Babies cry – all of them, and some more than others. It’s their way of communicating with us, whether they’re hungry, or tired, over-stimulated, in pain or simply unhappy. When it comes to calming your baby, start by checking off the typical culprits: Hunger, dirty diaper, fever, too hot or too cold. If your child is still fussy or having trouble falling asleep, here are some other tricks to try:
1.) Swaddling
Swaddling helps infants feel more secure, as well as keeps them warm. You can read more about how to swaddle safely here: https://new.bootheelbabies.org/how-to-safely-swaddle/
2.) Sound machines
White noise, crib aquariums and similar products are great options for soothing a baby. White noise mimics sounds heard in the womb –a heart beating, blood flowing and muffled voices. The repetitiveness can help babies fall and stay asleep. Just be sure you never put anything inside the crib – it puts your baby at risk of suffocation and injury.
3.) Rocking
Rocking is one of the oldest tricks in the new parent book, and for good reason: It works. Studies have shown that babies’ heartbeats actually slow and their breathing patterns regularize when being rocked.
Every baby is different, which means what works for one baby may not work for YOUR baby. If your baby is extremely fussy or cries more than three hours a day, talk to your doctor about the possibility of colic or other health-related issues.