As you may very well know by now, babies are tough little individuals to keep happy at all times. The most inevitable action of a newborn baby is that they will cry. They’ll cry for countless different reasons, but figuring out exactly what that reason may be is the difficult part. When one of these reasons arises however, you will need to know how to soothe your child as best as you can. Here are some techniques you can try to soothe them:
Wrap Them
Wrapping your baby in a swaddle, or any similar baby blanket, should provide a soothing womb-like feeling that will help calm your child. A baby is used to being surrounded by a warm and cozy environment, so simulating this in any way possible will put them at ease both physically and mentally.
Try using thin, lightweight blankets that allow your baby the ability to breathe with ease and stay comfortable at the same time. Baby should be able to move his hips. In addition to being soothing, your child will also sleep longer and more soundly.
Get Moving
There are tons of different motions that you can do with your child to attempt to soothe them during one of those fussy moments. One of these is the classic rocking method where you simply cradle your child in your arms and gently rock them side to side. Being cradled in a safe pair of arms and having a gentle, calming motion involved will likely be able to soothe your child.
Some babies do better short, quicker movements. You could experiment with short knee bends or light bounces on an exercise ball (where you are seated and baby is in your arms). Remember to always support your baby’s head and neck when using any type of motion.
If your baby becomes drowsy, make sure to put him down before he falls asleep so he doesn’t become accustomed to falling asleep in your arms.
Introduce Sounds
Another aspect of the womb that your child became used to is the various sounds and vibrations they would hear all day long. Inside the womb, your baby heard all types of noises from outside and within mom’s body.
Introducing various gentle sounds may be able to hold your child’s attention and offer some comfort during tough times. Try using something like a fan on low, any type of device that has quiet “white noise,” or simply the sound of your voice. Often a low “shushing” sound will work.
Whatever sound you use, try to match the level of the sound to your baby’s crying, otherwise baby can’t hear it over their own clamor. As baby calms down and makes less noise, taper the sound off as well.
Pacifier
A pacifier is an age-old solution to keeping a young child calm when they begin to cry or fuss for some reason. Whether it’s a natural sucking need or if it’s due to teething, a baby will most likely enjoy the reassurance of a binky.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the use of a pacifier or binky is perfectly fine for newborn babies. This method is completely safe and is one of the easiest ways to offer comfort and support to a crying child.
For those babies that will not take a pacifier, breastfeeding or a bottle are also good sucking solutions that will calm your baby, but try the pacifier first.
Written by Lori Strong, Certified Sleep Consultant and Owner of Strong Little Sleepers
Lori is a Certified Child Sleep Consultant through the Family Sleep Institute and Certified Happiest Baby Educator. She is the founder and owner of Strong Little Sleepers, which was started on the idea that all families need and deserve to get a good night’s sleep. Lori was the first certified child sleep consultant in Austin, Texas and was honored as Best Sleep Expert in the 2013 Austin Birth Awards. She is also a member of the International Association of Child Sleep Consultants. Lori combines her experience as an educator and a parent to offer customized sleep plans and support to families with children ages 0-6 across the country.
For more information, please visit www.stronglittlesleepers.com.
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