All babies cry. It is just part of life. Sometimes we know what is wrong, and sometimes we can’t figure it out. They could be crying because they are hungry, tired, cold, scared, or even full of air or gas bubbles. Babies even have a few different cries. It will take a while to learn their cries and what each one means. Thankfully there are lots of tips and tricks out there to help soothe your baby. Here are some of my favorites!
- Give your baby a bath. The warm water feels good on their skin and bath time can even help relax them and make it easier for them to fall asleep.
- Swaddle your baby. Wrapping your baby up really tight helps make them feel safe and secure. When my baby was born, he would cry every time we un-swaddled him.
- Gently rock or sway your baby. Different movements can help soothe a baby whether it is from a swing, a rocking chair, or even in your arms swaying. A favorite at our house is the mamaRoo swing. My baby sleeps like a champ in that swing.
- Noise! Turn on white noise for your baby like a fan or a humidifier or even music. You can even sing to your baby. Your voice could help soothe them because it is familiar to them.
- Massage or burp your baby. You can start by turning your baby on their belly and gently massage them. Another nice trick is to hold your baby upright with their back against your belly and chest. Bring their knees up to their chest with one hand, and use your other hand to support their head from under their chin. While holding them, gently rock up and down by standing flat footed to standing on your toes. The momentum of your body and the pressure on the baby's belly from their legs should help relieve any gas or bubble build up in their tummy. You can also prop your baby on your shoulder and burp them, or give them gripe water to help settle them down.
- Allow them to suck on something. The sucking motion can be very soothing for babies. Offer to feed them, and if they aren’t hungry, offer a binky or their own fingers to suck on. Check out our website by clicking (here) to see our binkies which are perfect soothers for your precious baby!
- Take them for a car ride or push them in the stroller. Most babies can easily fall asleep in the car due to the movement and the noises. When it's late at night and my baby is fussy and won't fall asleep, we go for a family car ride and it always does the trick. Walks in the stroller are also a good way to calm your baby and help you get out of the house.
- Make sure the baby's needs are met. Is he hungry? Too hot or too cold? Does he have a dirty diaper? Sometimes it is as simple as changing their diaper and feeding them a little and they will feel better!
All in all, it is okay if your baby cries. Sometimes they just need their mom or dad, and sometimes they just need to cry. It is also okay if you need a break. Just lay your baby in a safe and secure spot and check on them every 10 min or so. Try not to let their crying overwhelm you though, because all babies do it! You are doing great!
