6 Baby-Calming Techniques That Will Soothe Your Baby's Mood
6 Baby-Calming Techniques That Will Soothe Your Baby's Mood
Swaddling: Wrap the baby tightly in a receiving blanket, with or without hands available for sucking (sucking its hand may calm the baby in itself). Sometimes the closeness is comforting, much like the womb. The feeling of flailing arms and legs may be like being lost in space.
To swaddle, put the baby's head on one corner of the blanket. Wrap one corner over the baby and tuck it under the baby's opposite side. Bring the end up and tuck it under the baby's "open" side. Wrap the remaining corner of the blanket over the baby and tuck it into a fold somewhere. (You might ask the nurses to teach you this before you leave the hospital.)
Music: A tape of comforting lullabies or special soothing womb-like sounds and heartbeats can be purchased in baby departments, baby specialty stores, some toy stores and baby catalogs. Your own singing is cheaper and may work just as well. Don't forget trying the radio.
Noise: This might not seem all that different from "music," depending on your singing voice. But "noise" means what's sometimes called "white noise," that steady drone of something that might irritate adults, but magically lulls babies to sleep.
Turn the vacuum cleaner on near the baby (or put the baby in a front-pack carrier while you vacuum). The vibration and consistent noise comforts many babies. The hum of the exhaust fan over the kitchen stove often works. A noisy room fan or air conditioner could have the same effect.
Combine noise with other techniques, such as swaddling. Or turn on a noisy fan while rocking a swaddled baby. A car ride might help, and you don't need to take the muffler off. Just the vibration and hum is sometimes sufficient.
Massage: Entire books, videos and classes are available on this subject, and many parents find babies respond to gentle massage of arms, legs, chest, back and head. Even without formal training, try rubbing backs or stomachs, which may ease gas pains, while holding the baby or while baby (or you and the baby together) are in the bathtub (remember that babies whose umbilical cords haven't fallen off yet shouldn't take tub baths). Motion: How were fussy children raised just a generation ago, when those wind-up swings weren't yet invented? Lots of car rides, apparently. Swings can be used by babies less than a month old, either in a cradle or a seat. Especially for the cradle, make sure the baby is not rolling back and forth with every swing. For the seat, check to see the head is held upright and cradled by a rolled towel or special support pillow. And use the safety belt.
Young babies have a tendency to flop forward, sideways or slink down in the swing seat; never leave the baby in the swing unattended, even though it's tempting to do so. Other motion that seems to work is just walking or putting the baby in a stroller or its car seat and heading outside.
Same with the spin cycle on the washer. Put the washer lid down, of course. Then strap the baby in a car seat or lounge seat and place the seat on top of the washer lid. Hold onto the seat, and run the washer through a spin cycle. Never try this without holding onto the seat with both hands the entire time. Of course, if the baby cries more or harder, quit this and cuddle!
Note that babies who like quiet, soft lights and lullabies may not like motion as a calming technique. For others, only bouncing and rhythm works.
Warmth: Try feeding a bottle of warm water, placing the baby tummy-down on a hot water bottle filled with warm water and covered with a towel or baby blanket, or giving the baby a warm bath, if baby is old enough for a tub bath. (Never use an electric heating pad.) Of course, if it's 90 degrees and humid, opt for a cool sponge bath, instead.
Try to pick one comfort measure and stick with it for 10 or 15 minutes. Then add another method if the first doesn't work. Switching methods every few seconds or minutes can overstimulate babies, when what they really need is time to wind down. knowing the difference between a newborn communicating discomfort by crying and communicating real sickness or injury by crying is tricky and frustrating.
Health care professionals say they'd rather field telephone calls early in an illness or "silly questions" than have a parent wait and then try to deal with more severe symptoms or illness. If you feel intimidated or afraid to contact your doctor, get a new doctor. Watch the child, take his or her temperature and write down all symptoms and questions you have.