5 More Ways To Soothe A Crying Baby

Crying is believed to be the baby's inherent language which he uses to communicate with his caregiver. It is his way of expressing his needs and how he wants to be tended. Past studies have proven that an average child may spend 2 to 3 hours each day crying, and about one-third of infants exceed that amount of time.

At times a child cries to indicate an emergent need; but a lot of the time a baby just simply wants attention. This is when the trouble arises due to the fact babies vary in the kind of attention which they want. Because they are not able to verbalize, most caregivers have no easy way of knowing how to comfort them, leading to an inconsolable baby crying.

One new perspective regarding infant crying was shared by a California pediatrician, Dr. Harvey Karp. According to him, infants may have become adapted to the type of environment in the womb. An infant's inconsolable crying throughout the first 3-4 months of life, may in fact be the result of the baby missing the constant noise (e.g. blood circulating through the mother's arteries) and stimulation (e.g. gentle stroking and patting of the mother) of the womb.

From this presumption, new techniques to calm the baby have been developed. These methods are said to activate the baby's calming reflex by mimicking his experiences in the uterus. Much more research needs to be performed though, to make sure these methods are safe and effective.

1. Shushing audio

The whooshing sound of blood flowing through the maternal arteries in the womb can be mimicked by playing a recorded cd of rhythmic sounds of vacuum cleaners, clothe dryers, hair dryers, or dishwashing machine.

2. Gentle swinging

To duplicate the movement of the baby in the womb, a gentle rhythmic swinging of the baby in an infant swing, rocking chair, or a vehicle ride can make your little one feel contented.

3. Sucking

Sucking reflex does not begin until about the 32nd week of pregnancy. Satisfy this reflex by letting the little one breastfeed, or bottle feed, or supply the little one a pacifier to suck on.

4. Swaddling

At the end of pregnancy, the infant has attained a considerable size that makes tight-fit in the womb. Mimic this sensation of warmth and protection by wrapping your child snugly in a blanket.

5. Side or Belly positioning

Right up until about 6 months, the infant has an inherent startle reflex, also known as the Moro reflex, wherein in reaction to the sound or movement, the baby quickly extends out his arms and lower limbs, cries, then pulls the arms and legs back in. Laying the baby on her side or tummy shuts down the Moro reflex, avoids the child from the feeling of falling, thereby keeping him quiet. Even so, it is really worth mentioning here not to put the child to sleep on his belly, because this may increase the risk for sudden infant death syndrome or SIDS.

As mentioned earlier, a child's cry can just simply indicate an emergent need that warrants instant attention by his caregiver. Therefore, when the child cries, you should first check if the infant's basic needs are met. Ensure the following are checked prior to performing anything else to soothe your infant's cry: a) the baby is not hungry, b) he had been burped immediately after feeding, c) his diaper is not wet, d) his clothing is not too snug, e) he isn't too hot or too cold, and f) your baby is free from any crawling or biting insects in his crib.

Being able to calm a crying child feels like winning a lottery ticket worth a million bucks. No wonder any parent or caregiver will explore all the possible means to pacify his or her little one, no matter which and how long it takes.