Colic and Excessive Crying: A Newborn Troubleshooting Guide
A Practical, Reassuring Guide for Surviving the First Months and Helping Your Baby Settle — Informational, Not a Substitute for Your Pediatrician's Advice
by Alumigogo Books
non-fiction
A compassionate, practical handbook for surviving the colic phase with your sanity intact. Learn proven soothing techniques, decode your baby's cries, and know exactly when to call the doctor.
About this book
Those first weeks with a newborn can feel like a blur of feeding, changing, and endless crying. When your baby is the one screaming for hours on end, it's easy to feel helpless and doubt everything you're doing. Colic and Excessive Crying: A Newborn Troubleshooting Guide is your calm, practical companion through this overwhelming stage. Written in a warm, down-to-earth voice like a trusted friend who's a pediatric nurse, this guide cuts through the noise and gives you a simple, step-by-step framework for understanding your baby's cries, trying what actually works, and surviving until things get better.
Inside, you'll discover evidence-informed, specific strategies for soothing a colicky baby — from the perfect swaddle and white noise setups to feeding positions that reduce gas. You'll learn how to create a 'cry log' to spot patterns, communicate effectively with your pediatrician, and tell the difference between normal fussiness and signs that need a professional's attention. This book also tackles the unspoken stuff: the guilt, the sleep deprivation, and the strain on your relationship. You'll find scripts for telling your partner or family what you need, and strategies for stepping away for five minutes when you hit your breaking point — because taking care of yourself is taking care of your baby.
No more panicked, contradictory internet searches. This is the one guide that walks you through week by week, with checklists, real-world tips, and a whole chapter of frequently asked questions that answer the exact worries keeping you up at night. It's not about an instant cure — the honest truth is there often isn't one — but there is a path forward that feels manageable, hopeful, and a little less lonely.
Reader Reviews
Sharon Roberts
★★★★★This book honestly felt like a lifesaver in those first two months. I'd been Googling at 3am and getting nothing but conflicting answers. The chapter on decoding cries and the soothing toolkit was so concrete — I actually tried combining a few and it hit the spot. I appreciated the tone, it never made me feel like a failure. Only didn't give five stars because I wish it had a few more real photos, but the text is spot on.
Jason Perez
★★★★★My wife and I were at our wit's end with our second child. We thought we knew what we were doing, but this baby was a different story. The survival plan chapter saved us — especially the shift-taking scripts. I used them. It felt awkward at first but it worked. Also, the checklist for 'when to call the doctor' helped me know we weren't missing something. Good read for new dads too, not just moms.
Emily Williams
★★★★★I've read so many articles and bought a few other books, but this one actually felt like it understood what I was going through. The explanation of the fourth trimester really hit home — it made me stop blaming myself. The soothing techniques are organized and clear, not just a list. I started using the cry log and realized my baby had a distinct 'overstimulated' cry I'd been missing. I've already recommended it to my prenatal yoga group.
John Thomas
★★★★★This is the first book I picked up that didn't make me feel like I was doing something wrong. It literally saved me during the witching hours. The practical steps like the exact ways to swaddle and the shushing instructions made a real difference within days, not weeks. The section on what NOT to do was eye-opening — I had almost bought a couple of those 'natural' drops. If you're in the thick of it, do yourself a favor and get this.
Kenneth Jackson
★★★★★It's a decent book with some good tips, but I was hoping for more depth on the medical side. I still ended up calling my pediatrician for a few things I thought the book might cover, like reflux signs and when to try a different formula. The tone is nice and calming though, and the checklist for red flags is a good addition. I'd say it's a good starting point, but not the only resource you'll need.
Mark Williams
★★★★★Bought this for my daughter who was dealing with her first colicky baby, and I ended up reading it myself to refresh my memory. It's practical and doesn't sugarcoat the difficulty. The chapter on the parent's sanity was particularly important — we tend to forget ourselves. I liked that it gave specific things to say to a support person; we used them with our daughter and it helped her communicate what she needed. Great for anyone supporting a new parent too.
Barbara Green
★★★★★As a mom of twins, I was drowning — literally two colicky babies at once. This book became my anchor. The troubleshooting guide helped me realize that one of my boys was extremely sensitive to overstimulation, and the 'more minimal' approach from the toolkit actually calmed him down when nothing else did. The cry log was a game changer for my pediatrician visits too — she was impressed with the detail. I felt so seen and supported. If you're in the trenches, this book is for you.