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Baby crying? Are you about to go crazy? I pride myself in being able to calm down almost any baby! It comes from years of experience. So, here's a little advice for anyone with a baby who won't stop crying.
- Check the 3 Quickly - 1. Is the baby uncomfortable, thread pulling on skin, being poked, etc. 2. Change the Diaper! 3. Feed and burp. You can look, change, feed and burp pretty quickly and that rules out those problems. If it's not one of those problems then it's usually one of two things - tired and can't fall asleep or tummy problems. These will take care of the rest.
- Swaddle - wrap that baby up, nice and tight. We like to do a burrito wrap. (I will do a post on this in the future, it's the best baby wrap technique we've found!!!!)
- Hold the Baby in it's Favorite Position: cradle hold, over the shoulder, draped over an arm, cuddled on your chest, whatever the baby likes the most.
- Bounce Walk - bend at the knees, deep bends while you walk. It's a great workout for the parents too. For some reason this is the most calming motion in the world!
- Shhhhhhhh - the baby needs white noise. Sometimes we turn on white noise on the computer. Sometimes we just make a quite "shhhhhhh" sound near the baby's ear. It's amazing how calming it can be.
- Pacifier - get the baby to suck and then use one hand to hold it gently in. Be careful you don't cause the baby to choke or suffocate, but hold it so that it doesn't fall out.
- Dark Room - go into a dark room so the baby isn't distracted by lights or busy people.
- Walk Outside - if that doesn't work walk outside. Even if it's cold outside, sometimes the shock of the cold or the change of scenery is enough to calm them down. Don't stay out long, just get their attention and calm down a little.
- Car Ride - take the baby for a ride in the car!
- Take Turns With Your Spouse - if you're about to go crazy then trade with your spouse and go somewhere to wind down and take a break, somewhere where you can't hear the baby crying. Remember crying doesn't hurt babies. If you've taken care of all their needs and they are safe, you can leave them with someone else and give yourself a break. But don't leave for TOO long, your spouse will need a break too.
Disclaimer: My babies have never been extremely colicky. If they are I recommend professional help and a scheduled break for the over stressed mom!
Understandingly Yours,
cin