Soothing a crying baby can be tricky sometimes. Some days she’ll be easy to calm down and other days it’ll be a lot more difficult. You just need to try your best to understand what your little one needs before she gets too upset. The quicker you’re able to calm her down, the better. Normally all it takes is a burp, a diaper change, a feeding or just the sound of Mom or Dad’s voice. Although, there are times when she will be inconsolable, and that’s ok! The number one reason for an inconsolable baby is colic, and there are even certain things you can do to help with that. Although, today I just want to focus on normal soothing techniques (not related to colic).
Look at little Leah! I can’t even imagine what she looks like with a sad face, but if she does get upset the first calming technique I would suggest is the swaddle. It helps babies like Leah feel safe and secure. Swaddling little Leah will help her feel like she’s back in her Mother’s womb. For most babies it helps them settle down faster and sleep longer. Some babies like to be wrapped up really tight with their arms tucked in and some like to have their arms free. This helps them self-soothe by sucking on their hands. However your little one likes to be swaddled, you’ll figure it out soon enough.
More often than not newborns like Leah learn to soothe themselves before they’re born. Lots of babies suck on their hands, fingers or even toes while they’re in the womb. She will continue to do this after she’s born in order to calm herself down. It reminds her of a nice safe and cozy place that I’m sure she misses. You can also try to encourage her to use a pacifier. Although if her Mom is breastfeeding she should wait on using a pacifier until breastfeeding is well established to avoid any nipple confusion.
Another way to soothe Leah is to carry her around, but that would be extremely tiring for her Mom. I would suggest investing in a baby carrier. With a baby carrier Leah can feel close to her Mom and the rhythm of walking around will help relax her. When she is this young it is safer to use a carrier that has her facing mom, but after she is able to gain control of her neck (around 3 months) then she can face the other way. Babies like Leah normally like being carried around like this, so if she fights it at first don’t give up…
One of my favorite soothing techniques is white noise. You might have to try a bunch of sounds before you find out which one she responds to the best, but once you do, it’s magical! Whatever whooshing sounds she likes will remind her of the womb. If all else fails you can try singing or making shushing sounds while you rock her.
If none of those work you can also try going outside. Sometimes the different sights and sounds can help distract her and help her forget what got her so upset in the first place. You could give her a bath, or even a little baby massage. Also try talking to her in a calm and happy voice. She likes the sound of it and it might be just what she needs!
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