Crying is your baby’s only method of communication and although not all crying can be explained, there are certain general reasons why babies cry, including hunger, stress, fear, and discomfort. Everyone has an opinion and will be more than happy to give it to you but beware of well meaning but misguided advice. If your baby’s crying is adversely affecting your health then talk to your pediatrician.
There are however a number of methods you can try to calm your baby before putting them down to sleep for the night.
The first thing is to calm your baby well before you want him or her to sleep. Lower the lights, play soft music and try to minimize noise. Keep windows closed if you live in a noisy area, turn off the phone or keep it well away from the baby’s room.
Many babies are soothed by being given a warm bath with a gentle massage. But it is important that when you take your baby out of the bath that they stay warm so make sure the room is warm with no drafts.
Once you have bathed and dressed your baby put on a CD of calming music and either sit and rock her or walk around and sway her in time to the music.
When you are ready to put her to bed make sure the bed is warm. Put the bedclothes in the dryer for a few minutes if they are cool.
Make sure there is no light coming into the room, as many babies wake up as soon as any light shines in.
In every culture and every country mothers sing and rock their babies to sleep. Don’t worry if you can’t carry a tune in a bucket, you’re baby is your greatest fan and just the sound of your voice will reassure her that everything is right with her world. The when you get tired of singing put on a favorite CD. It doesn’t have to be lullabies, any soft music from folk to classical will work. Just keep the volume low and numerous studies have shown that music contributes to the development of your baby’s brains neural pathways, which play an important role in her emotional and cognitive development. And if you play music that you like you will relax as well.
If lullabies or soft music aren’t calming your baby try playing steady low volume sounds such as a clothes dryer or a room fan. You can also find CDs of running water, rain or waves which often work and you can set the CD player to repeat so if your baby does wake she will quite likely be soothed back to sleep without disturbing you.
The ancient practice of swaddling sometimes helps to sooth babies. Wrapping her in swaddling cloths or blankets restricts movement while providing warmth and security.
But the most important thing is to be flexible, what works one day may not work another. If you find yourself getting really stressed try to take some time for yourself. Ask your partner, a parent or a close friend to take over and give yourself a break. Often an hour alone with no one else to worry about will make all the difference to your stress level and emotional well-being.
And, if all else fails, take heart in the fact that most babies outgrow their fussy period by about three months.
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