7 Reasons Babies Cry and How To Soothe Them (PART 3)

We are getting closer to the end of this intriguing series on 7 Reasons Babies Cry and How To Soothe Them. I hope it has being of help to you as it has to us.

In case you missed the first two parts, you can of course read them Part 1 and Part 2 here. And remember if you have anything bothering you about babies, feel free to leave me a mail or make a comment and I will respond with a post. Thanks. Enjoy Part 3.

Try a different feeding position

Some babies cry during or after feeds. If you are breastfeeding, you may find that improving the way your baby latches on helps her to feed calmly without crying.

If she seems to have painful wind during feeds, you could try feeding her in a more upright position. Burp your baby after a feed by holding her against your shoulder. If your baby cries straight after a feed, she may still be hungry.

Let her suck on something

In some newborns, the need to suck is very strong. Sucking at your breast while you are breastfeeding, a clean finger or a dummy can bring great comfort. Comfort sucking can steady a baby's heart rate, relax her tummy, and help her to settle.

Give her a warm bath

A warm bath may soothe your baby and help her to calm down. Check the water temperature before placing her in there. But bear in mind that this may also make her cry more. In time, you will get to know your baby's likes and dislikes.

Don't demand too much of yourself

If your newborn cries almost constantly, she won't do herself lasting harm. But it's likely to cause you and your partner a great deal of stress and worry. If she's unhappy and resists every effort to calm her down, you may feel rejected and frustrated. But you are not the cause of her crying, so don't blame yourself.

If you've met your baby's immediate needs and tried everything you can to calm her, but nothing's worked, it's time to take care of yourself:

Put your baby in her cot and let her cry for a short spell out of your range of hearing. Take deep breaths.

Put on some quiet music and let yourself relax for a moment or two.

If you and your baby are both upset and you've tried everything, it makes sense to call a friend or relative for support. Give yourself a break and let someone else take over for a while.

Talk to your health visitor about coping strategies and local support groups or parent-and-baby groups. That way you can share your feelings and discuss ways of coping with other new parents.

Remind yourself that nothing is wrong with your baby and that crying won't hurt her. Sometimes simply accepting that you have a baby who cries a lot can help. You then won't wear yourself out looking for reasons for the crying, blaming yourself for it, or trying out endless potential remedies.

This crying is a phase and it will pass. Newborn babies are hard work. Being the parent of a newborn who cries a lot is even harder work. But try to get help and support when you need it, rather than letting things build up.

Be reassured that as your baby grows, she will learn new ways of communicating her needs to you. And when this happens, the crying will stop.

And we've come to the end of this series. 

CREDIT: BabyCentre.co.uk