Does Colic Tea Work? Is Herbal Tea Safe for a Colicky Baby?
Colic tea has limited evidence behind it. A single small trial found a herbal tea helped some colicky infants, but larger reviews call the research on herbal remedies weak. Many parents still use a warm herbal bottle as a calming evening ritual, and the key rule is to ask your baby's pediatrician before giving any herbal tea to a young infant.
- Colic means crying for 3 or more hours a day, 3 or more days a week, for 3 or more weeks.
- Colic usually peaks around 6 weeks and often eases by 3 to 4 months.
- One small 1993 trial reported improvement in 57 percent of infants on an herbal tea versus 26 percent on placebo.
- The American Academy of Pediatrics advises breast milk or formula alone for about the first 6 months.
- Fever, vomiting, blood in the stool or poor weight gain always need a doctor.
Does colic tea work?
The evidence is limited. One small 1993 trial of a chamomile, fennel, lemon balm, vervain and licorice tea reported improvement in 57 percent of colicky infants versus 26 percent on placebo. It was a single small study, and later reviews describe the evidence for herbal colic remedies as weak.
That does not mean parents are imagining the comfort. A warm, familiar bottle at the same time each evening can be a soothing ritual for a tired baby and a tired parent. Think of herbal tea as a gentle comfort option, not a proven fix, and keep the basics below in place first. If you are still working out whether it is colic at all, read how long colic lasts and when it gets better and how to tell colic from a milk allergy.
Is herbal tea safe for a colicky baby?
Ask your pediatrician first, especially under 6 months. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises breast milk or formula alone for about the first 6 months, so any herbal tea for a young infant should be cleared with your baby's doctor. Never give tea to a newborn on your own, and never use strong adult brews.
If your pediatrician says yes, keep it simple: a caffeine-free single-purpose baby blend, brewed weak, cooled fully, and given only in a bottle in small amounts. Tea should never replace a feed. Our guides on what age babies can drink tea and chamomile tea for newborns go deeper on timing.
What is in a baby colic tea, and how is it given?
Baby colic teas usually combine gentle, caffeine-free herbs traditionally valued for digestive comfort, such as chamomile, fennel and cumin. Babies Magic Tea is a USDA Organic blend of those three in stringless baby bags, made for bottles only.
The label directions are: boil water, steep one stringless baby bag for 2 minutes, remove it, let it cool, then mix 50/50 with formula or breast milk in the bottle. Many parents rely on it as part of an evening wind-down. Another option some families ask about is Baby Catnip Tea; see our notes on catnip and fennel for infants. Run any product past your baby's doctor first.
What else helps a colicky baby besides tea?
Holding your baby upright, burping often, using a slower-flow nipple, swaddling, gentle motion and steady white noise are the usual first steps. None of them is a cure, but together they take the edge off crying spells for many families, and taking breaks yourself matters just as much.
If evenings are the hard part, see why babies get gassy at night. Our baby colic guide and the Secrets of Tea wellness guide collect more gentle ideas. If you are overwhelmed, it is okay to put your baby down safely in the crib and step away for a few minutes. Never shake a baby.
When should you see a professional?
Call your pediatrician for a fever (100.4 F or 38 C or higher in a baby under 3 months), repeated or forceful vomiting, blood in the stool, poor weight gain, refusing feeds, limpness, or crying that sounds different from usual. Also call if you feel you cannot cope. Colic is a diagnosis made after other causes are ruled out.
Always tell the pediatrician about any herbal tea or supplement your baby is given, and stop it if you notice rash, vomiting, or a change in stools.
Sources
American Academy of Pediatrics (HealthyChildren.org) on colic and infant feeding; Mayo Clinic on colic symptoms and soothing; Weizman Z et al., Efficacy of herbal tea preparation in infantile colic, Journal of Pediatrics, 1993 (PubMed).
This article is for general educational purposes and is not medical advice. Secrets of Tea products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. Consult your healthcare provider before starting any new supplement.
