How to Calm a Crying Baby
At 3 months, the baby is too young to find an excuse to cry or to manipulate a parent. She is still crying for a reason, although there are more possible causes beyond being hungry or wet. It is still another challenge for parents to narrow down the reason.
Hearing your baby cry can be very stressful. This stress can build and become frustrating, so one of the most important tips for parents of infants is to be sure take some time to care for you, too! You can continue to pick her up to comfort her, but there will be times when you need to get something done and you just can’t pick her up.
To calm your crying baby when you can’t hold her, you might want to try a new self-soothing strategy. It sounds as if your baby is comforted by the contact, and misses it when you put her down. To help your baby feel comforted by close contact even when she isn’t in your arms, wrap a baby blanket snug around her and set her down on a cushioned surface, or seat. Make sure her hands are free so she can suck on her fingers if she wants to.
It may take your baby a while to get used to soothing herself without being picked up, so be patient. It’s important for her to learn how to calm herself and for you to have some time to do what you need to do.
To quiet a crying baby you should try these strategies:
Breast feed or formula feed the baby if they have not been fed in the previous two hours.
Check to see if you need to change the babies’ diaper.
Make sure that the baby is comfortable, that their not too warm or cold.
Sing or put on some relaxing music for the baby to listen to.
Sway the baby in her crib.
Go for a walk or drive with the baby.
Place the baby in a front pack carrier. This will give you a chance to take care of household tasks and will allow your baby to have the close physical contact she desires.
Lay the baby down so they can get some sleep. Crying is often a result from fatigue or over stimulation.
Recommended Resources:
Keys to Calming the Fussy Baby
Written by a pediatrician, this book offers clear explanations for your baby’s fussiness and suggests various strategies for helping you cope. Includes information on understanding your baby’s cries, colic, communicating with doctors, feeding and sleeping rituals, infant massage and avoiding burn-out.
The Self-Calmed Baby: A Revolutionary New Approach to Parenting Your Infant
The basic premise of this book is that all infants have the ability to calm themselves and that parents can develop strategies for helping their infants to do so. With a down-to-earth tone, Sammons gives concrete advice to parents of infants and uses examples from his pediatric practice to illustrate his points. In addition, he offers practical suggestions on a wide range of topics from how to manage the first few days at home from the hospital to breast-feeding, jaundice, and setting a schedule.















































