Top Methods For Getting A Baby To Stop Crying
May 15th, 2008Top Methods For Getting A Baby To Stop Crying
A crying baby is something that nearly everyone will have to deal with at some point in their lives. For parents, crying babies are heartbreaking, especially if you’ve tried all of the usual things and nothing seems to be working. It is important to make sure that nothing is wrong with the baby first, and after that, it is always worth trying a few different methods to get your baby to stop crying.
Remember that most of the time, a baby is crying for a reason. As a parent you’ll learn to recognize your baby’s cries, and be able to tell what they are crying for. When your baby cries, you first have to make sure that their needs are being met.
Are they hungry? Do they need to be changed? Should you burp them or are they too full? Are they too warm or too cold, or is something like a pin poking them through their clothing? When a baby cries, it is always best to check for these things first. Then, you should also check to see if they are fussing because they are sick. A runny nose or a fever, or flushed cheeks might mean they are sick, or they are teething. These are all reasons that a baby might cry, and they should be investigated first, before you try anything else to make them stop crying.
If there is nothing that you can find wrong with the baby, and he is just fussy, there are some great tricks that you can use to make him stop crying. First of all, sometimes babies cry because they are bored. Try moving him into a different room, putting him in a different position, or even changing what he has to look at. Often babies will get fussy if they’ve been in one place for awhile, so try moving him around and having something different for him to look at.
Rocking or swinging motions are also great for stopping a baby’s cries. Remember that before the baby was born, he was used to constant movement inside his mother. So, if you can replicate this movement, he might be soothed. Rocking swings or bouncy chairs are often great ways to help a baby stop crying, and you can also do the motions yourself if you don’t have swings or chairs. Hold the baby and swing him gently from side to side, or rock him. These are all ways to soothe him and make him stop crying.
Sometimes, babies cry simply because they are fretful. In this case, one of the best things that you can do is distract him. If he has already discovered his feet and hands, you can try putting silly gloves or booties on him. He will try to kick them off, or pull them off and look at them. This is a great method of distracting and usually makes him forget that he was upset. Another great way to distract a baby is to put a hat on his head – especially if he doesn’t wear hats often. A tight hat, or a floppy one might be just that thing that he needs to keep him occupied.
Remember that also, a change of scenery is a great idea for soothing a baby. If you’ve been inside, try going for a walk outside, or even just sitting out on the front steps for awhile. Fresh air often calms a baby – just make sure that you’ve prepared him for whatever the temperature is. You don’t want him to get overly hot or cold in the process – that will just make him cry more!
Remember, sometimes vibrations are a great way to confuse and distract a baby. Try putting him (securely) on top of the washing machine while it is running. He will be distracted and enjoy the feeling and it will probably make him stop crying.
A lot of the time, when a baby cries, he is really lonely, even if you are right there next to him. Talk to your baby – about anything – in your normal voice, and he’ll be calmed. You can even read him your emails or talk on the phone to someone with him nearby. Your voice is often something that will soothe your baby more than you might think.
All in all, be creative. When you are trying to get your baby to stop crying, know that there are many things that you can try, and often some of them are going to work better than others. You just have to experiment – and remember – a baby can’t hurt himself crying, so if he has to cry it out, then he does.