Soothing

the Babble Staff

Sometimes babies cry for no discernable reason. After you've eliminated all possible causes of the crying, there are some tried-and-true soothing techniques recommended by pediatricians. Fans of attachment parenting swear that "wearing" baby in a wrap or a sling not only soothes her when she cries, it also helps prevent crying. Others say that a variety of gentle motions, in combination with body contact, will produce an effect similar to baby-wearing. Additional methods involve sounds, oral or visual stimuli. Some recommend taking a drive in the car, as many babies are soothed by the humming and vibrations from the motor. Other parents say they've unexpectedly hit on certain sounds that soothed their baby: popcorn poppers, washing machines and hairdryers all produce the kind of womb-like white noise that tends to make babies feel safe and sleepy. Sundry other tips from the experts include rolling baby over a soft rubber ball, lying skin-to-skin on dad's furry chest, taking walks outside, and taking a bath with mom (although getting out of the bath without waking the baby up may prove a problem.)

"Calming techniques (except visual ones) are like re-inventing the womb that baby has been used to for nine months. Here are baby-calming techniques that we have found worked with our own fussy babies, and that we have been able to glean from experienced baby-calmers in our pediatric practice. Remember that your baby has individual needs. Try these techniques as a starting point and improvise." ...read the full article

"Babies cry. [...] It's one way they communicate. Since your baby can't talk, you may worry, "How will I know what she wants?" At first it can be difficult, but a large part of parenting is trial and error, and you'll soon learn to anticipate her needs and wipe away her tears. These are the most common reasons babies cry. If your little one is wailing, work your way down the list and chances are you'll find the cure." ...read the full article

"In many cultures around the world, it's normal for a mother to give her newborn a massage on a daily basis. In the United States, infant massage is a growing trend and, [...] many mothers swear babies really do respond to it, and are happier and healthier." ...read the full article

"I believe once our ancestors began living in villages and cities, they forgot that, since the Stone Age, babies were almost constantly jiggled and wiggled as their moms walked up and down the mountains. As you will recall, reflexes require specific triggers. The triggers for your baby's calming reflex are the sensations he felt in the uterus. It is my belief that this precious reflex came about not as a way of soothing upset infants but rather as a way of soothing upset fetuses! So if you've tried feeding, burping, and diaper changing and your baby is still yelling himself hoarse, it's time to try soothing him this "old" new way.

The most popular baby calming methods can be grouped into five basic categories: Swaddling, Side/Stomach position, Shhhhing sounds, Swinging, and Sucking. I call these the 5 "S's"; they are the qualities of the uterus that help activate the calming reflex. However, like all reflexes, even these great techniques only switch on the calming reflex if they're done correctly." ...read the full article

"Although there was plenty of snuggling, and a few moments of sleep, my pregnancy dreams had never included my baby's favorite activity: crying. It's amazing how much noise a 10-pound mass of human can create. And it's even more amazing how inadequate new parents can feel when they can't soothe their newborns. But there is help." ...read the full article