Parents of colicky babies can breathe a sigh of relief. Researchers have found that whether you have a fussy or easy baby may have nothing to do with your parenting skills and more to do with science.

In the study, published in the journal of Psychological Science, Canadian researchers found that the combination of the DRD4 gene, which is associated with sensory responsiveness, and particular patterns of brain activity play a part in how quickly a baby can be soothed.

Louis Schmidt of McMaster University and colleagues looked at the brain activity in 9-month-old infants. When they turned 4, their mothers answered questions about their children’s behavior, and samples of DNA were taken to look for the DRD4 gene. Based on the gene and activity in the frontal cortexes, scientists were able to determine which children were soothed easily and which had more attention problems.

Despite this newfound knowledge, parents of fussy babies will still have to deal with solving the mystery of how to calm down their crying baby.  Some helpful tricks include:

• Walk with your baby or sit in a rocking chair, trying various      positions. Try burping your baby more often during feedings.
• Place your baby across your lap on his or her belly and rub your baby's back.
• Put your baby in a swing or vibrating seat. The motion may have a soothing effect.
• Put your baby in an infant car seat in the back of the car and go for a ride. The vibration and movement of the car are often calming.
• Play music tapes—some babies respond to sound as well as movement.
• Place your baby in the same room as a running clothes dryer, white noise machine, or vacuum—some infants find the low constant noise soothing.
• Some babies need decreased stimulation and may do well swaddled, in a darkened room.