How to Comfort a Crying Baby

As a parent stopping your baby from crying can be a sanity saving thing. This article will give you some ideas on how to accomplish this feat.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Basic baby supplies
• Your time and attention

1. The first thing to make sure of when trying to stop your baby from crying is to make sure that your baby is fed, burped, and has a clean diaper. You may also want to check to make sure they are not too cold or too warm.

2. Newborns are used to the closeness and comfort of the womb. Swaddle your newborn in a receiving blanket to help simulate the closeness that they are used to.

3. After you are sure your baby's basic needs have been met, you may want to try laying your baby across your legs and gently patting your baby's back. Sitting with your baby in a rocking chair or placing them in a baby swing may also calm them. Or hold your baby close. If you have a baby sling or carrier you can wear your baby so they can be close to you and you will still be able to get other things done.

4. If your baby is only mildly upset take a new object that your baby has not seen or played with before and show it to your baby. Let your baby hold it and explore it. It may cause enough of a distraction to help settle baby down.

5. Try giving your baby a pacifier or letting them use your clean finger to suck on. A sucking motion is often soothing to an infant.

6. If your baby is teething, a teething ring, or a cold washcloth, may provide comfort to sore gums and help to squelch their crying.

7. Another trick is to bring your baby for a ride in the car if your baby doesn't mind being in their car seat, this may calm the baby down, and if you're lucky they just might fall asleep.

8. Some babies find white noise comforting. If your baby is one of them, try running the vacuum cleaner, a fan, or other source of white noise until they settle down.

9. Talk to your baby in soothing tones or sing to your baby. Let them hear your familiar voice.

10. Sometimes babies, like adults, just want some space. Lay your baby down in their crib or other safe place, and let them cry for five or ten minutes. They may just settle themselves down on their own.

Tips & Warnings

• There are many old wives tales on how to calm a baby down, try a lot of different ones. Every baby is different so keep trying until you find the one that works for your baby.
• Keep in mind that there are several reasons a baby will cry. It's their way of communicating with you. They may be hungry, bored, tired, over-stimulated, uncomfortable, or annoyed. Try to assess the situation and guess what may be the cause of your baby's crying. Your baby is not crying just to frustrate you, even if you feel like that is the case.
• Remember that all babies cry and this too shall pass.
• Don't give anything to the baby that is sharp, a choking hazard, or might possibly harm the baby.
• Never, ever, shake your baby to get it to stop crying.
• If you are feeling overwhelmed with your baby's crying find a trusted relative, friend, or neighbor that can take over for you for a while so you can have a break.
• If your baby is acting like they are in a unusual amount of distress of pain contact their pediatrician for advice.

[edieness]

on 6/17/2009 Very well written and detailed article on how to comfort a crying baby.5*