Waaaaaaaaah! Is that a fussy baby? If your little one seems to be crying all day and night, he might have colic, a condition in which babies cry excessively. Although infants will eventually outgrow colic, most parents are willing to try anything to get their baby to stop crying. If this is your case, you might want to give probiotics a try as a recent study supports the promise of these “healthy bacteria” in the treatment of infantile colic.

The cause of colic is unknown, but many experts hypothesize that it is related to gastrointestinal discomfort. Probiotics have been shown in previous studies to support digestive health and ease gas and other gastrointestinal maladies. Therefore, the current study examined whether probiotics could also cure colic.

In the study, 50 breastfed babies were given either the probiotic lactobacillus reuteri or a placebo for 21 days. While all infants experienced a reduction in crying by the end of the study, those receiving the probiotics spent less time crying than those on the placebo. It’s not a cure-all, but none of the babies had an adverse reaction to the probiotics so it might be worth a try. However, always consult your child’s pediatrician before giving your child any supplements.

For more ideas on natural ways to cure colic, check out this article about recent research which suggests acupuncture may help.