If you have a baby who is crying and who doesn’t seem to be stopping then there are a few things you can do to try and calm them down. If you don’t feel as though what you are doing is working then this can cause you stress too, and that’s understandable. The best thing you can do is take a moment to relax and ground yourself. If you can be calm then this will help your child, so be sure to keep that in mind.
Swaddle
One of the first things you need to do is try and swaddle your baby. It may take a few tries but ultimately, this can be a good way for you to help them to feel secure. If you are not too confident when it comes to creating swaddles then that’s perfectly okay. One thing you can do if you want to help your baby here is buy a swaddle bag. This is a good way for you to make them feel safe and it also gives you the chance to give them the comfort they need. Another thing you can try is holding your baby in your arms and then placing them on their left-hand side. This is a good way for you to help them with digestion and it also helps to give their stomach a little extra support. Gently rub their back too, and if they do go to sleep, remember to lay them down on their back.
Try a Calming Sound
Another thing you can do is try a calming sound. Sounds that help remind your baby of what it’s like being inside the womb can be very helpful. White noise devices are great here, but if you don’t have one then you can try the sound of a fan or you can try the recording of a heartbeat if you want. When you do this, you will soon find that it is easier for you to give them the help they need. If you want to bring your baby closer to you then you can also try and career them in your arms, with their head on your heart. This allows them to hear your heartbeat, which can be comforting for them.
Avoid Overfeeding
You also need to avoid overfeeding your baby. If you do then you may get them to go to sleep but at the same time, they may still wake up feeling uncomfortable. If you want to do something here to help them then try and wait at least 2 hours between one feeding and the next. If you feel as though your baby is genuinely hungry then you should always go with your instincts here. It may also be worth changing to a new formula if you don’t feel as though the one you are using right now is working. If you are breastfeeding your baby then you may want to try and change your diet to see if this has an impact on your baby. See if your baby gets less fussy when you cut down on milk products or even caffeine. If you don’t feel as though there is a big difference then resume your diet as normal. Avoiding spicy or gassy food like onions or cabbage may also wake up for some but you should take note that this has not been scientifically proven.
Keep a Diary
Another thing you can do is try and keep a diary of when your baby happens to be awake, and when they are eating or crying. Write down how long it takes for them to settle after each event and see if anything you do is shortening the time it takes them to calm down. Sometimes setting a timer is a good way for you to make sure that you are aware of how long each episode is lasting, and it can also give you some level of clarity over the situation. If you want to help yourself then make sure that you take the time to log anything that might have happened before the crying spell as well, as sometimes this can provide you with the information you need.
Limit Each Nap
Another thing you can do is try and limit each daytime nap so that it is no longer than 3 hours or so at a time. Keep your baby quiet when you are feeding or changing them during the night too. This can lead to less disrupted sleep and it can also stop them from being alerted and therefore staying awake longer than they should be. Little things like this can make a huge difference to their attitude during the day, so make sure that you keep that in mind.
Hungry
Could your baby be hungry? Even though it may seem as though they have only been fed recently, it’s a possibility. Lip smacking or moving their hands to their mouth can all be signs that you need to feed them, so keep that in mind. Growth spurts can also mean that they end up eating more, so make sure you keep this in mind. If you want to help yourself here then be sure to check the food they are eating before they are fussy too. Sometimes allergies can make your baby feel uncomfortable, and the symptoms might not present themselves as obviously as you might think. If your baby has red cheeks then this could be a sign that they have an allergy or it could be a sign that they are teething. Either way, it’s a good idea for you to try and make yourself aware of things like this so you can give them the help they need in the form of treatment or medication.
Are they Hot or Cold?
Dress your baby in layers so that they are comfortable. If you don’t know how many layers to dress your baby in then try and work from the amount of layers you are wearing. If you can do this then you will soon notice that you can give them the comfort they need. As you dress your baby accordingly, be sure to check their nappy regularly. In the first few months, your baby will wet and soil themselves quite a lot, so keeping on top of this is very important as it could be why they are upset. Some babies also have symptoms of gastroesophageal reflux, and this fussiness is often mixed up with colic. Get in touch with your child’s doctor if you suspect that they are fussy after feeding or if they are vomiting a lot. This in combination with an unusually dry nappy could indicate that they are simply not able to keep their food down, and therefore may need a bit of extra help.
Ultimately, having a baby who is crying all the time can be stressful and sometimes you may feel as though nothing you do is going to stop it. With that being said, it’s important to know that things will get better and that eventually, you will be able to look forward to a future where you can unwind and relax, knowing your baby is perfectly fine. It may be that they are going through a difficult time right now, or that they are simply needing a bit of extra help. Although all of this is fine, you do need to remember to take some time for yourself too. If you don’t then this can lead to you experiencing poor mental health, so keep that in mind.
Thank you for reading.
