Réhabital
Infant Colic: Gentle Support in Côte Saint-Luc
Colic is one of the most exhausting situations of the early months: an otherwise healthy baby who cries intensely, often in the evening, arches the back, pulls up the legs and is hard to settle. At Réhabital in Côte Saint-Luc, on the island of Montréal, our approach is honest: we first check for medical red flags, then work very gently on tension in the diaphragm, chest and neck, and support parents with concrete strategies for carrying, feeding and soothing.
Book an AppointmentUnderstanding This Condition
Colic describes an infant under five months crying intensely and inconsolably without an identified medical cause, often more than three hours a day, several days a week. The mechanism is not single: depending on the baby it involves an immature digestive system and microbiome, an overload of stimulation by the end of the day, a latch or bottle flow that causes swallowing a lot of air, cow's milk protein intolerance in a minority of babies, reflux with oesophagitis, or muscular tension in the diaphragm and neck making digestion and comfort harder. It is essential to distinguish true colic from situations requiring a physician: a baby not gaining weight, projectile vomiting, blood in the stool, fever, a hard distended abdomen, lethargy, or crying that suddenly sounds different from usual. The research on osteopathy for colic shows modest effects of variable quality, so we do not promise a cure — but many parents report a more relaxed baby and shorter crying periods.
Common Symptoms
Common Causes
Digestive and microbiome immaturity
A newborn's digestive system develops over months. Gut flora, motility and gas tolerance mature gradually, which explains why colic typically resolves on its own around three to five months.
Swallowing air during feeds
A shallow latch, fast milk flow, an unsuitable nipple or an overly reclined position leads to swallowing air, increasing gas and post-feed discomfort.
Diaphragm, rib and neck tension
A long or assisted delivery, constrained position in the womb or cervical tension can leave restriction in the diaphragm and chest. Since the diaphragm participates directly in digestive mechanics, that tension can sustain discomfort.
Reflux or cow's milk protein intolerance
A minority of babies have reflux with oesophagitis or cow's milk protein allergy, with crying, feed refusal, blood in the stool or eczema. This belongs to a physician and may require a supervised dietary change.
Overstimulation and end-of-day fatigue
After a day of stimulation, a baby's capacity to self-regulate is spent. That is why crying often clusters between 5 p.m. and 11 p.m. — a classic pattern that is reassuring once recognized.
Our Treatment Approach
With Shahram Ghasemi, MD (Iran), DOMP, the visit begins with careful triage: weight curve, vomiting, stools, fever, tone, behaviour. If a red flag is present we refer you to your physician immediately. Otherwise, osteopathic treatment uses very light pressure to improve mobility of the diaphragm, lower ribs, chest, cranial base and neck, plus jaw comfort, which influences sucking. No forceful manipulation is performed on an infant. We also spend time observing a feed, teaching anti-reflux carrying positions, soothing techniques and nap rhythm. Naturopathy with Elena Caliniuc, ANHQ, can support a breastfeeding mother's nutrition and digestive questions alongside medical care. Massage therapy also teaches parents a gentle abdominal massage for home use. All of this complements your pediatrician's follow-up rather than replacing it.
What to Expect at Your First Visit
The first visit takes about 45 minutes. Much of it is spent understanding the history: pregnancy, birth, feeding, sleep, stools, crying patterns. Your baby stays clothed or in a diaper and can be fed, changed or comforted at any time. Treatment is very gentle and some babies fall asleep. You leave with two or three concrete strategies — a carrying position, a soothing technique and a feeding adjustment — plus a clear marker of what should improve before the next visit.
At-Home Self-Care Tips
- Take frequent pauses during feeds to burp your baby.
- Hold your baby more upright during and for 20 minutes after feeds.
- Use a wrap carrier or skin-to-skin contact in the evening.
- Reduce stimulation — light, noise, visitors — in the evening.
- Give a gentle clockwise abdominal massage.
- Ask for help and take turns: parental exhaustion is part of the problem.
Prognosis & Recovery Timeline
Colic is self-limiting: it almost always improves spontaneously between three and five months, which is reassuring information in itself. With gentle manual work, feeding adjustments and soothing strategies, many parents see a more relaxed baby and shorter episodes within two to four sessions. We stay cautious in our promises: research shows modest effects, and part of any improvement reflects natural evolution. When reflux with oesophagitis or cow's milk protein allergy is involved, medical or dietary treatment remains decisive.
When to See Us at Réhabital
Come see us if your baby is healthy but visibly uncomfortable, tense and hard to settle, with gas and neck or chest tension. See your physician without delay for poor weight gain, projectile or greenish vomiting, blood in the stool, fever, persistent diarrhea, a hard distended abdomen, lethargy, prolonged feed refusal, or crying that suddenly changes in character.
Why Réhabital Clinic
We would rather be honest than merely reassuring: colic mostly resolves with time, and our role is to remove the mechanical tension that adds to the discomfort, adjust what can be adjusted in feeding, and support exhausted parents here in Côte Saint-Luc, on the island of Montréal.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Address
D4-5800 Cavendish Blvd
Côte Saint-Luc, QC H4W 2T5
Phone
(438) 842-3550Hours
Mon–Fri: 10AM–8PM
Sun: 10AM–4PM
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