A crying baby can mean different things such as: baby is hungry, tired, wet, cold, hot etc… Babies cry very often because that is their only means of communication. It is very important to understand what your baby is trying to say; and know how to soothe your baby, especially when nothing else seems to do the trick.
While babies sometimes cry because of some forms of discomfort, every so often babies cry for absolutely no reasons, particularly in the evening. That is what many refer to as the witch hours. My daughter started her witch hours ever since when I was 4 months pregnant. She was extremely active during the hours of 5:30 to 12:00pm.
I can honestly tell you it takes a lot especially for a new mother to deal with a fussy baby. It took me a long miserable time, trying several things to finally know how to soothe her. Below is a list of the 10 ways that I found very effective when dealing with a fussy baby.
1. – Stay calm that is the most important tip especially for new mothers. The more you get upset the more your baby will cry. So try your very best to remain calm.
2. – check if your baby needs to be changed.
3. – Sing for your baby. For my daughter I still sing the same song that sang for her ever since when I knew that I was pregnant.
4. -Place your baby on your chest, and rub your baby’s back, and talk to your baby. Let your baby know that he/she is safe and loved.
5. – Push your baby around in the stroller in the house or around the block if it is not cold out. I don’t know what it is, but there is something about the sky that makes them sleepy and keep them calm.
6. – Lay your baby on he’s /her back and play with their legs. They like to ride bikes this also help with gas.
7. -Breastfeed your baby, it keeps them calm and help them fall asleep fast. If you are using formula give your baby a warm bottle of milk, warmer than usual. Warm milk usually puts my daughter to sleep super fast.
8. – While having your baby directly in your bed isn’t recommended. That is one of many ways find very effective however, this method is at your discretion.
9. – Walk around the house and put some music on. This really works for my daughter and many other parents that I know.
10. – Try changing your diet. Eliminate few things such as dairy, caffein…
Now If you tried everything to calm your crying baby but nothing seems to work, don’t get upset. A crying baby usually means a good thing. This is recommended for babies of 3M and up.
You can lay your baby down in a safe place and take a moment for yourself. Once your baby is in a safe place such as the crib, playpen, or even the floor, leave the room. Let your baby cry alone in a dark room he/ she will be fine trust me. Take a break for about 15 to 20 minutes. By the end of your break your baby might already falls asleep. If not give your baby the pacifier if you use one. This is a very harsh method but it is the most effective one of all.
I can tell you the first time I tried this method with my daughter, she cried for about 20 min. She was 3 months an 2 weeks old. It was the longest 20 of my day. I felt horrible for letting her cry but it was the best decision I’ve ever made. The next day I did the same thing she cried for less than 10minutes. The day after she already knew and did not even cry at all. That was the night when I started sleep training her.
Babies are much smarter than we think. If you stick with one routine they will get familiarize with it, and your life will get so much easier. I understand that last method can be harsh. I do not recommend it if your baby is less than 3 months old. Remember the fussiness will end at some point usually around 4.5 months so be patient with your baby.