Calming Your Baby

Babies will laugh and cry without warning and you, the parent, are left wondering what is going on in their minds. No one seems to understand a baby better than the child’s mother. She is more attuned to the child’s needs. But as experienced as the mother may be, there are times when even she is not able to figure out why her child is crying.

What should a mother do when she cannot find a reason why her child is crying? She should find something that will distract the child such as a toy, moving to a new room or turning on some soothing music. Here are some tips to calming your baby when they cry.

Babies often cry just because they do not feel safe. They spent nine months in the mother’s womb which was a warm, dark and comforting place. Replicate the feelings of the womb by picking your child up and holding them close. This closeness will make them feel safe and comfortable. Nursing your child can also pacify them. Hold them close to your breast. If you do not breastfeed, give the child a pacifier or their fingers to suck on.

The movement also calms babies down. You can hold them and rock them or you can put them in one of their chairs that either swing or bounce. A change in scenery could also help to calm the baby. Prepare them for the weather outside and take a nice, slow walk around the neighborhood.

The sound of your heartbeat or breath is also comforting to a child. It is a familiar sound from when the little one was in your womb. Lay your baby on your chest and breathe deep or hum. You can also provide noise by turning on the radio to a soothing sound. Keep a stack of their lullabies on CD nearby.

Massages work wonders to calm down a child. Take them into a warm room and rub some baby oil over their body while you gently massage them. Do not use hard motions, instead make small, circular patterns. Crying could also be the result of not being burped properly after feeding. Gently pat their back to release any of the built-up gas in their body.