Nothing can be more nerve racking for a parent than the wail of a baby who canít
be comforted. You can lose a lot of sleep and at some points come close to
losing your sanity. While everyone has their own ideas for raising children one
of the best things you can do for your baby is calm them naturally. Here is
some information to help you finally calm your baby.
Many parents and doctors will tell you to just leave your baby alone when they are crying. The philosophy is that if no one comes to help the baby, they will learn to ìself soothe. The truth is small babies donít have the emotional capabilities to self soothe. Yes, the baby will stop crying eventually, but only because it feels it has been abandoned and has given up on seeking help. A baby who isnít comforted when they cry believes their parents no longer care. This can destroy the parental bond and the childís self esteem. Letting a baby ìcry it outî may not always be the best option.
On the other hand, your psychological health matters too. Thereís bound to be the occasional time that you canít take it anymore and no one is around to help you. If you feel youíve reached your breaking point, itís all right to take a break from your child for a few minutes while you regroup. If your child knows youíre coming back eventually, they will be less likely to feel abandoned.
The best way to learn to soothe your crying baby is to get to know them. Most
of the time, the child is crying because something is wrong; theyíre hungry,
tired, grumpy, sick, bored, or have one of a multitude of other needs, and every
one of these problems has a different cry. If you spend time with your baby and
listen carefully, you should be able to distinguish one cry from another. You
can look for other cues such as facial expressions and body language. The sooner
you learn to interpret your childís crying, the sooner youíll be able to satisfy
their needs.
Sometimes, babies donít really have anything wrong with them and are just plain
upset. Here are a few suggestions for calming a fussy baby:
* Play music.
Many babies may also be soother by you singing to them or to
simple white noise.
* Use Lavender.
It is known to have natural calming properties; you could put
it in their bath, bedroom, laundry, or almost anywhere that the soothing vapors
will be able to comfort them.
* Use the 5 S’s.
Swaddling, laying the baby on its Side or Stomach, Shhing,
Swinging them in a mechanical swing or your arms, and offering a breast or
pacifier to Suck on will trigger the babyís natural calming reflex and help them
relax.
* Distract them.
Try to offer him his favorite toy or make quiet baby talk.
You may be able to get him to forget he was upset in the first place.
* Give your baby a massage.
A massage can be just as relaxing for your baby as
it is for you. Be very gentle with your touch.
If youíve tried these and other remedies, but your baby still wonít stop crying,
you should take them to the pediatrician just in case. They may have something
simple (but annoying), like colic, but itís best to be sure that itís not
something more serious.
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