If your baby has colic, cutting out certain foods from your diet may provide relief for her. Colic is characterized by crying more than three hours at one time three or more days per week, according to the Mayo Clinic. Colic often lasts for a few weeks and you may find that nothing you do will stop the crying. If you feel like harming your baby when this happens, seek some help right away.
Milk Products
Foods made with milk are one of the top culprits when it comes to foods passed through breast milk that contribute to colic. This includes yogurt, cheese, butter and ice cream in addition to milk. ColicHelp.com recommends reading labels so that you can eliminate all dairy items to see if your baby's colic improves. Look for foods that contain whey, casein, lactoglobulin, lactalbumin and sodium caseinate, all of which are dairy ingredients. For some breastfeeding mothers, pancake and waffle mix, milk chocolate, many baked goods and processed meat will have to be avoided due to their dairy content. If avoiding all dairy foods doesn't cause an improvement in the colic, they probably aren't part of the problem and can be added back to your diet.
Wheat
If you notice that your baby's colic seems to increase when you consume wheat products, you can try eliminating them to see if an improvement occurs. Once you have done that, Baby Center recommends eating a serving of wheat and see how your baby reacts. If his colic symptoms increase you can assume that he is sensitive to wheat in your diet. If this is the case, avoid bread, cereal, pasta, crackers and tortillas. Many wheat-free alternatives to these foods are available that you can substitute into your diet until the colic has passed. Several of these products are labeled "gluten free" and can be found at supermarkets or health food stores. Check the ingredients list of all packaged foods and condiments you eat to ensure that there are no wheat or gluten ingredients.
Cruciferous Vegetables
Cruciferous vegetables often cause gas in babies when a mother eats them and then breastfeeds her baby, but for babies with colic, they can exacerbate the problem. According to ColicHelp.com, you will need to avoid broccoli, cabbage, kale, rutabaga, cauliflower, horseradish, turnips and radishes while the colic lasts. Eliminate these vegetables and replace them with ones that are easier on the stomach. As a general rule, if it makes you gassy, it is likely to make your colicky baby uncomfortable as well. All colicky babies are different and yours might be able to tolerate cruciferous vegetables so watch what foods seem to make his condition worse and cut them out.
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