Recruited for the study were 107 breastfeeding mothers whose babies - all aged six weeks or under - were suffering from colic (which means they cried or fussed for five hours or more every day).
Half the mothers were put on a low-allergen diet that excluded dairy products, soy, wheat, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts and fish. The remaining mothers’ daily diets included one portion of wheat and peanuts, one chocolate-covered cereal bar, and a drink containing soya and milk.
The mothers on the low-allergen diet reported a marked improvement in their babies’ behaviour, with their babies sleeping for an additional hour and a half each day (Pediatrics, 2005; 116: 709-15).