The most effective ways to soothe a colicky baby combine gentle physical techniques, environmental changes, and, in some cases, dietary adjustments. Colic affects roughly 10% to 40% of infants worldwide, peaks around six weeks of age, and almost always resolves on its own by three to six months. That timeline feels like an eternity when your baby is screaming inconsolably, so here’s what actually works while you wait it out.
What Colic Looks Like
Colic isn’t a disease. It’s a pattern: intense, unexplained crying in an otherwise healthy baby, typically concentrated in the late afternoon or evening. The crying often starts and stops without an obvious trigger, and your baby may clench their fists, pull their knees to their chest, or turn red in the face. The first six weeks tend to be the worst, with most families seeing steady improvement by three months.
Because symptoms like back arching, excessive crying, and irritability can also show up with reflux or a cow’s milk protein allergy, it’s worth paying attention to whether your baby spits up frequently, refuses to feed, or seems to be in pain during or after meals. Those patterns point to something more specific than colic and may need a different approach.
Physical Soothing Techniques That Help
Hands-on comfort is the first line of defense, and it costs nothing. These techniques work by combining gentle pressure on the belly with rhythmic motion, which tends to calm a distressed infant’s nervous system.
- The colic carry (football hold): Lay your baby face-down along your forearm so their belly rests against your arm and their head is near your elbow. Support their head and let their legs straddle your hand. The gentle pressure on their abdomen, combined with your body warmth, can ease discomfort. You can walk slowly or sway while holding them this way.
- Swaddling: Wrapping your baby snugly in a blanket mimics the tight feeling of the womb. Many colicky babies calm more quickly when swaddled before you begin rocking or shushing.
- Rhythmic motion: Rocking in a chair, gently bouncing on a yoga ball, or going for a car ride all provide the kind of repetitive movement that helps babies settle. The motion doesn’t need to be dramatic, just steady.
- Skin-to-skin contact: Holding your baby against your bare chest regulates their temperature and breathing. Some parents find this works best in a quiet, dim room.
Combining several of these at once is often more effective than any single technique. Swaddling plus gentle rocking plus shushing, for example, layers multiple calming inputs together.
Using White Noise Safely
A steady “shhhh” sound or a white noise machine can be remarkably effective because it recreates the constant whooshing your baby heard in the womb. The key is doing it safely. When the American Academy of Pediatrics tested 14 white noise machines designed for infants, every single one exceeded the recommended noise limit of 50 decibels at close range.
To protect your baby’s hearing, place any white noise machine at least 7 feet from the crib and keep the volume well below the maximum setting. A low, consistent hum is all you need. You can also simply shush loudly near your baby’s ear during a crying episode, since the sound needs to be loud enough for them to hear it over their own crying but doesn’t need to run all night at high volume.
Dietary Changes for Breastfed Babies
If you’re breastfeeding, what you eat can make a measurable difference. In a randomized controlled trial published by the American Academy of Pediatrics, mothers who eliminated cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, wheat, soy, and fish from their diets saw a 21% reduction in their baby’s crying and fussing time. Even more striking, 74% of babies in the low-allergen group improved, compared to just 37% in the control group.
You don’t necessarily need to cut all seven foods at once. Many families start by removing dairy for one to two weeks, since cow’s milk protein is the most common culprit. If you see improvement, you can reintroduce other foods one at a time to figure out which ones matter. If dairy alone doesn’t help, a broader elimination diet for a couple of weeks is worth trying. Keep in mind that it can take several days for the proteins to clear both your system and your baby’s, so give any dietary change at least a full week before judging whether it worked.
Formula Adjustments
For formula-fed babies, switching to a partially hydrolyzed formula (where the milk proteins are broken into smaller pieces) may reduce colic symptoms. These formulas are easier for some babies to digest. If your pediatrician suspects a cow’s milk protein allergy, an extensively hydrolyzed formula, where the proteins are broken down even further, tends to be more effective.
Standard cow’s milk formula is perfectly fine for most babies, so a switch only makes sense if your baby’s symptoms are persistent and other soothing methods aren’t helping. Give any new formula about two weeks before deciding whether it’s making a difference.
Probiotics for Breastfed Infants
One specific probiotic strain, Lactobacillus reuteri DSM 17938, has solid evidence behind it for breastfed colicky babies. In pooled data from multiple double-blind trials, breastfed infants given this probiotic daily cried about 34 fewer minutes per day by one week, and nearly 46 fewer minutes per day by three weeks, compared to babies on a placebo.
The catch: this benefit has only been demonstrated in breastfed infants. Studies on formula-fed babies showed no clear improvement. If you’re breastfeeding and want to try a probiotic, look specifically for products containing this strain. Generic “infant probiotics” may contain different strains with no evidence for colic.
Remedies That Don’t Work
Two of the most commonly purchased over-the-counter remedies for colic have little or no evidence supporting them.
Gas drops containing simethicone are widely used, but multiple systematic reviews have found no benefit over placebo. A BMJ Open review of the combined evidence graded the data as unfavorable, with some studies even suggesting a worsening of symptoms. These drops are generally safe, but spending money on them is unlikely to change your baby’s crying.
Gripe water is another popular choice, but there is no scientific evidence confirming it is safe or effective. Because herbal remedies aren’t regulated the same way as food or medicine, there’s no guarantee of consistent quality or safety. Many brands have been recalled over the years for posing dangers to babies. Some formulations still contain sodium bicarbonate, which neutralizes stomach acid and can interfere with digestion in young infants.
Taking Care of Yourself
Colic is one of the most stressful experiences of early parenthood. Hours of inconsolable crying can leave you feeling helpless, frustrated, or even angry, and those feelings are completely normal. The single most important safety rule: if you feel overwhelmed, put your baby down in a safe place like their crib and step away for a few minutes. A crying baby in a crib is safe. Taking a short break to collect yourself is not neglect; it’s good judgment.
Tag-team with a partner, family member, or friend whenever possible. Even 20 minutes of relief can reset your ability to cope. Colic is temporary, but caregiver burnout during those weeks is real and worth taking seriously.