How to Calm a Crying Baby

When a baby is just born, people often say that there’s no better sound than the infant’s first cry. That first shriek is a clear sign that the baby is responsive, healthy, conscious and finally here.

But what about all of the other shrieks after that? Several months after the birth, many parents and caregivers find themselves scratching their heads, wondering WHY the baby is crying now. Is he hungry? Tired? Cold? Hot? Bored?

A baby may cry for a number of reasons, so the first steps are to check to see if the baby is hungry, needs a diaper change or needs a nap. If everything seems fine, and you simply don’t know how to calm the child, try some of these tips to comfort your crier.

1. Create a Soothing Motion: Rock the baby in a rocking chair, vertically while doing knee bends, put them in an automatic swing, put them in a stroller and walk around, or hold them in your arms while you sway.

2. Create a Soothing Sound: Turn on a mobile that has music, hum or sing to the infant in a soft voice (our CEO, Genevieve Thiers, is a trained opera singer and can get any infant to sleep within 3 minutes–we’ve seen her,) turn on a fan, radio or white noise machine, or make a continuous “Shhh” sound.

3. Check In: See if the child is too hot or too cold, swaddle the baby to see if it prefers to be bundled (babies love bundling,) offer the baby a pacifier, or pat or rub the baby’s back.

4. Find a Quiet Place: Take the baby to a calm, dark room, give the baby a soothing bath, put the baby on a blanket and let him or her rest, or try placing them on their stomach if you suspect that they are colicky. Colicky babies, especially, are more comfortable on their stomachs.

5. Whatever you do, NEVER: Shake a baby, put a baby in a car seat or carrier on a washing machine or other surface, or leave a baby unattended. If the crying begins to hurt your ears, earplugs are a nice option that can soften the noise.

What have you found to be effective to calm a crying baby?

Photo credit: Pedro Klien