| How Can I Help My Baby Stop Crying? |
| Written by Tina Allen, LMT, CIIT, CIMI | |
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Page 1 of 2 Do you ever wonder what makes a baby cry?
As crying is one of the few ways babies have of communicating their needs to us, they cry about almost anything. They have a special cry when they are hungry, feel pain, have anxiety and are over stimulated. Even when they have gas, are exhausted, scared or frustrated, babies fuss and cry. It must be frustrating and stressful when they are doing their best to communicate to us and we don’t understand. Stressful not just for babies but also for parents, who by nature want to respond with action. But, how can we respond appropriately? To begin, feed your baby on demand, yes on demand. When you’re hungry, how do you feel? Would eating change your mood? Then feed your baby when they are hungry. Feeding on demand does not create spoiled children. Of course don’t automatically assume that your baby’s cries indicate that he is hungry. Just give the baby your breast and see what happens. If he still cries, check his diaper and if that’s not it, then try some of the following: Speak Gently: Try speaking softly and gently or even better, try singing. Your baby knows your voice very well and will recognize the tone and respond to it. Even if you are a little off tune, baby won’t mind. Research has shown that babies like the sounds of female voices but that does not mean dad can’t give this a try too! Relaxing Strokes: Sometimes babies cry because they just want to be comforted. Maybe they’ve woken up abruptly or something frightened them. A nurturing stroke can make a world of difference. Try holding baby and gently stroking his back. Make a Move: That’s right, try moving around. Babies love motion as it reminds them of being in utero. But what kind of movement? You might try walking, rocking, jiggling or swaying. |
