How to Soothe Colic: the 5S Technique Step by Step

TL;DR: colic is a healthy baby crying, for no apparent reason, for 3+ hours a day, 3+ days a week, for 3+ weeks. It generally starts at 2-3 weeks, peaks at 6 weeks and resolves on its own at 3-4 months. Until then, one of the most effective soothing methods is Dr Harvey Karp's 5S technique: swaddle, side/stomach hold, shush, swing and suck.

Evening comes and there's a baby who won't stop crying for hours, face reddening, legs pulled up to the tummy. Colic is one of the most draining experiences for new parents. The good news: colic isn't an illness, it does your baby no lasting harm, and it passes on its own with time. This guide explains step by step what colic is, when it ends and how to calm a colicky baby — with particular attention to the 5S technique from the world-renowned paediatrician Harvey Karp.

What Is Colic? What Does the "Rule of Threes" Mean?

Colic is classically defined in medicine by the "rule of threes": a healthy, well-fed baby crying without an apparent cause for

• more than 3 hours a day,
• more than 3 days a week,
• for longer than 3 weeks.

The most important detail here is the phrase "healthy baby": colic is diagnosed when there's no other medical problem to explain the crying. Colicky babies feed normally between crying episodes, gain weight normally and continue developing healthily.

Colic crying feels different from ordinary crying. It usually starts at the same time of day (most often late afternoon and evening), comes on suddenly, is intense, and doesn't ease with the usual approaches like feeding or a nappy change. Your baby may clench their fists, pull their legs to their tummy, redden in the face and have a tense-looking abdomen — which is why it's often called "wind pain" colloquially.

When Does Colic Start and When Does It End?

Colic follows a fairly predictable calendar:

• Start: generally appears in the second or third week after birth.
• Peak: crying reaches its most intense point at around 6 weeks.
• End: in most babies it reduces markedly around month 3 and generally resolves on its own at 3-4 months.

So the most honest answer to "when does colic end?" is: for most families this period lasts a few months and closes without treatment. That knowledge doesn't solve the problem but it changes the perspective — colic isn't a mistake you need to fix but a temporary phase in your baby's early development. If you're curious which developmental stages your baby passes through month by month, have a look at our baby development by month guide.

Why Does Colic Happen?

Let's be honest: the exact cause of colic is unknown. Despite decades of research no single explanation has been found. The possible contributing factors researchers focus on are:

• An immature digestive system: a newborn's intestines and gut flora are still developing, and that process may cause discomfort.
• Wind and swallowed air: air swallowed during intense crying can increase abdominal tension — it isn't clear whether wind is the cause of colic or its consequence.
• Overstimulation and a maturing nervous system: the light, sound and movement accumulated through the day can be too much for a nervous system that hasn't yet learned to self-soothe. Evening crying is thought to be a kind of discharge.

The most important thing to know: colic is not your fault. It has nothing to do with your parenting skills, your milk or the care you give your baby.

What Is Dr Karp's 5S Technique?

The American paediatrician Dr Harvey Karp described a method he called the 5S in his book "The Happiest Baby on the Block". The core idea is that the first 3 months are a kind of "fourth trimester" — your baby misses the wrapped, noisy, rocking environment of the womb. The 5S technique mimics that environment to trigger your baby's calming reflex.

Technique	How to apply it	Watch out
Swaddle	Wrap in a thin muslin with arms straight and hips free	Legs must be able to move for hip development; don't overheat
Side/Stomach	Hold on the side or face down in your arms	Only while soothing in your arms — sleep is always on the back
Shush	A "shhh" or white noise close to the ear, slightly louder than the crying	Keep any sound device away from your baby and at a reasonable level
Swing	Small, fast, rhythmic movements with the head supported	Never shake; the movement must be small and controlled
Suck	Offer a dummy or the breast	For a breastfed baby, introducing a dummy once feeding is established is recommended

Let's look at each step in detail.

1. Swaddle

Swaddling mimics the wrapped feeling of the womb and stops your baby's arms flying out with the startle reflex and waking them. For safe swaddling:

• Use a thin, breathable muslin or swaddle blanket.
• Keep the arms straight and close to the body, but let the hips and legs move freely — too tight a swaddle can affect hip development.
• Don't overdress your baby underneath; the swaddle counts as a layer in itself.
• Stop swaddling once your baby starts rolling (usually months 2-3).

