10 Things You Should Know About Calming a Crying Baby
Crying is a physiological process in the life of a baby. All normal babies cry to communicate with others. Sine they can’t express their feelings in words crying is the only way for communication. If any uncomfortable feeling comes they simply cry. Normally babies cry in situations like hunger, wetting, too heat or cold, tight cloths, pain etc. Here are 10 things you should know about calming a crying baby
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Make sure all his essential needs have been met. Even if he was just fed, he might still be hungry. Don’t deny a baby food; he knows when he needs more! If he is hungry, feed him again. It is ok to feed him again; babies go through periods of growth spurts when they may eat every hour, especially if they are breastfed.
Pat them or swing them in your arms, this gentle movement will make them happy and feel pleasure, or you can even try by tapping in their back in good rhythm such taping sound stops your baby’s crying which will change the mood of your baby. You can even give them warm bath.
Check the back of his neck or chest area to gauge body temperature and adjust clothing or room temperature accordingly. Your crying baby may be clammy or sweaty if hot and their hands and feet could be slightly bluish if they are cold.
Pick them up and see if they calm down. If that does not help, offer them the pacifier. This might assist the baby to calm themselves
Try burping him to release any gas bubbles which might be giving them a tummy ache. Also, you can try bundling them in a blanket to imitate the feeling of being in the womb.
Music is a wonderful way for you to calm and soothe your baby, especially during the first year. How many times have your heard parents say that there was nothing that they could do with their crying, fussing baby until they tried music. This is because music does indeed soothe the savage beast, or in this case, the baby.
Introduce some changes in the immediate environment of the baby that is; you can go for walk or car ride that can even relax you for a while and even your baby. The reason why baby will stop crying is they will have movement and that will give pleasure and more stimulus to them. Walk can even make you feel good and will also stop your baby’s crying.
Babies cry when they are tired. Occasionally they are too tired to fall asleep so they cry. Take your baby to a dark, quiet room and hold him against your chest and breathe deeply and slowly. Lie down and place the baby face down on your chest. If you can genuinely relax, your baby will relax with you. When he is relaxed, place him in her crib or bassinet to sleep.
Try to make some soothing sound. Speak comforting words in a soft voice. Hum and sing known songs you enjoy. Make a CD of some of your home appliance like washing machine, dishwasher, vacuum cleaner Etc to let your baby hear repeated swooshing sounds. A fan or humidifier in the baby’s room can sometimes do the trick.
A massage is a wonderful way to calm a fussy baby. Basically the massage flows from the head to the toes. With soft and gentle touches you will work on the head, face, chest, shoulders, arms, stomach and legs. Feel free to speak to your baby, do not restrain yourself. Remember that your touches should be gentle do not make mechanic motions. Try to be flexible by not keeping a firm routine.