Babies cry for many reasons. . . they may have a poopy diaper, might be hungry, thirsty, need to suck for comfort, may be lonely, bored, their tummy might hurt. It can be difficult to tell what they need. But one thing is certain: they will always benefit from your calm presence.
These baby calmers may or may not work in your situation. If one works one time, it may not work the next (and vice versa). Also, if one does not work now, it may work when your baby is older. Use your own judgment, watch your baby's cues, and do what works best for you and your baby.
Baby Calmers
- Wearing baby in a sling or other front pack carrier, and, when baby can sit, a backpack.
- Comfort sucking... mother's breasts (see my aritcle Top Two Ways to Calm a Baby), your finger, pacifier
- Going outside
- Dancing or swaying with baby
- Giving baby a bath
- Taking a bath with baby; one mom expalins what her baby enjoys, ". . . he really likes to just lie back against me in the water."
- Taking a shower with baby
- Letting baby look in a mirror
- Going for a walk
- Doing "plies" while holding your baby - this is from ballet - put your heels together with your toes pointing out; bend at the knees (without lifting your heels); pull your thighs together to straighten up; try going up and down both quickly and slowly
- Using a comfort hold that puts pressure against his abdomen: lying on his abdomen across your lap, sitting on your hip facing away from you, or lying face down on your bent forearm
- Colic Curl - face baby toward you and put his legs on your chest, kind of like they are sitting on your chest, with his head resting in your hands (many babies enjoy the eye contact plus bending their legs at the hips can help them pass gas if they need to); alternately, try facing baby forward with his back against your chest (sometimes babies prefer facing outward so they can see what is going on).
- Bouncing gently (be careful) on a trampoline or bed - hold baby against your chest with one arm under his bottom and with his head resting on your shoulder; use the other arm to pat his back or cup his head; stand on a mattress or trampoline and slowly bounce while shifting your weight from right to left.
- Sitting and bouncing on a birthing ball
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