All parents know the feeling. You’re baby is crying, you’re becoming overwhelmed, and you just don’t know what to do. Don’t allow ‘parent guilt’ to crush you. Crying is how babies communicate. It doesn’t reflect who you are as a parent, and it doesn’t reflect your love for your child.
Here are some tried and tested ways to cope with a crying baby.
Keep Calm
Unfortunately, many parents and caregivers become frustrated, overwhelmed, and some even tragically lose control when they cannot cope with a crying baby.
The best thing to do is to keep calm, and never ever shake a baby. Shaken Baby Syndrome is a very serious form of child abuse and occurs when infants and toddlers are violently shaken by a parent or caregiver.
Shaken Baby Syndrome can kill or severely injure a child and most often happens in response to crying. This is why the most important thing to do when dealing with a crying baby is to keep calm.
Coping with a Crying Baby
Here are some important tips to help you cope with a crying baby…
Is your baby hungry?
Sometimes in the moment, while coping with a crying baby, parents and caregivers forget that babies can’t tell them what they need. It could simply be that your baby is hungry. Trying feeding your baby to calm them down.
Is your baby tired?
Think about how we feel when we are tired. Babies will often cry when they are tired and need rest. Try putting your baby to sleep when they are crying.
Does your baby need a diaper change?
Babies will cry when they feel uncomfortable or when their diaper is wet or dirty.
Check the room temperature. Is your baby too hot or too cold?
Check to see if your baby is too hot or too cold by checking the room temperature and their body temperature. Imagine how cranky we feel when we are either too hot or too cold. This may be the same for your baby.
Cuddle and hold your baby.
You can never spoil a baby. Babies need to feel safe and loved.
Similarly to how we need to feel safe and love, babies need the same. So much so, that it is important for their development and survival. Hug and cuddle with your baby often.
Walk with your baby.
Think about how a change of scenery helps you calm down when you are feeling overwhelmed. This is the same for your baby. Sometimes they just need a change of scenery.
Gently rock and bounce the baby in your arms.
Again, you should never shake your baby. But sometimes gently rocking and bouncing your baby in your arms is all they need to calm down.
Hum or sing in your baby’s ear.
Help your baby feel safe by humming or singing a familiar tone in their ear.
Try soothing your baby with a bath or massage.
Water and the sound of water is known to be used as a soothing mechanism. Try soothing your baby with a bath or play ocean waves if they are crying.
Go for a car ride or go for a walk.
If all else fails, a soothing ride in a car or stroller often does the trick!
Stay Calm When Coping with your Crying Baby
If you are still unable to calm your baby, place your baby on its back in a safe place, and leave the room to take a few minutes to calm yourself. Check on your baby often, but remember that you will not be able to calm your baby if you are not calm.
In the moment, it will feel hard to cope with your crying baby. But staying calm, having a plan, and trying to understand why your baby is feeling the way they are will make all the difference.
Tell us about some strategies you use to cope with your crying baby!
