When your baby was still in your tummy, you had all sorts of wonderful images in your thoughts. You imagined cradling him in your arms, hugging him warmly, and kissing his little cute nose. Little did you know that a part of all this wonderful things is the dreaded reality that babies cry and they do it with all their might. Of course, your baby’s crying was not able to diminish your love for him.
In fact, you love him even more. But you surely wish that there were some way that you can magically make him stop wailing. The good news is you do not have to own a magic wand to put a stop to your baby’s crying spells. All you need is proper knowledge about babies and crying, and these simple tips on how to calm your crying baby:
First of all, you want to know: why does your baby cry?
Babies cry for many different reasons, the primary reason being they cannot talk and that crying is their only way to communicate. So when they are hungry, tired, thirsty, uncomfortable, wet, sad, bored, scared, or in pain—they only know one thing to express all these different emotions, that is to open up their mouths wide and let out a loud cry.
One thing that could help you a lot in dealing with your baby’s crying is to know that his cries mean different things. Yes, there are some hints in his crying (plus in his facial and nonverbal cues) that will tell you what it is that he’s crying about. Recognizing these hints will help you respond immediately to his needs.
Here are some examples. When your baby is crying but his diaper is dry and it’s been three to four hours since his last feeding, it’s likely that he’s just hungry. If he’s tired, his crying will be like a whining sound accompanied by rubbing of eyes, decreased activity and yawning. Now, if he’s uncomfortable, it’s likely that your kid will be squirming or arching his back while he cries. Quickly search for the source of his discomfort and take it away from him. When your kid is in pain, his cry is sudden and shrill.
Tips on how to calm your baby:
• Hold on to him. Whatever it is that your baby is crying about, one of the most effective ways to pacify him is to give him a warm and comforting touch.
• Breastfeed your little one. Breastfeeding does not only satiate your kid’s hunger but it also has a soothing and calming effect on him.
• Distract your baby. Offer your kid various baby toys preferably those that are new to his sight and has bright and visually stimulating prints and colors. like educational baby toys. This is a good way to provide diversion especially if your kid is just bored or lonely.
• Rock your tot gently. What baby is not fond of repetitive rhythmic motion? Put him on his rocker or sway him gently and it will make him forget all about his fussiness.
• Let your kid listen to some soothing music. Lullabies have existed since time immemorial for a good reason. It’s because they are able to do wonders in calming a fussy baby and make it easy for him to doze off to dreamland. So if your baby is crying because he’s tired and sleepy, let him listen to soft and peaceful lullabies.
There are many reasons why your baby cries but there also many ways on how to calm him. As a parent, it is your duty to be able to recognize hints in his cries and respond immediately to his needs.
Tags: crying baby, baby’s crying, calm your baby, calming your baby, crying