The crying baby bag of tricks
Babies cry. Really? I know you know this. We all know babies cry, but nothing really prepares you for how it feels when your baby has been crying non-stop for an hour, two hours, or longer.
The good news is that you can help your baby to calm down. One of these things will work…
Check all the likely culprits first – is he too hot, too cold, hungry, wet, or is his clothing too tight?
Try holding your baby close in your arms or a sling. Bonus points for this action because babies that are held often, cry less overall.
Try swaddling your baby so he feels secure and sleepy.
Get outside. Bundle that baby up and take a stroll. At the very least, the crying will sound quieter outside.
Is your baby bored? Even very small babies can get bored, and man will they let you know. Learn how to entertain your baby.
Give your baby a pacifier – so long as you’ve already established a good breastfeeding routine (no nipple confusion).
Sing a happy song and dance. Some very good news for you is that babies are easily distracted. Songs, music, and dancing are quick ways to calm a crying baby.
Try a baby swing or bouncy seat that vibrates.
Go for a drive. Gas prices are high, but then again so is therapy. If the crying is driving you mad, driving can sooth your little one to sleep. Just make sure, you’re not so irritated that you can’t safely drive.
Last ditch efforts:
If your baby is seriously crying and you’ve tried all the above, he may be sick, even if he’s not showing any outward symptoms. Call your pediatrician for advice.
If your baby is not sick, he may just be crying to cry. Babies do just cry for no apparent reason. If you’re too stressed or upset to deal, walk away. Make sure your baby is safe, such as in his swing or crib, and then go in another room, shut the door, and chill out for 10 minutes. I’ve done that, other mamas do that, and you can too. It doesn’t make you a bad mama. You can also call a friend to come help you out or connect with other mamas – who can let you know that you’re not alone.
Also read: Ten ways to soothe your newborn
Has your baby ever cried so much that you feel nutty?
Comment added October 23rd, 2008 at 6:53 am
Thank you for all these useful advices..
bebek
Comment added February 19th, 2009 at 2:49 am
Yes I had experienced this nightmare of crying baby for many times and I had felt nutty about it.
I am a mom of 6-month-old baby and when the baby cries I know what the frustration is to stop the baby from crying, but now I think I had found the reason for what my baby was crying and I use the technique to stop my baby from crying for that reason. Whenever my baby cries a lot I make use of this technique by wrapping my baby through Cradle Me supportive receiving blanket, which my husband brought from http://www.babyboo.com.
There are swaddling straps inside this Cradle Me supportive receiving blanket, and I was able to put them tightly, but comfortably over my baby’s tummy, and he loved it. He liked the pressure on his stomach, maybe he is a really gassy baby, or coliccy or something, I’m not sure, but he is really happy now when he is swaddled into the Cradle Me and does not cry that often as compared to using this technique before.
Comment added May 5th, 2009 at 9:20 am
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Comment added June 8th, 2010 at 10:01 am
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