If you’ve ever had a baby with colic, you know that the endless crying and sleepless nights can be distressing—and difficult to deal with. But you’re not alone—colic is common, affecting as many as 1 in 5 babies. Defined as excessive crying and fussiness in an otherwise healthy baby, colic is marked by the “rule of three”: When an infant under 3 months cries for more than three hours a day, three days a week. The condition isn’t well understood, meaning there’s no definitive cause, but according to The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), colic may be related to digestive issues, overstimulation, an inability to self-soothe or an immature nervous system. The good news? Colic typically goes away by the time a baby is 3 or 4 months old.

Watching your little one suffer from colic can be heart-wrenching, but it’s helpful to know that there are steps you can take to ease your baby’s discomfort. While we may not have much information about why colic happens, we do have tried-and-tested tips on how to cope with colic. Here’s what can help.