How long should I try the 5 S's before giving up?

Give it a few minutes of doing several S's together before deciding it is not working. Many babies need 1-2 minutes of steady shushing and jiggling to settle. If baby is fed, changed, and well but still inconsolable, it is okay to put them down safely on their back and take a short break.

Is the side or stomach position safe?

Only for soothing while you are awake and holding your baby. Never let a baby sleep on their side or stomach. For every nap and bedtime, place baby on their back, alone, on a bare firm surface.

Can I use a pacifier if I am breastfeeding?

The AAP says offering a pacifier at nap and bedtime can be protective, ideally once breastfeeding is well established, often around 3-4 weeks. If it falls out during sleep, you do not need to put it back in.

Soothing · Newborn

The 5 S's: Calm a Crying Newborn in Minutes

Why won't my baby stop crying, and what do I actually do right now?

A crying newborn is normal, not a sign you are doing something wrong. First rule out the red flags below, then try the 5 S's. The 5 S's recreate the womb and often settle babies within minutes once you do them together.

4 min read Soothing Updated June 2026

Call 911 now if

A breathing pause longer than about 20 seconds, or any pause (even a short one) with a color change to blue or gray lips, face, or tongue, with limpness, or with no response.
Blue or gray color anywhere, or gasping for air.
Baby is not breathing or not responding. Call 911 immediately and begin infant CPR now. The 911 dispatcher will talk you through it. Do not wait for training.
Forceful (projectile) vomiting that comes with a color change or choking, green or yellow-green (bile-colored) vomit, or vomit with blood or that looks like coffee grounds.
A high-pitched cry with arching, stiffness, or limpness (this can be a sign of severe jaundice affecting the brain).

Call your pediatrician right away if

A rectal temperature of 100.4F (38C) or higher in a baby under 3 months. This is an emergency, call now, and if you cannot reach them go to the ER.
A low rectal temperature under about 97.7F (36.4C), or baby is cold, mottled, or hard to warm up.
Crying that is high-pitched, weak, or goes on for hours and nothing helps.
Grunting with each breath, flaring nostrils, the chest or ribs pulling in with each breath (retractions), or fast breathing.
Hard to wake, very limp, or unusually still.
Yellow skin or eyes in the first 24 hours (call the same day, this is never normal that early), yellow spreading to the belly, arms, legs, palms, or soles, or yellow with sleepiness, poor feeding, or a high-pitched cry.
Signs of dehydration: fewer than about 6 wet diapers in 24 hours (or no wet diaper in 6 to 8 hours), dark urine, no tears, a dry mouth, a sunken soft spot, or unusual sleepiness.
Vomiting forcefully, blood in spit-up or stool, or a swollen belly.
Crying right after a fall or injury.

The 5 S's, in order

1. SwaddleWrap snug around the arms, looser around the hips so the legs can bend and move. This stops the startle reflex that keeps waking them. Stop swaddling as soon as your baby shows any sign of trying to roll (often around 2 months / 8 weeks). Always place a swaddled baby on the back, never the side or stomach.
2. Side or stomach holdHold baby on their side or stomach in your arms or over your forearm. Use this position only while you are holding and soothing, never for sleep.
3. ShushMake a loud, steady shhh close to the ear, as loud as the crying. A white noise sound also works. Keep any white noise machine across the room at low-to-moderate volume, and lower the shush as soon as baby starts to calm; do not keep loud sound at the ear.
4. SwingSupport the head and neck and make tiny, fast jiggles, like a shiver, not big swings. Movements must be small and gentle while fully supporting the head and neck. Never shake a baby; shaking can cause serious brain injury. Always slow and stop before putting baby down.
5. SuckOffer a clean pacifier, your clean finger, or the breast. Sucking is deeply calming for newborns.

Make it work

Do several S's at the same time, not one then the next.
Stay calm yourself. Babies feed off your tension.
It can take a minute or two to kick in, so keep going.
Once calm, move baby to their crib on their back for sleep.

Safety first: side and stomach holds are for soothing in your arms only. For all sleep, place baby alone, on their back, on a firm flat surface, in a bare crib. Room-share but do not bed-share. Do not use inclined sleepers, car seats, swings, or loungers for routine sleep, and avoid overheating or overbundling. You are not doing anything wrong when your baby cries; once the red flags are ruled out, keep trying the S's, and it is okay to put baby down safely and take a short break when you need one.

Quick answers

How long should I try the 5 S's before giving up?: Give it a few minutes of doing several S's together before deciding it is not working. Many babies need 1-2 minutes of steady shushing and jiggling to settle. If baby is fed, changed, and well but still inconsolable, it is okay to put them down safely on their back and take a short break.
Is the side or stomach position safe?: Only for soothing while you are awake and holding your baby. Never let a baby sleep on their side or stomach. For every nap and bedtime, place baby on their back, alone, on a bare firm surface.
Can I use a pacifier if I am breastfeeding?: The AAP says offering a pacifier at nap and bedtime can be protective, ideally once breastfeeding is well established, often around 3-4 weeks. If it falls out during sleep, you do not need to put it back in.

Sources & further reading

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This guide reflects current AAP and CDC guidance and is for educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical advice. ParentFlow is a wellness companion — not a substitute for your pediatrician. For any medical concern, contact your healthcare provider.