I have asked in the past, if there is anything I can do to help. I have offered to hold the babe to see if that helps. Sometimes a strange face (I'm not that strange!) can cause a distraction to the baby, like "hang on, who are you?" and that can can stop the crying.

Sometimes it seems they almost forget why they are crying, and that distraction gives them a chance to calm down. It all depends on why they are crying, which obviously can be impossible to know.

I know when that's happened to mine in the past, they've just needed that chance to calm down, and within minutes, (sometimes!) they've been asleep.