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Is Temperament the True Cause of Colic? Probably Not.
Is a baby’s temperament the key factor that pushes him into
inconsolable crying? No. This reasonable theory fails because it doesn’t
explain three of the universal colic clues:
Colicky crying usually starts at two weeks, peaks at six
weeks, and ends by three to four months of age. Since
temperament is present at birth and lasts a lifetime, colic
caused by a challenging temperament should begin at birth
and persist—or even worsen—after the fourth month of life.

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It doesn’t.
Preemies are no more likely to have colic than full-term
babies. (And it starts about two weeks past their due date.)
One would expect an immature preemie with a sensitive
and/or intense personality to be more prone to colic than a
mature full-term baby. Similarly, one would expect his colic
to begin right away, not weeks to months later.
There are many cultures around the world where babies
never get colic. Temperament can’t be the cause of colic
because in many cultures colic is nonexistent among their
most intense and passionate infants.
Goodness of Fit—What happens when two cocker spaniels give
birth to a Doberman?
Since temperament is largely an inherited trait, a baby’s
personality almost always reflects his parents’. However, just as
brown-eyed parents may wind up with a blue-eyed child, mellow
parents may unexpectedly give birth to a T. rex baby who makes
them run for the hills!
Parents sometimes have difficulty handling a baby whose
temperament differs dramatically from their own. They may hold
their sensitive baby too roughly or their intense baby too gently.
These parents need to learn their baby’s unique temperament and
nurture him exactly the way that suits him the best.
So if one million U.S. babies aren’t crying because of gas, acid reflux,
maternal anxiety, brain immaturity, or inborn fussiness, what is the true
cause of colic? As you will see in the next chapter, the only theory that
fully explains the mystery of colic is … the missing fourth trimester.

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Main Points:
The First Three Trimesters: Your baby’s happy life in the
womb
The Great Eviction: Why babies are so immature at birth
Why your baby wants (and needs) a fourth trimester
A “Womb with a View”: A parent’s experience of the fourth
trimester
The Great American Myth: Young babies can be spoiled
The connection between the fourth trimester and other colic
theories
Ten reasons why the missing fourth trimester is the true
cause of colic