A swaddled baby must always be placed on their back. You'll find the full safe sleep rules in our baby sleep routine guide.

2. Side/Stomach: Only in Your Arms

Babies can feel like they're falling when on their back, while being held on the side or face down in your arms has a calming effect. You can carry your baby face down along your forearm (the "aeroplane hold") or on their side turned towards your chest.

There's a vital warning here: the side and stomach positions are soothing holds used only while you're awake and your baby is in your arms. Sleep must always, without exception, be on the back. If your baby falls asleep in that position in your arms, turn them onto their back to put them down. This rule is the most fundamental step in reducing the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).

3. Shush: the Shhh Sound and White Noise

The womb isn't the quiet place people imagine; your baby hears the constant rhythmic rush of blood flow there. Complete silence feels alien to a newborn. Making a long "shhhh" sound close to the ear, slightly above the volume of the crying, calms many babies quickly.

When your voice gets tired, white noise can take over: the hum of a vacuum cleaner, the sound of a washing machine, a hairdryer or a white noise app all have a similar effect. Place the device a little away from your baby rather than right beside them, and keep the volume at a reasonable level.

4. Swing: Rhythmic, Gentle Movement

In the womb your baby is gently rocked with every movement you make. After birth, small, fast, rhythmic movements — not big, wide rocking — trigger the calming reflex. Always support your baby's head and neck with your hand; the movement should be small oscillations of the head together with the body.

Critical warning: rocking and shaking are entirely different. Never shake your baby quickly or uncontrollably — shaken baby syndrome can cause permanent brain damage. In a moment when you feel angry or exhausted, putting your baby down safely in their cot and taking a few deep breaths is always the right move.

5. Suck

Sucking is a baby's most powerful self-soothing mechanism and shifts the nervous system into deep relaxation. Offering a dummy or the breast to a baby who has begun settling with the previous four steps "locks in" the calm. For breastfed babies it's generally recommended to wait until feeding is established before introducing a dummy; follow your own doctor's advice on this.

The trick with the 5S is applying the steps together and with conviction: holding a swaddled baby on their side while shushing and rocking rhythmically is far more effective than trying each one separately.

How to Relieve Wind Pain: Other Soothing Methods

Alongside the 5S technique, you can try these methods aimed particularly at easing wind and abdominal discomfort:

• Tummy massage: massage your baby's tummy with gentle circular movements clockwise around the navel. Massage both helps wind move and increases your contact with your baby.
• Bicycle legs: with your baby on their back, gently hold their legs and push them towards the tummy as though pedalling; this can help trapped wind escape.
• A warm bath: warm water relaxes many babies; adding a bath to the routine before evening fussiness starts can help.
• Winding after feeds: after every feed, hold your baby upright and pat their back gently to help them bring up wind.
• White noise and a calm environment: dimming the lights in the evening, reducing stimulation and running steady white noise eases an overloaded nervous system.

Every baby is different; the method that calms one instantly may do nothing for another. Noting which method works at which time of day shortens this trial-and-error process.

When Should You See a Doctor?

Colic is harmless, but don't assume that all crying comes from colic. See your paediatrician without delay in these situations:

• Fever (any fever must be taken seriously in babies under 3 months),
• Vomiting (particularly projectile or greenish),
• Failure to gain weight or refusal to feed,
• Bloody or mucousy stools,
• Lethargy, excessive sleepiness, or crying that is high-pitched and unusual,
• Any change that doesn't feel right to you.

Look after yourself too: caring for a constantly crying baby is emotionally exhausting. Asking for support when you feel depleted isn't weakness — it's good parenting.

Baby Wallie Is With You Through Colic

One of the hardest parts of the colic period is trying to remember what to do at 3am in front of a crying baby. Baby Wallie's baby guide was designed for exactly those moments: the interactive colic soothing (5S) guide puts the steps at your fingertips one by one, the baby massage guide shows tummy massage visually, and soothing sleep sounds (white noise, washing machine and more) are one tap away.

With the baby tracking features you can also record crying and sleep times to spot patterns — seeing that the crying always starts at the same hour, for instance, lets you bring the bath and feeding routine forward accordingly. And you can put your questions to the Wallie AI assistant at any hour.

Remember: colic is temporary. In a few months you'll leave these evenings behind and start a new period with a baby smiling up at you.