You just gave birth, you were sent home with no instructions, a lot of pain and discomfort from giving birth and now you have a newborn that won’t stop crying. Don’t fear mama, we’ve all been there. Things will get better. They always do. Becoming a parent for the first time can be the most joyful, most frightening, and most overwhelming feeling in the entire world. 

If your newborn seems to be crying a lot more than you anticipated, there’s a good chance you have a colicky baby. What the heck is colic you ask? It’s long stretches of intense crying from an otherwise healthy baby. If you’re finding yourself in a similar situation, here are some tried and true tips from us, two moms. Let’s explore the five S’s of overcoming a colicky baby:

Swaddling: 

Babies LOVE to be swaddled. Being properly swaddled reminds babies of what it felt like when they were in your warm and cozy womb. Remember, “arms tight, hips loose.” Having tight arms will prevent them from startle reflux and loose hips will help with healthy hip development. 

Shhhhh: 

For 10 months your baby heard constant white noise that sounded like shushing in your belly. Remind them of that by using a white noise machine during naps and bedtime and when they’re fussy, shush them in their ear. "Inside the uterus, noises are louder than a vacuum cleaner," says famed pediatrician, Dr. Karp. “Mimicking womb-like sounds help babies sleep longer.”

Swinging: 

Slow and steady swinging will help put your baby at ease. Again, it reminds them of being slowly swayed back and forth while they were in your belly and you were moving and out and about. Don’t worry, you can’t spoil your baby by swinging them to soothe them. 

Sucking: 

Pacifiers are proven to help soothe colicky babies. Their natural urge to suck on something can be instantly soothing. Some parents swear by the pacifier and some are anti–there is no wrong or right, do whatever is best for you and your baby. 

Soothing stomach: 

You can soothe a crying baby by holding them in the football position across your forearm so their little tummy feels like it’s being comforted. Some babies are gassier than others and a little light pressure on their belly, like when they’re resting on you or your arm, can help relieve some of the gas pressure.  

If you need some more tips on how to soothe a crying baby, we also did a helpful blog on how to soothe a newborn baby HERE. And don’t forget, you’re doing great! It just takes some time for babies to get used to life outside your warm and cozy belly.