How to Respond to Your Baby's Cries

Crying is a normal, natural part of the human experience, which also extends to babies. Young babies cry a lot and can be hard for parents to listen to. As your baby gets older, you'll be able to "read" his cries and figure out what he needs. Until that time, think of it as his way of communicating any discomfort. The hard part is accepting that we, as parents, can't always fix it.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Baby Monitors

1. Respond by speaking gently and calmly to your crying baby, acknowledging his distress: "What's the matter?" or "How can I help you?" Sometimes the comfort of his parent's voice will soothe him.
2. Check to see whether he's hungry, has a wet diaper or seems to have a gas pain. Physical discomfort can cause crying. First, take care of his basic needs.
3. Allow him a few moments to self-calm if his basic needs are taken care of and there's no obvious reason for the distress. He may discover his thumb or stroke his blanket.
4. Try to find the source of the discomfort if your baby cries while you're diapering or bathing him - he could be trying to tell you about a rash or he may feel cold.
5. Talk to him. Decide whether you want to pick him up and gently hold him. Your baby will mature and start to give out clearer signals, which will make handling his crying easier.

Tips & Warnings

• Avoid bouncing or patting your baby if he's upset. This kind of overstimulation can make matters worse and generally calms the parent, who may be full of nervous energy, more than the baby.
• Avoid babysitting devices such as mechanical swings, bouncers and walkers. It's better in the long run for your baby to learn how to find comfort on his own or be soothed by you.
• Use your instincts. Only you can decide how much crying you can listen to before intervening.
• Don't ignore any kind of unusual, sharp, or distressed crying. If your baby expresses a specific need, take care of it.