It is normal for babies to cry since it is their way of telling you that they need to feed, they need their diapers changed, they are in pain, they feel discomfort, or they need to be carried and entertained. However, if your baby does not stop crying to the point where he screams until his face turns red and flails his arms and arches his back, it can be alarming and overwhelming. And you might catch yourself panicking, thinking of things to do in order to calm him or her down.
According to Rallie McAllister, M.D., a family physician, it can be frustrating, challenging, and scary especially for new parents to figure out what the crying means. If they are not able to pinpoint the reason why their baby is crying, they get scared immediately and they automatically think that there is something wrong with their child.
Since an inconsolable baby can make you feel powerless, we have narrowed down some tricks on how to calm your baby and stop him or her from crying until you figure out what they need.
Rock your baby back and forth gently
You can try to calm your baby by gently rocking him or her back and forth while shooshing in your baby's ear. If you do not want to carry your baby, you can put him in a sling and gently bounce him while you walk around your house.
According to Kristie Rivers, M.D., a pediatrician, rocking your baby back and forth and shooshing in their ear works because the calming response is triggered in your child's brain while he or she is being rocked or carried. This can cause your baby's heart rate to slow down and his or her muscles to become more relaxed. The shooshing sound that you make can help distract your baby so that they can focus on the sound instead of crying.
Turn the lights out
There are babies who find dark and silent rooms to be soothing, so the next time that your little one starts crying you can pull down the blackout shades and put your child in the swing and let him suck on a pacifier. The swing can give your child the sensation of being rocked and cradled in your arms, in a few minutes you might find your baby fast asleep.
This method works because babies can become overstimulated with all the lights and the noise of everyday life. Infants are used to dark and quiet confines, just like the womb. You can block out all of the stimulation to soothe your child.
Give them something to suck on
Babies usually soothe themselves with sucking because it can help calm their nerves. If your child is crying nonstop, you can help him find his thumb, his finger or his fist to calm him down. You can give a pacifier or a binky as an alternative. Once you have given your child something to suck on, you can sit on a rocking chair or you can gently place them on a swing so they can drift off to sleep.
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