Sometimes you feel like that precious little bundle of yours will never stop crying. You have tried walking with her, singing to her, feeding her and still she cries.
A crying baby makes us feel so helpless. We should be her protector, why can't we make her happy? While there is no magic cure, try the following steps and she may just settle down and become the baby you dreamed about.
1. Make sure her diaper is clean and she has no rash. A poopy or overly wet diaper can really hurt a tender baby bottom. If there is a rash, wash thoroughly and apply a diaper cream. If it is really bad, put baby in the bathtub for 10 minutes to make sure her little butt is spotlessly clean.
2. Is she constipated? If it has been a day or two since her last bowel movement increase her fluids. A little bit of diluted apple juice can help get things moving. Also the same warm bath as above can help loosen things up.
2. Is she constipated? If it has been a day or two since her last bowel movement increase her fluids. A little bit of diluted apple juice can help get things moving. Also the same warm bath as above can help loosen things up.
3. Bring some fresh lavender into your home. Lavender has soothing properties and might help baby calm down.
4. Sing a lullaby. Try to sing the same three or four and record them. That way baby always recognizes the tune and when you're not around a caregiver can play your sweet voice to help soothe your little angel.
5. Burp her. It's so hard to be happy with a big gas bubble sitting in your tiny little gut. Try patting her back for a good length of time. Sometimes it takes a half an hour or more to get that big burp out.
6. Feed her. Baby may be going through a growth spurt a may need to eat as often as every hour. Even if it just seems like you just finished a feeding try offering the breast or bottle. Especially at the 6 week and 3 month ages which are typical growth spurt periods.
7. Swaddle her. Swaddling is an age old practice of wrapping babies up tight to mimic conditions in the womb. A lot of babies are very comforted by swaddling and stop crying immediately. This link contains a video on how to swaddle a baby.
8. Pick up a copy of "The Happiest Baby on the Block". It's available in book form or on DVD. The entire premise of the book is how to calm a baby down using down to earth, common sense practices.
9. Lie her down. If you still can't get baby to stop crying and you feel yourself getting frustrated or anxious, put baby down somewhere safe like her bassinette or playpen and close the door for a few minutes. Take a few deep breaths, regain your composure and remember it won't always be like this.
10. Ask for help. You would be amazed how much mothers and mothers-in-law know about calming babies. Invite them over, hand them the baby and go have a nap.
Being a parent is the hardest job you will ever have and the first year of your child's life can be as scary as it is wonderful; as challenging as it is rewarding. Believe it or not there will be an end to the crying. Soon those awful baby wails will turn into sweet baby giggles and you will (almost) forget about all those long days and sleepless nights.
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