How Do You Calm Down A Crying Baby?

There is no way out of this one. If you are a new mom, you should be prepared for all the baby cries and screams. It is their way of communicating whatever is going on in their lives. It could be hunger, fear, pain, need for sleep and maybe no reason at all.

Interpreting what your baby is telling you when she cries will be a little hard at first, but it is just a matter of time before you can figure it out every time she cries. In the meantime, you have a more pressing issue which is Calming down the crying baby. Or perhaps the two are dependent; if you sort out why your baby is crying, you will have succeeded in calming her down.

You, therefore, need to learn the right techniques of calming crying babies. In this way, calming any unresponsive, colicky, upset, hungry or tired baby will be no problem. You will be a baby whisperer in your own way. How do you calm down a crying baby? Well, keep it with me and find out.

For a fussy baby, swaddling is one of the best ways of calming her down. It makes babies feel secure just as they were in the womb. Those cozy nine months are recreated by the snugly wrap around them. Also, ensure that her hands are secure beside her as the arms might flail and then startle her.

Since time immemorial, toys have always had a special effect on babies all over the world. Introducing a toy to your baby can make her obey and do things you would have never expected her to do. Scientists are yet to explain the connection between babies and toys.

If your baby starts crying and you are finding it hard to calm her down, why don’t you try the magic spell that toys have over children. A unique baby toy like an elephant stuffed animals can do wonders in calming down your baby within a matter of seconds. Try this trick to calm down your crying baby and thank us later.

Making the “shhh” sound when gently holding crying babies has a way of calming them down. This sound imitates the whooshing sound that used to be all around her in the womb. Shushing sounds can be produced from various sources, one being you, or a radio with static. The only thing you need to ensure is that the sound has to be louder than her cries.

Babies have an insatiable urge to suckle. If the reason for crying is not hunger, then no-nutritive sucking helps babies soothe themselves. Here, you can use a pacifier (if she doesn’t spit it out), you can also help her to find her thumb so that she can suck on. The finger, pacifier or anything that goes into the baby’s mouth needs to be clean before going in.

Wearing the baby makes her feel the comfort of being close to you. In addition, as you walk around with the baby, your steps create a sort of rhythm that helps soothe the baby too. The carrier does not have to be of the bag type; it can as well be a sling. You just have to endure the baby’s face which will be towards your body.

I love this old-fashioned ritual of calming down crying babies. If you have a rocking chair or a glider, then put the baby on it and let the rocking motions sooth her sorrows away. This trick has been modernized with the development of motorized swings, automatic cradles and vibrating bouncy. These are meant to give you a hands-free baby calming session, as long as you follow the safety procedures.

The good thing is that it does not have to be your favorite song in the first place. Or better still, she won’t mind even if mommy is off key or off pitch. What she does know is that your crooning is the most comforting thing ever.

 A lullaby or a classic will do here. It is just the power of your voice that provides the soothing she needs.

My first born had this thing of stopping crying whenever I took her outside. Maybe it could work for you and your baby too. The change of environment, plus the burst of fresh air is a good baby soother and calms you too after hours of staying indoors. The walks outdoors are also a good means of exercises.

Sometimes what is making the baby cry is in the environment she is currently in. For a newborn, the new reality can be overwhelming for them in a way. It could be the smell, noise or the people.  

All these will make the baby overstimulated and become fussy. What you can do is take her into a quiet, dark room away from the all the commotion. You will notice that she will calm down after a while.

When your baby is still fussing even after feeding her, take her for what I refer to as a “bike ride.” This entails laying her on her back and playing with her legs (the motion our legs go through when riding a bike). These leg motions tend to relieve any stomach pains if that is what is making her fussy.

If your little one always has a liking for bath time, giving her a quick bath when she is fussy tones down the cries. You can even make bathing her a routine chill out time. And because she is a Princess, why don’t you add a little aromatherapy to the bath? Add lavender drops to the bath water to uplift her spirits, but be prepared for a play time up next.

Massaging a baby is another of the soothing rituals that I always employed to calm them down when they became fussy. Baby massage oil can be used, although not necessarily. When doing the massage, balance between a firm and gentle touch so that you are not ticklish on the baby.

There will come a time when the baby will cry inconsolably. Normally this is as a result of a condition called colic arising from abdominal pain. When this is the case, what she needs is a little pressure on her tummy thereby relieving her of the gas in the tummy.

One method is having her lay across the laps, with one of your knees on her tummy and the other one supporting the head.

This diet change only helps if it is food sensitivity that is causing all the discomfort. You would have to wait for a while for you to realize the changes. Try cutting down on the milk products intakes or caffeine and see if the baby still gets fussy. For formula fed babies, you can try different formula and see if there is any change.

As a parent, crying is part and parcel of your baby’s daily routine. On your part, calming her down when she does cry is part of the parenting job description. The best thing is that when it comes to soothing a fussy baby, the options are unlimited.

It does not have to be the ones I have listed above; it could be that you also have a secret weapon tucked somewhere. Use that and your wits to help calm the baby down. Mommy does not always like it when the little one cries.