Soothing Baby Cries
Not every strategy will work for every baby, and some techniques may only work at certain times, depending on your baby's mood. The key is to experiment; over time, you'll figure out what's best for your baby, and when.
Re-create the womb.Your infant may be fussy because he misses his first "home," so simulating the amniotic environment can calm him. Try these techniques, together or separately:
Use your hands. Touch stimulates receptors in the brain that calm your baby, and
research shows that long, smooth strokes tend to work better than short, brisk ones. Try caressing your infant's cheek, back, legs, or stomach. Or keep your baby close by wearing her in a front carrier. You don't have to spend all day toting her around, but the more you touch her (giving her a mini-massage during a diaper change, for instance), the happier she'll be.
Talk. The familiar tone of Mom's voice is one of the most effective soothers for babies, according to research. So keep the chatter going - but speak quietly so your baby isn't overwhelmed.
Singing can also be calming. Don't worry if your voice doesn't sound like Norah Jones's. To your baby, you're the ultimate star. Sing calm, slow songs, such as lullabies - the body responds to music by adapting heart and respiratory rates to the tempo.
Take a drive. Driving around the block combines steady motion and white noise. If driving isn't convenient, try a vibrating bouncy seat or swing, which also have the white-noise/movement combo.
Get wet. Many moms swear by baths to calm their babies. The sound of the running water and the warmth on the skin can do wonders for a crying baby. You can get into the tub, too, to add soothing skin-to-skin contact.
Distract him. Introduce a new toy or shift his attention to the family pet or a mirror (so he can gaze at himself). He may well forget all about his cranky mood.
Keep your cool. If you get frustrated, your infant will pick up on that tension and react, and this pattern can become a cycle that's hard to break. Trying too hard to calm your baby can also backfire - some simply don't like to be handled as much as others. While you shouldn't let infants under 3 months cry it out, it's okay to let them fuss for five minutes. This will give yours the opportunity to start to figure out how to soothe himself (and it may give you a chance to regroup, too).
Keep doing what works. When you find a strategy that soothes your baby, stick to it. Trying something different every five minutes can be overstimulating. Limit yourself to two or three methods that seem to work - if one fails in one instance, try the other, instead of introducing several new techniques. You almost always get results after a day or two if you stick to a consistent pattern.
Re-create the womb.Your infant may be fussy because he misses his first "home," so simulating the amniotic environment can calm him. Try these techniques, together or separately:
- Swaddle him snugly in a blanket with his arms down.
- Hold him while he's on his side or stomach rather than his back.
- Make shushing sounds, or create other white noise by running a hair dryer or fan (the inside of the womb sounds like a constant pulsing whoosh).
- Jiggle him gently (the rhythmic swaying resembles the movement of the womb).
- Give him something to suck on - either a pacifier or a finger.
Use your hands. Touch stimulates receptors in the brain that calm your baby, and
research shows that long, smooth strokes tend to work better than short, brisk ones. Try caressing your infant's cheek, back, legs, or stomach. Or keep your baby close by wearing her in a front carrier. You don't have to spend all day toting her around, but the more you touch her (giving her a mini-massage during a diaper change, for instance), the happier she'll be.
Talk. The familiar tone of Mom's voice is one of the most effective soothers for babies, according to research. So keep the chatter going - but speak quietly so your baby isn't overwhelmed.
Singing can also be calming. Don't worry if your voice doesn't sound like Norah Jones's. To your baby, you're the ultimate star. Sing calm, slow songs, such as lullabies - the body responds to music by adapting heart and respiratory rates to the tempo.
Take a drive. Driving around the block combines steady motion and white noise. If driving isn't convenient, try a vibrating bouncy seat or swing, which also have the white-noise/movement combo.
Get wet. Many moms swear by baths to calm their babies. The sound of the running water and the warmth on the skin can do wonders for a crying baby. You can get into the tub, too, to add soothing skin-to-skin contact.
Distract him. Introduce a new toy or shift his attention to the family pet or a mirror (so he can gaze at himself). He may well forget all about his cranky mood.
Keep your cool. If you get frustrated, your infant will pick up on that tension and react, and this pattern can become a cycle that's hard to break. Trying too hard to calm your baby can also backfire - some simply don't like to be handled as much as others. While you shouldn't let infants under 3 months cry it out, it's okay to let them fuss for five minutes. This will give yours the opportunity to start to figure out how to soothe himself (and it may give you a chance to regroup, too).
Keep doing what works. When you find a strategy that soothes your baby, stick to it. Trying something different every five minutes can be overstimulating. Limit yourself to two or three methods that seem to work - if one fails in one instance, try the other, instead of introducing several new techniques. You almost always get results after a day or two if you stick to a consistent pattern.
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