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5 Ways to Soothe A Crying Baby |
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by jenlemen  (October 2006) (rank 17th) |
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Nothing is as distressing as the sound of a wailing baby. Here are five tried and true tips for helping your baby calm down after a bout of crying:
- Make a baby burrito. Many little babies prefer the memory of the close quarters of utero. Wrapping your infant in a smooth soft blanket, swaddling style, can give your little one a sense of warmth, security and closeness familiar from the womb. For proper swaddling techniques, you can watch this video.
- Retreat to the cave. Some babies tend to blow off steam later in the day because they have been overstimulated earlier. If you're going through a particularly bad string of crying days, experiment with extended periods of quiet. Keep lights dimmed, whisper to your little one, turn off the tv, limit visitors. See if less commotion helps your baby find her equilibrium.
- Turn up the volume on white noise. Let your little one listen to the rhythmic sounds of the last load of laundry on tumble dry or the sounds of the rainstorm through a slightly opened window. Run water in the sink or take a slow walk on a busy street. Nothing calmed my firstborn like walking on the sidewalk during rush hour; the cars whizzing by were just the right mix of white noise to lull her right to sleep. If manufacturing your own white noise feels like too much work, consider investing in a white noise machine like this one.
- Dance the two-step. Holding your baby securely in your arms, sway back and forth in rhythm. Let your gentle "shh-shh-shh" be the music that ushers your baby into peaceful sleep. No music is necessary, though one familiar lullaby sung quietly at bedtime every night can become a signal to sleep throughout your child's early years.
- Consider a change of scenery. Sometimes a very upset baby will calm down immediately when you move him into new surroundings. As a small infant, my firstborn often calmed with one step outside. Other babies will prefer the quiet of the bathroom or the hum of the refrigerator in a darkly lit kitchen. Moving quietly through the house, invite your little one to calm in a new environment.
If your baby continues to cry for long periods of time everyday, you should always consult your midwife, pediatrician or nurse-practitioner for advice. Babies who cry in response to chronic gas or acid reflux, may need different kinds of help in order to calm.
