and a red face. 
  • Hard, Distended, Bloated Abdomen Pressure builds up in the intestines causing a hard, distended, and bloated abdomen.  Umbilical hernias are usually cause to suspect that a baby has colic.
Hunger cues:
  • Movements mostly in upper body, arms, and head
  • Legs stay relatively still
  • Rooting or sucking motions
  • Cry is monotone and steady

Doc wants to Help Your Baby Feel Better​

Many approaches only manage colic symptoms, but lasting relief comes from addressing the root cause. If you’re local to Wichita, Doc offers in-person consultations to carefully evaluate your baby and see if treatment could help.
For families who can’t travel, starting October 15th, 2025, he’ll be sharing his gentle, proven method through an online course so parents can learn how to help their own babies at home.
If you have questions or need guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help you find answers and relief for your little one.