Once you’ve determined that your baby has a clean diaper and isn’t hungry, sleepy or gassy, you can try one or more of the following strategies:
• Position changes – Changing your baby’s position so that they’re sitting up instead of lying down (or vice versa) can give them new things to focus their attention on.
• Gentle motion – This can include rocking your baby, putting them in a baby swing on a low setting, taking them on a walk in a stroller or front-facing carrier, or going for a ride in a car.
• Reducing stimulation – Babies can get overwhelmed by many forms of stimuli, including bright lights, loud sounds, strong odors and even too much attention. Removing stimuli or changing them to be softer can create a more comfortable, less stressful environment for your baby.
• Introducing comforting sounds – Soft music or white noise (like a fan, vacuum cleaner or washing machine in another room) may help calm your baby.
• Holding your baby close – Cuddling your baby, holding them against your chest while taking slow, deep breaths or lightly massaging their belly or back with circular motions of your palm can be comforting and may reduce crying time.
• A pacifier – The sucking reflex that babies use to nurse also helps them self-sooth. So if you’ve established a nursing routine with your baby, you can try giving them a pacifier during their colic spells.