Colic is intense, prolonged crying in an otherwise healthy baby, and while there’s no single guaranteed fix, a combination of soothing techniques can significantly reduce crying episodes. The classic diagnostic threshold is crying more than three hours per day, more than three days per week, for longer than three weeks. But whether or not your baby meets that formal definition, the strategies below work for any baby who seems inconsolable.
The most important thing to know upfront: colic is most common during the first six weeks of life, typically peaks around that time, and resolves on its own by three months in most cases. Nearly all babies outgrow it by six months. That timeline doesn’t make the crying easier to endure right now, but it does mean this is temporary.
The 5 S’s: A Step-by-Step Calming System
The most widely recommended approach to soothing a colicky baby is a set of five techniques designed to recreate the sensory environment of the womb. These work best when used together, layered on top of each other, rather than tried one at a time.
- Swaddling. Wrap your baby snugly in a blanket with arms close to the body. This provides the warmth and containment they felt before birth. A well-swaddled baby has less of the startle reflex that can keep them agitated.
- Side or stomach position (while held). Hold your baby on their left side or stomach against your body. This can help with digestion and creates a womb-like sensation. Always place your baby on their back when putting them down to sleep.
- Shushing. Make a loud, sustained “shhhh” sound near your baby’s ear. This imitates the constant whooshing of blood flowing through the placenta, which your baby heard for months. It needs to be surprisingly loud to work, roughly matching the volume of the crying itself. Silence is actually less comforting than noise for a newborn.
- Swinging or swaying. Gentle, rhythmic motion in your arms or an infant swing mimics the movement your baby felt when you walked during pregnancy. Small, jiggly movements (supporting the head and neck) tend to work better than slow, wide rocking.
- Sucking. Offer a pacifier or a feeding. Babies find sucking deeply calming even when they aren’t hungry, and a baby physically cannot cry and suck at the same time.
Start with swaddling, then add each layer. A swaddled baby held on their side, being gently swayed while you shush loudly and offer a pacifier is getting all five inputs at once. That combination is far more effective than any single technique alone.
The Football Hold for Gas Pain
If your baby seems to be in abdominal discomfort (pulling legs up, arching their back, passing gas), try the football carry. Place one hand under your baby’s tummy and between their legs, then carry them face-down along your forearm, close to your chest. The gentle pressure on the abdomen can help move trapped gas and provides a different kind of comfort than being held upright or cradled on their back. You can walk and gently bounce while holding them this way.
Massage Techniques for Gas Relief
When your baby is calm enough to lie on their back (between crying episodes, not during a peak), two simple massage techniques can help move gas through the digestive system.
The first is called the “I Love You” stroke. Using gentle but firm pressure with two or three fingers, trace the letter I down the right side of your baby’s belly button. Then trace a sideways L, starting at the top left of the belly, moving across and down the right side. Finish with an upside-down U shape: start at the bottom left, trace up, across the top of the belly above the navel, and back down the right side. This follows the path of the large intestine and helps guide gas toward the exit.
The second technique is bicycle legs. With your baby on their back, gently push one knee toward the belly, then the other, in a slow pedaling motion. This compresses the abdomen rhythmically and can encourage both gas and bowel movements.
Feeding Adjustments That May Help
If you’re breastfeeding, certain foods in your diet can contribute to intestinal gas in your baby and make crying worse. The most common culprits include cow’s milk, caffeine, garlic, onions, broccoli, cabbage, beans, and certain fresh fruits like apricots, melons, peaches, and prunes. You don’t need to eliminate all of these at once. Try cutting out one category (dairy is the most common trigger) for a full week and see if the crying decreases. If it doesn’t change, add that food back and try another.
If you’re formula feeding, talk to your pediatrician about switching to a hydrolyzed formula. Some babies struggle to break down standard cow’s milk proteins, and a partially pre-digested formula can make a real difference. Also pay attention to how your baby is latching onto the bottle nipple. A poor seal means they swallow excess air with every feeding, which leads to more gas pain. Burp frequently during feeds, not just at the end.
White Noise and Environment
White noise is one of the simplest and most effective tools for a colicky baby. The constant sound mimics what your baby heard inside the womb, where the ambient noise level from blood flow and digestion was actually quite loud. You can use a white noise machine, a fan, a running shower, or even a phone app.
Keep the volume at or below 50 decibels, which is roughly the level of a quiet conversation or a running refrigerator. Place any white noise machine at least seven feet from your baby’s sleeping space. At that volume and distance, it’s safe for extended use and won’t risk damaging your baby’s hearing.
What Doesn’t Work as Well as You’d Hope
Probiotic supplements have gotten a lot of attention for colic, but the evidence is mixed. One well-designed clinical trial of the most studied strain found no significant reduction in crying time compared to a placebo. Notably, 66% of babies in the placebo group improved within three weeks, which tells you something important: most colicky babies get better on their own in a relatively short window regardless of intervention. Probiotics aren’t harmful, but they may not be the solution many parents hope for.
Gripe water, gas drops containing simethicone, and herbal remedies are similarly unproven. They’re generally safe when used as directed, but don’t expect dramatic results.
Protecting Yourself During the Worst Moments
Prolonged, inconsolable crying can push even the most patient parent to a breaking point. This is not a character flaw. It is a normal neurological response to a sound that is specifically designed to be impossible to ignore.
When you feel yourself reaching your limit, it is completely safe to put your baby down in their crib, on their back, on a firm surface with no loose blankets, pillows, or toys, and walk into another room for five to ten minutes. Your baby will not be harmed by crying alone in a safe space for a few minutes, but they can be harmed by an overwhelmed caregiver. Close the door, take deep breaths, splash water on your face, or step outside briefly. Then go back.
If you have a partner, family member, or friend who can take shifts, use them. Even 30 minutes of relief can reset your ability to cope. Colic is one of the leading risk factors for caregiver frustration, and building in breaks is not optional. It’s a safety measure.