Infant colic is an awful source of stress for all parents. These episodes of intense crying, often occurring after feedings and in the evening at bedtime, leave parents feeling helpless and in deep distress while searching for solutions. How can I soothe my baby? How can I stop their pain so they can finally enjoy their bottles?

🤔 Can warming the bottle help ease infant colic?

According to some anecdotal experience, the answer would be a resounding yes. But what is really true? Does drinking warm milk really help with digestion? Let’s take a look at this idea together before reviewing the potential causes of colic in babies.

CONTENTS

• A definition: what is infant colic?
• Can warming the bottle help prevent colic in babies?
• How should you heat up baby’s milk?
• Other possible causes of colic
• In summary: baby, colic, and milk temperature

A definition: what is infant colic?

Infant colic is characterized by frequent, severe, and prolonged crying in an otherwise healthy baby. Typically, episodes happen in the late afternoon or evening and can last several hours. Although their exact cause is still unknown, they are often attributed to abdominal pain or digestive issues.

ℹ️ Among the most common theories, health professionals mention the possibility of an immature digestive tract.

Can warming the bottle help prevent colic in babies?

If you ask other parents around you, it’s likely several will say the same thing: babies digest their milk better when it’s warm. However, aside from their personal observations, nothing truly proves it.

Lack of medical and tangible evidence

Warming bottle milk is a common practice, and was long recommended by pediatricians. Although today it’s no longer the automatic rule, many babies still prefer their milk warmed to a temperature similar to body temperature, thus imitating breastfeeding. Nevertheless, as of now, no solid scientific evidence shows that warm milk can prevent the onset of infant colic.

 👉 Because this phenomenon is complex and often multifactorial, milk temperature is just one of many factors to consider.

Parents whose experience validates the theory

 

So, should you trust parents who report easier digestion and less gas when the milk is warmed up? Why not—they could be right. In that case, it may be worth looking at the best way to try giving your baby a warm bottle.

How should you heat up baby’s milk?

Water bath heating is perhaps the oldest technique for warming milk and the one used the longest by previous generations, but it’s far from convenient. Plus, beware of burns. As for using the microwave, which is more modern and definitely faster, it’s still highly discouraged—mainly to avoid risks of microplastics leaching and nutrient destruction in the milk.

🍼 Good to know: Why use a silicone bottle for your baby?

Contrary to these impractical or risky methods, a bottle warmer is a gentle and safe alternative for both you and your baby.

The TooGo bottle warmer: gentle and portable

Do you want to know if warm milk might soothe your baby’s tummy? To achieve gentle, even warming to 98.6°F (the ideal temperature), the bottle warmer is an essential accessory. At Élhée, we have developed, for all little gourmets and traveling babies, the portable bottle warmer called TooGo.

Because it warms milk (formula and breastmilk) and water in 5 minutes, fits easily into a diaper bag, and offers up to 12 hours of battery life, hurry and give it a try! You’ll also appreciate avoiding any risk of overheating thanks to precise, adjustable temperatures on a digital display.🫶

However, note that boiling the milk brings no benefit. In fact, overheated milk loses some of its vital nutrients and might still be too hot when your child is ready to eat.

At the root of colic: other possible causes

If warming the bottle brings comfort, it’s important to look for other factors that may cause colic in your baby. To help you, here’s a list of potential causes of infant colic.

Cow’s milk protein intolerance

Some colic is directly linked to a cow’s milk protein intolerance or allergy (commonly known as CMPA), which generally shows up as abdominal pain, vomiting, skin rashes, or abnormal stools. However, only a doctor or your pediatrician can make a proper diagnosis and guide you toward a more suitable diet for your child.

Improper feeding position

Reviewing your baby's feeding position can also help prevent or reduce colic. If they swallow too much air while feeding, this raises the risk of stomach pain. So, make sure your baby is properly positioned while bottle-feeding, with their head slightly elevated and body aligned to reduce swallowed air and improve digestion.

Genetic predispositions

Colic may also be more common due to genetic factors or hereditary predisposition. If you or your baby’s siblings experienced colic, it is likely that your baby might also develop it more easily.

In such cases, a better understanding of family history may help you anticipate, identify, and relieve symptoms more quickly (and put things into perspective).

An unsuitable bottle or nipple flow rate

A flow rate that is too fast (due to an overly large or damaged nipple) can cause too much milk and air to be swallowed, overloading the digestive system and leading to fast, painful bloating.

Conversely, a flow that’s too slow can lead to frustration and fatigue for your baby, who must suck harder to get their milk. This happens if the nipple’s flow isn’t appropriate, or, more rarely, if it becomes blocked. Additionally, this strong suction also increases the amount of swallowed air.

🚼 Also read: How to choose the right nipple for your baby's bottle?

At Élhée, we offer for all our bottles, physiological nipples made of medical-grade silicone, odor-free, available in four flow rates – L, M, S, and XS – that can be matched to your child’s age and appetite.

✨ Reader favorite: TOP 20 anti-colic solutions to help your baby

In summary: baby, colic, and milk temperature

So, warming milk may make digestion easier, but unfortunately, it isn’t a surefire or guaranteed solution against colic. On the other hand, some babies love it and only feel full and soothed with a tummy full of warm milk. The best thing you can do is to trust your instincts as parents and observe your baby in order to identify what works well for them.

And good news! Even if it takes a bit of patience, colic usually subsides on its own around 4 to 6 months, with the introduction of solid foods. 😉

🤍 Élhée tip: Have you considered changing bottles? Yours may simply not be right for your child. Our bottles, made of unbreakable medical silicone, 100% safe and thus free of micro-particle leaching, are anti-colic. This innovation is made possible thanks to their flexible design and the presence of a one-way valve on the nipple.

Want to treat yourself to an ultra-trendy anti-colic bottle?Discover our collections Graouu 🐆, Liberty 🌸 and Full of Love ❤️ !