Aside from the ordinary crying which tells mom or dad that there is a problem, it is estimated that four of five babies have daily crying spells that are inexplicable and last from 15 minutes to one hour.

One in five babies have daily, late afternoon or evening crying spells that could last for hours. Such babies are referred to as "colicky". Colic is different from ordinary crying. It begins at the end of the first month. Colicky babies are inconsolable for hours and their crying turns to screaming. There is no known cure for colic. Doctors do not know what causes colic. Some theories include gas, hormone withdrawal and an immature nervous system that is unable to shut out sensations when over stimulated

There is no one technique that will always work to stop ordinary or colicky crying, but here are some strategies that are worth a try:

• Respond when the baby cries.  The longer a baby cries, the longer it takes to quiet them. Although controversial, some claim that if parents respond to cries, the baby will eventually cry less.
• Check for all possible causes of crying -hunger, wet diaper, gas, cold, hot, teething and fatigue.
• Reposition the baby to change its view.
• Carry, rock or swaddle the baby.
• Massage or rub the baby's back.
• Give the baby something to suck on - it's own finger, your finger or a pacifier
• Take the baby outside, for a walk or a drive.
• Reduce stimulation in the late afternoon and evening.