If your baby cries for hours every day, arches their back, spits up constantly, or seems uncomfortable all the time, you have probably heard the same explanation over and over.

“It’s just colic.”

“Some babies cry more than others.”

“They’ll grow out of it.”

But when you are the parent holding a crying baby for hours, losing sleep night after night, those answers don’t feel very helpful.

Many parents walk in at Lako Family Chiropractic in Roswell GA exhausted. They have already tried everything they were told to try. Different formulas. Dairy free diets. Gas drops. Reflux medication. Probiotics. Gripe water. White noise. Swings. Rockers. Midnight car rides just hoping their baby will finally settle.

And despite doing everything they were told, their baby still cries constantly.

The hardest part for many parents is feeling like no one can explain why it is happening.

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Colic and Reflux Are Often Not Just Stomach Problems in Roswell GA

One of the biggest things parents are never told is that colic and reflux are often not simply digestive problems. In many babies they are nervous system regulation problems.

The vagus nerve plays a major role in digestion. It controls stomach emptying, intestinal movement, inflammation, and the body’s ability to calm and regulate. If this nerve is not functioning efficiently, digestion does not run smoothly. Gas builds up. Reflux increases. The baby becomes uncomfortable.

When discomfort increases, the nervous system shifts into a stress response. That stress response then disrupts digestion even more.

This creates a cycle that many parents recognize immediately.

The baby cries more because their stomach hurts. The crying increases tension in the body. That tension worsens digestion. And the cycle continues.

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The Symptoms Parents Notice Most

Over more than a decade of working with babies, we consistently see the same three categories of symptoms when parents bring their babies in for colic or reflux.

1. Fussiness and constant crying

Parents often describe babies who cry frequently, seem difficult to console, and rarely appear fully relaxed. Sleep is usually affected as well. Babies may fall asleep briefly but wake up fussy and uncomfortable, creating a constant cycle of short sleep and distress.

Nighttime is typically the hardest part for parents because sleep disruption compounds the stress for the entire family.

2. Feeding struggles

The second most common concern involves feeding. This may include reflux, frequent spit up, poor latch, clicking during feeds, or difficulty nursing comfortably.

When babies struggle with feeding, they often swallow excess air while crying or trying to latch, which can worsen gas and digestive discomfort.

3. Digestive issues

The third pattern involves digestion. Parents frequently describe babies who strain when trying to have a bowel movement, turn red while pushing, or produce very little stool despite obvious effort. Their stomach may feel firm instead of soft and relaxed.

These symptoms often appear together rather than individually.

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A Colic Case I Will Never Forget

One case that stands out involved a mother who walked into the office looking completely overwhelmed. She had dark circles under her eyes and looked physically exhausted from weeks of stress and sleep deprivation.

Her baby cried constantly. Any position change triggered crying. Feeding attempts were difficult. The baby was not sleeping well, not eating comfortably, and not going to the bathroom consistently.

Even gentle movement would trigger distress.

The baby was swallowing large amounts of air while crying and struggling with latch issues, which worsened the digestive discomfort.

Within a few adjustments, the baby began calming down and the symptoms started improving. The crying decreased, feeding improved, and the baby began sleeping more consistently.

This is why many parents come to our office after trying everything else.

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Why Some Babies Develop Colic and Reflux

One pattern we consistently see involves birth history.

Many babies struggling with colic or reflux experienced some form of birth stress. This can include long labor, very rapid labor, C section delivery, vacuum or forceps assistance, early induction, or complications during birth where medical teams had to intervene quickly.

These events can place stress on the baby’s developing nervous system and musculoskeletal system.

It is important to understand that this does not mean birth interventions are wrong. Many are necessary and lifesaving. However, when birth mechanics change, it is reasonable to evaluate how the nervous system adapted afterward.

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Signs We Look For During an Infant Exam

Parents often notice symptoms like crying or reflux, but there are other signs we evaluate during an infant exam that parents may not recognize.

