Ever thought about calming or soothing your baby? How to soothe a crying newborn Baby? Everyone likes a happy & smiling baby. A newborn baby brings a lot of excitement & happiness to the whole family. But, there are times when the baby can get cranky and keep crying. Now how will you soothe and comfort a crying baby?
“I am trying to soothe my baby dear
Who does not want to stop crying for sure
I try this & I try that
All my efforts I see going flat
I again try cuddling & cajoling my crying baby
In the hope of comforting & soothing my baby”
— Rupali Paul (Mom Kid Life)
Soothing your baby can be quiet a task if you don’t know why your baby is crying. The simple way to calming & soothing your baby is to first know the reason for your baby’s crying.
So the first thing that you must find out is – Why is my baby crying ?
There could be different situations wherein your baby might cry. Let’s go through them and see how you can try soothing your baby in these scenarios:
Table of Contents
Hunger
Your baby can get hungry very quickly, especially if your baby is exclusively breastfed. Even if you keep your baby down just after breastfeeding, your baby can get hungry again if they have a wet nappy. Newborn babies have a very small tummy. As such, they can store a very little amount of milk in their tummy. So they tend to get hungry quite often. And whenever your baby is hungry they will surely cry.
Signs to look out for are lip-smacking, sucking fingers or rooting for your breast. A sure shot way to soothing your baby in such a situation is to breastfeed your baby. That should be very comforting for your baby. If your baby is still crying, try using a pacifier. Sometimes, babies can just like the feel of a pacifier and it might help soothe them.
For a better understanding on pacifiers, you check this website
Giving Your Newborn a Pacifier: Sleep, Safety, When to Use, More (healthline.com)
Sleepy baby
To help soothing your baby who is sleepy or overstimulated, hold your baby on your shoulder while gently rocking your baby. Sing or speak softly to your baby. That gives your baby reassurance with a calm voice. Sometimes it can also help if you rub your baby’s back. Try different positions to find one that’s most comfortable for both of you. You may also try giving baby a warm bath & a moisturizing massage so that your baby feels soothing & sleeps. See to it that you keep your baby in a comfortable cot.
Dirty or wet nappy
A dirty or wet nappy can make your baby feel uncomfortable and could result in your baby crying. Therefore is always a good practice to keep a track of your baby’s feeding & nappy pattern. Try changing your baby’s nappy in 2- 3 hours. That way you can be sure to keep your baby’s bottom clean & dry. It will also prevent from baby getting a diaper rash.
For nappy rashes, I used to use Sudocream for my baby & it had a good effect on her rashes.
Sudocrem UK | Soothing Nappy Rash and Skin Care Products
Colic or Gas
Having any kind of gas or colic can make your baby restless and give them a reason to cry. In such a scenario, you can try & comfort your baby by gently massaging on the tummy or even by burping your baby. Making bicycle movements with your baby’s legs when he/she is lying on their back can help release gas & make your baby feel comfortable.
Fever
Another reason for a crying baby could be that your baby is ill & has a temperature. Always keep a thermometer handy. If you feel like your baby is hot, check your baby’s temperature. If your baby has a fever do consult your doctor or midwife.
I would recommend visiting the NHS website for more information on what to do if your baby has a fever.
Soothing a crying baby – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
Other reasons
Sometimes there might not be any specific reason as to why your baby is crying or there may be reasons which are not understood. In such circumstances, try holding your baby near you & try to calm them by singing or talking to them. Sometimes a light massage might help. At times a cosy swaddle can also play the trick.
Each baby is different and what works for one may not work for others. You will have to keep trying what works best with your baby & act accordingly.
In conclusion, let’s summarize and list the 16 best ways to soothing your baby :
- Breastfeeding a hungry baby
- Try giving your baby a pacifier
- Try comforting baby by holding your baby on your shoulder
- Rocking baby in a rocker or using a rocking chair
- Sing or talk softly to your baby
- Gently rub your baby’s back
- Try holding your baby in different positions & see which is the most comfortable position for soothing your baby
- Sometimes even a warm bath can help soothe your baby
- You can also try giving your baby a nice moisturizing massage
- Change diaper at regular intervals
- In case your baby has got diaper rashes, try applying a good diaper rash cream.
- Try massaging tummy for a fussy baby
- You can also try burping your baby which helps your baby to calm down.
- Swinging from side to side slowly
- Swaddling
- Check the temperature in case your baby is not well & call the doctor if required.
Well all those above are the various ways in which you can try soothing your baby who is crying or is not comfortable.
I would again like to reiterate, that each baby is different & your baby will tell by their actions what is the best way to soothe them. Go with the flow. Learn to understand the cues your baby is giving you. Its their way to communicate with you. Everything will fall in place once you start understanding & reading your baby’s cues accurately.
So don’t worry your baby will teach you many things in the way to good parenting.
Happy comforting your little bundle of joy.
What methods did you use to calm or soothe your baby? I am eager to know all about your experience. Do comment below and let me know. Or if you want to email me you can get in touch by emailing me at admin@momkidlife.com Do share your views & feedback.
Friends, if you find the above information useful, do share with your friends & family who might benefit from this information.
Also, let me know about your experiences & what do you feel about my blog by commenting in the comments section. If you want to email me your feedback or want to just drop me a hello & a message feel free to email me at admin@momkidlife.com
All your comments, suggestions & messages are welcome ????????
It’s the hardest yet interesting part of life when you are too naive to understand your cutie’s troubles. A very detailed and well-written article that will surely help new parents to get through this quickly.
Thanks, Abhi for such lovely words. Greatly appreciate your compliment 🙂
You give some great tips! Thank you for providing this info. My daughter loved to be bounced as I walked around with her and sang to her.
Oh Thank you for appreciation. My son and daughter also loved to hear me sing some spiritual songs when they were upset. It kind of soothed them.
Thanks for sharing your experience.
These are great tips. Especially for a new parent who doesn’t have a bloody CLUE… or was that just me? LOL
Thanks Rachael for those lovely words. Happy to get a compliment from That Mama Club Admin. I Love TMC Blogs:)
Great tips! Definitely going to be helpful for new parents, great post! ????
Thank you so much Anissa
oh my this brings it all back to me. I remember my firstborn and how I couldn’t understand why he was crying all the time. I’m now a Mum of five and I’ve tried all your tips, which are really great and I think you’ve covered everything. having a new baby crying is so hard, but it’s always good to remember that it never lasts long. Looking back now, it might have been tiring and emotional, but it was all so wonderful I’d do it again in an instant. My niece has just had a baby so I’ll direct her to your page.
Oh that is so sweet Anne. You most definitely have very good experience of taking care of kids. Also thanks for directing your niece to my page. I am sure it will help her. Thanks again for your lovely feedback.
These are some really great tips which will help a lot of new mothers x
Thank you Della for your feedback.
Soothing a baby is such a tough task. So ridiculous to guess why they are fussy. Great tips there. Thanks for sharing.
Yes, calming a crying baby can be such a tough task. Thanks for sharing your feedback.
Very helpful tips nicely detailed. Regardless babies job is tough, a big wow! Xx
Isa A. Blogger
Thanks Isa for your feedback.