When your baby won’t stop crying, start with the basics: check for hunger, a wet diaper, and temperature comfort. If those needs are met and the crying continues, you’re not doing anything wrong. Babies cry for an average of two to three hours a day in the first few months, peaking around six to eight weeks of age, and some cry much more than that with no identifiable cause. Here’s how to work through it systematically and know when something more serious might be going on.
Rule Out the Most Common Causes First
Before trying elaborate soothing techniques, do a quick checklist. Hunger is the most frequent reason babies cry, but crying is actually a late hunger signal. Earlier signs include putting hands to their mouth, turning their head toward your breast or a bottle, puckering or licking their lips, and clenching their fists. If you see any of these, try feeding first.
Next, check the diaper and your baby’s clothing. Run a finger along waistbands and sock edges to make sure nothing is pinching. Check the room temperature: a comfortable range for babies is 61 to 68°F (16 to 20°C), which is cooler than many parents expect. Overdressing or overheating is a common and easily missed trigger. Feel the back of your baby’s neck or tummy. If the skin is hot or sweaty, remove a layer.
One overlooked cause worth checking: hair tourniquets. A loose strand of hair or thread can wrap tightly around a toe, finger, or even a baby’s genitals, cutting off circulation and causing real pain. If your baby is crying inconsolably and you’ve ruled out everything else, undress them completely and inspect every toe and finger carefully.
The 5 S’s Technique
If the basics are covered and your baby is still upset, the most widely recommended calming method uses five steps designed to recreate the sensory environment of the womb. These work best when combined rather than tried one at a time.
- Swaddle. Wrap your baby snugly in a blanket. The gentle pressure mimics the tight space of the womb and helps reduce the startle reflex that can keep babies agitated.
- Side or stomach hold. Hold your baby on their left side or stomach against your body. This position can ease digestive discomfort. (Always place babies on their backs when putting them down to sleep.)
- Shush. Make a loud, steady “shhhh” sound near your baby’s ear. This imitates the constant whooshing noise of blood flowing through the placenta, which your baby heard for nine months. Silence can actually make fussiness worse because it’s unfamiliar. White noise machines work here too, but keep the volume below 50 decibels (about the level of a quiet conversation) and place the machine at least two feet from the crib.
- Swing. Gently sway or rock your baby in a slow, rhythmic motion. Small, controlled movements work better than big ones.
- Suck. Offer a pacifier or let your baby nurse. Sucking is naturally calming, and a baby can’t cry and suck at the same time.
The key is layering these together. A swaddled baby, held on their side, with shushing and gentle rocking, given a pacifier, is getting a full sensory reset. Try it for several minutes before deciding it isn’t working.
Understanding the PURPLE Crying Period
If your baby is between two weeks and five months old, you may be in the thick of what’s known as the Period of PURPLE Crying. This is a normal developmental phase, not a sign that something is wrong. Crying typically increases week over week, peaks during the second month of life, and tapers off by the end of the fifth month.
During this phase, crying can seem to come out of nowhere, resist all soothing, cluster in the late afternoon and evening, and last for hours. Your baby may look like they’re in pain (scrunched face, clenched fists, drawn-up legs) but be completely healthy. This pattern is so common and so predictable across cultures that researchers consider it a feature of normal infant development rather than a problem to solve.
When Crying Could Mean Colic
The traditional definition of colic uses the “rule of three”: crying more than three hours per day, more than three days per week, for longer than three weeks. If your baby fits this pattern, you’re dealing with colic, which affects roughly one in five infants. Colic is not a disease. It’s a label for extreme crying that has no identifiable medical cause, and it resolves on its own, almost always by four to five months.
That said, some babies labeled as colicky actually have an underlying issue worth investigating. Cow’s milk protein allergy is one of the more common culprits. In breastfed babies, the proteins pass through breast milk; in formula-fed babies, standard formulas contain them. Symptoms go beyond fussiness and can include hives, repeated vomiting, diarrhea, mucus or blood in the stool, and congestion. If your baby has any of these alongside the excessive crying, it’s worth discussing with your pediatrician. Switching to a hypoallergenic formula or eliminating dairy from a breastfeeding parent’s diet often brings noticeable improvement within one to two weeks.
Red Flags That Need Immediate Attention
Most crying, even hours of it, is not dangerous. But certain signs alongside crying point to a medical emergency:
- Fever in a young baby. Any rectal or forehead temperature of 100.4°F (38°C) or higher in a baby under three months old needs same-day medical evaluation. At any age, a fever above 104°F (40°C) warrants a call to your doctor.
- Green vomit. Bright green vomiting (bile) can signal a bowel obstruction and is a surgical emergency.
- Breathing difficulty. Fast breathing, grunting, bluish lips, or skin pulling in between the ribs with each breath all require immediate help. Call 911 if your baby is struggling to breathe.
- Lethargy. A baby who stares into space, won’t smile or respond to you, is too weak to cry, or is unusually hard to wake is showing a serious warning sign.
- Dehydration. No wet diaper in eight hours, no tears when crying, a dry mouth, or a sunken soft spot on the head all suggest dehydration.
- Bulging soft spot. A tense, bulging fontanelle can indicate pressure on the brain.
- Purple or red spots on the skin. Spots that don’t fade when you press on them, especially with a fever, may indicate a serious bloodstream infection.
A newborn under one month old who looks “off” in any way, whether it’s poor feeding, unusual sleepiness, a cough, or just a color that doesn’t seem right, should be evaluated. At that age, symptoms can be subtle and progress quickly.
When You’ve Tried Everything
Sometimes you will do all the right things and your baby will keep crying. This is not a reflection of your parenting. It is one of the hardest experiences of early parenthood, and it is temporary.
If you feel your frustration building to a point where you’re losing control, put your baby down in a safe place like their crib (on their back, with nothing else in it) and walk to another room for 10 to 15 minutes. Take deep breaths, listen to music, or step outside briefly. Your baby will not be harmed by crying alone in a safe space for a few minutes, and this break can be genuinely protective. Never shake, hit, or jerk a baby, no matter how overwhelmed you feel. Shaking an infant can cause severe brain injury or death. Make sure every caregiver in your home knows this.
If you’re consistently struggling, ask for help. A partner, family member, friend, or even a postpartum support line can give you the break you need. The crying phase does end, and getting through it safely is what matters most.