These can include muscle tone imbalances, tension patterns in the body, jaw misalignment that affects latch, cranial asymmetry, or difficulty turning the head equally to both sides. We also evaluate primitive reflexes that should be present at birth and observe how the baby tracks visually.

These observations help us understand how the baby’s nervous system is regulating.

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Why Babies Arch Their Back When Crying

Many parents worry when their baby arches their back during crying episodes.

In many cases this happens because the baby is experiencing digestive discomfort and their body is instinctively trying to relieve pressure in the digestive system. Arching can also occur when the baby is tense or trying to change position to feel more comfortable.

While this behavior can look alarming, it is often a sign that the baby’s body is attempting to adapt to internal discomfort.

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Why Reflux Often Gets Worse at Night

Parents often report that reflux symptoms seem worse at night.

This is partly related to positioning. When babies lie flat, stomach contents can more easily move upward into the esophagus. This can create discomfort and wake babies from sleep.

Many babies also sleep better when being held upright because it reduces the effect of gravity on reflux and provides comfort through physical contact and regulation with the parent.

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What Parents Usually Tell Me First

In the first few minutes of a consultation, parents usually describe the same journey.

They talk about the crying, the lack of sleep, the feeding struggles, and the frustration of trying multiple remedies without lasting results.

Many parents also feel discouraged because they do not feel fully heard by healthcare providers who simply reassure them that the baby will grow out of it.

Parents are not just looking for reassurance. They are looking for answers.

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The First Changes Parents Often Notice

When babies begin regulating better, parents usually notice several improvements at the same time.

Crying often decreases. Feeding becomes easier. Sleep becomes deeper and more consistent. Bowel movements become more regular.

Parents often describe a general sense that their baby simply seems more comfortable.

These changes can happen quickly for some babies, while others may require more gradual progress depending on the level of tension and sensitivity present.

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The Biggest Myths About Colic and Reflux

One of the biggest myths about colic is that no one knows why it happens. While every baby is different, many babies struggling with colic share common patterns involving nervous system stress or birth history factors.

Another common myth is that babies experiencing reflux simply need medication. While medication may sometimes be appropriate, many babies benefit from addressing the underlying factors affecting digestion and regulation rather than only suppressing symptoms.

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Our Approach at Lako Family Chiropractic

At Lako Family Chiropractic in Roswell, Georgia, we focus on evaluating nervous system regulation in babies experiencing colic, reflux, feeding issues, or digestive discomfort.

Over the past decade, we have worked with families from Roswell, Alpharetta, Milton, Cumming, Sandy Springs, Woodstock, Canton, and the greater Atlanta area who are looking for answers when their baby is struggling.

Our goal is to help parents understand what is happening in their baby’s body and support healthy nervous system function so the baby can eat, sleep, digest, and grow the way their body was designed to.

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Learn More About Colic, Reflux, and the Nervous System

If your baby is stuck in the colic or reflux cycle and nothing you have tried has made lasting progress, you may want to learn more about how the nervous system influences digestion and regulation.

We regularly share educational videos explaining these topics in depth.

Click here to watch more on our YouTube channel!

You can also follow us on Instagram where we share tips and insights for parents navigating issues like colic, reflux, sleep struggles, and nervous system regulation in babies.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Colic and Baby Reflux

Is colic actually a digestive problem?

Many babies diagnosed with colic are experiencing nervous system stress that affects digestion. When the nervous system cannot regulate properly, digestion becomes inefficient, which can lead to gas, reflux, and discomfort.

Why does my baby arch their back when crying?

Babies often arch their back when they are uncomfortable. This can happen when digestive pressure builds up or when their body is trying to change position to relieve tension.

Why does my baby cry for hours every day?

Constant crying can happen when a baby is uncomfortable internally. Digestive discomfort, nervous system stress, and difficulty regulating can all contribute to prolonged crying.

Do babies grow out of reflux?

Some babies improve as their nervous system matures, but persistent reflux may indicate an underlying regulation challenge that should be evaluated. We find that babies don’t grow out of something, they tend to grow into something new as they mature and age.