“If that baby cries one more time I swear I might start to cry.”
If I had a dollar for every time I said that I’d be sipping Martinis on Leonardo DiCaprio’s yacht right now. And I know I’m not the only one. It’s a burden we parents must bare.
Don’t worry, it gets better. Then it gets worse again. Then better! …Then worse… again.
But someone once told me, “If you’re story has a bad ending, then it’s not the end.” I’m pretty sure that was from a fictional, fairytale movie on Netflix, but it can apply here too, right?
If there is one thing I learned after going through not one, not two, but three newborn stages with three different babies, it’s how to successfully soothe a newborn baby.
Want to stop that crying and reclaim your sanity? I feel your pain. And that’s exactly why I’ve given you all the tips right here, so you don’t have to do it three times to figure it out on your own.
Why? Because the world can always use one more sane parent.
Oh, and one more thing, I know you don’t have all the time in the world to sit here and read a list of 30 things you could try. So, I’m going to make it easy on you and give you seven of the tops ways to soothe your sweet, noisy baby.
- Movement
Rocking, swinging, swaying, dancing, try it all. At one point, I think I did all of those at once and for a month straight that was all that worked to soothe my first child. On the upside, it’s a great workout!
- Noise
Your baby is used to hearing constant noise from your body or you or your spouse talking. So turn on a fan, hush her with a “shush” noise, use a white noise machine, or just simply try talking to her. Even have your spouse try talking to her. Sometimes the source of the voice makes all the difference.
- Cozy up
The womb is a very tight place. So tight there isn’t much room for your baby to move. I’m getting claustrophobic just thinking about it. Anyway, try swaddling, snuggling, or putting your baby in a body sling. It’ll remind her of her days in the safe, warm womb.
- Colic or gas?
It could be colic if your baby cries inconsolably for 3 or more hours per day. One out of every five babies develops colic. It usually peaks at around six weeks and can resolve itself by 3 months. If it is colic and you’re breastfeeding, watch your dairy, caffeine, and onion intake, as well as any other food on the face of the planet. Okay, so that’s not realistic, but that’s what it felt like. I’m sure you can relate!
If gas is the culprit, lay your baby down across your knees and gently rub her back. I used to make a bicycle motion with my kids’ legs and that worked wonders. If nothing seems to work for you then ask your doctor about using gas drops for your baby.
- Sucking
Some babies find sucking to be so soothing that giving your little one a binky may just be the answer. And according to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), there’s nothing wrong with giving a newborn a pacifier.
If you breastfeed, you may have noticed that your little one sometimes likes to nurse just for comfort rather than to eat. With my kiddos, I tried breastfeeding for as long as possible so that anytime any one of my babies got a bump or bruise, I’d go straight to breastfeeding. Yes, it was that easy to make the crying stop, and no, I’m not ashamed of it one bit!
- Basic needs
The baby might have itchy clothes and want a new outfit, or she could be too hot or too cold, or she may be too stimulated by either lights or noise.
- Boredom
Try switching with your partner. She may be tired of looking at your old mug (the truth hurts!). She may just want a change of scenery. Try going outside.
The Takeaway
There are dozens upon dozens of reasons why your baby cries. Think about why you cry as an adult. Sometimes it is for no reason at all, right? Cut your baby some slack. They are experiencing a lot of uncomfortable changes all at one time and so suddenly, too.
But also give yourself some slack. It is not easy trying to find out why your baby is so upset. God forbid it is because that precious little bundle of joy is in pain. They can’t tell you what they need, so crying is the only way to express that there is a need.
But let’s be real, sometimes we like the sound of our own voice. Your baby might, too. There may be no real reason why she is crying other than to test out those lungs of hers.
If you want to know how to successfully soothe a newborn baby, you can follow the list above. But where you’ll really see the difference is when you trust your gut instinct.
You go momma!
