The first time you hear your baby cry it’s relieving because it means your child has entered the world healthy and excited! However, if baby doesn’t cease to stop crying for nights, weeks, and months on end, parents are often left sleepless and flabbergasted—not knowing what the heck to do.
Now, every baby is different, some cry because they’re hungry, wet, have gas, or feel cold. Regardless of the reason, if your baby is wailing nonstop, keeping you up all night long, the following ten tips may help soothe and lull a moody baby into a peacefully slumbering angel…
1. The “Hush” and “Shush”
Whispering soothingly into your baby’s ear will sometimes do the trick, especially if you make soothing shushing sounds to calm him or her down from crying.
2. Work with Gravity
Sometimes gas is the culprit of a fussy babe, and holding them right side up is working against gravity and the digestive process. Instead, turn baby on their tummy, facing down over your forearm to relieve painful gas.
3. Go for a Spin
In the womb babies are used to the motion of moving around with mom. You can mimic that steady motion by packing baby in the car and going for a drive around the block.
4. Rock-a-Bye Baby
The steady rocking motion mixed with a tight snuggle might be enough to lull a baby off to sleep.
5. Swaddle Baby Snug
The feeling of being swaddled tight in a blanket or sling mimics the feeling of being warm and snug inside mom’s womb and can quickly comfort a frightened or cold baby.
6. Try a Pacifier
The last thing a colicky baby needs is more food. However, sucking on a pacifier will often calm them enough so that they fall asleep, and you can put them to bed with a pacifier to protect against sudden infant death syndrome (or SIDS).
7. Gentle Massage
The calming power of a parent’s touch works magic on a restless baby. Just think of how much better you sleep after a foot, hand, back, or tummy massage.
8. Steady White Noise
In the womb baby is surrounded by nothing but soothing white noise. It’s the real world that can be rather shocking and frightening. So turn on the dishwasher or a fan for some steady, comforting low-level noise to drown out the scary stuff.
9. Encourage a Satisfying Burp
Babies gulp down a lot of air when they breast or bottle feed, which can leave them gassy and uncomfortable. However, burping baby by padding them gently on the back with their head over your shoulder, supporting their neck can encourage a satisfying burp and the digestion process.
10. Talk to your Pediatrician
If baby is crying too much in your opinion, don’t just ignore it—ask your pediatrician for advice and to examine your child for underlying medical issues. Trust me; it will give you peace of mind.
