All babies cry. When your baby is wailing, you may feel as if you're doing something wrong or that there has to be something you can do to stop the crying, but that's usually not the case. With their immature nervous system, babies don't know any other way to wind down. High-strung babies in exciting, intense households tend to cry more, but all infants go through periods of fussiness.

Colicky, fussy babies like to be rocked, patted, danced, or walked. So go ahead and try any or all of these techniques when your baby is crying. Don't despair if nothing works right away, though; it's not your fault! Because it can be so hard to soothe a colicky baby, colic can make parents feel anxious and inadequate.

But no matter how upset you're feeling, never shake an infant! If you start getting frustrated or angry, or feel as if you're losing control, put your baby down and take a quick break. Shaking an infant can cause bleeding in the brain, leading to permanent damage and even death. This is called "Shaken Baby Syndrome" and is a very serious condition. So when you start to lose your cool, get someone else to deal with the baby — both of you will be glad you did later.

Learn more about calming a colicky baby.

And see what our experts have to say about colic (and lots of other topics!).