Tips for Soothing Your Crying Baby

So you had a baby a few weeks ago, and it’s been smooth sailing. They sleep all the time and hardly ever cry unless they are hungry. You’ve spent hours soaking up every second of them sleeping on your chest and feel like you are finally getting this parenting thing down. Then…around 3 weeks or so, they “wake up!” They stop sleeping all the time and they start crying…a lot. And you start asking yourself what happened. Anyone with me?

Soothing a crying baby is one of the most frustrating challenges for new parents. It’s so hard to figure out what is wrong and these sweet little creatures have no way of telling you. Now, I am only two babies into this parenting adventure so I am in NO WAY an expert, but I have learned a few tips that have helped bring a little peace to our house on even the fussiest of days. I promise, it’s going to be okay! 

Now, first and foremost you are going to want to make sure your baby’s most obvious needs are met. This includes them being well fed, wearing a clean diaper, and being well rested (these tips will help you get them to sleep if that’s the reason for their fussiness!). If you feel like your baby is sick and that is the reason for the crying please talk to your pediatrician. 

1. Baby Burrito (Swaddle) I’ve heard from several friends that their baby didn’t like to be swaddled. Now, maybe this is true, but stick with it and they will expect it. Babies like feeling secure & snug just like when they were in your tummy. Swaddling will become a cue for them that it is time to calm down and eventually sleep. There are two key elements to a good swaddle. The right blanket and the right technique. I suggest these blankets by aden + anais . LOVE them! They are a little pricey but will be worth it! I also started using these summer infant swaddleme for Sprout and they are so easy! 

2. White Noise is a game changer folks. Who would have thought that babies would actually LOVE a constant shhhhhhhhhing sound. Apparently the womb is loud and the world we bring them into is quiet…most don’t like it. They miss the noise of the womb, so enter white noise. Chickadee would be screaming her lungs out and the second you turned it on the screaming would cease and within minutes she might even be asleep. Plug it in and turn UP (we keep ours on the bookshelf that sits on the wall opposite her crib). If you are worried about it being too loud you can download a decibel reader app and don’t go above 65. Here is the noise machine we have, along with an app on our iphones for when we are on the go. White noise beats crying almost every time.

3. Pacifier Now to be honest these are hit or miss. Some babies love them others, not so much. For us Chickadee could care less about the pacifier, but Sprout is a fan. We use a WubbaNub and love how it sits on his chest and doesn’t get lost when he spits it back out. 

4. Lend a Finger If your little one doesn’t love a pacifier lend them your *clean knuckle, pinkie or even their own fist to suck on. 

5. Move It Move It A lot of babies like to be on the move. You can accomplish this in a lot of different ways! Some babies love the swing, others prefer a walk in the stroller, and another idea is being strapped into their car seat and driven around the block a time or two.

6. Strap them On Babies like to be close to you. Similar to swaddling it calms them down. I’ve used both the k’tan and solly wrap and love them both for different reasons. The k’tan is a lot easier to figure out, but it made of a little thicker cotton. The solly wrap is light weight but takes some practice!

7. Calm their Stomach A lot of babies have gassy tummies, and a lot of moms call this colic. Both of mine had lots of gas issues and their gassy tummies always led to lots of crying until they could work it out. With Chickadee I wasn’t prepared, but with Sprout, I was. Preparation for those unexpected new mom hurdles, like colic, can help when your little one arrives. Have Colief Infant Digestive Aid on hand in case your baby experiences colic-associated crying resulting from temporary lactose intolerance (TLI) in infants. Colief Infant Digestive Aid is a gluten-free dietary supplement for the reduction of colic-associated crying resulting from temporary lactose intolerance (TLI) in infants. Different from other colic solutions, Colief Infant Digestive Aid is not given directly to the baby, but added to the formula or breast milk before each feeding, making it easier for them to digest the milk by breaking down most of the lactose. If you are a breastfeeding mom like, me make sure and read the instructions about how you can give before nursing. You can learn more by visiting their Facebook & YouTube pages.

8. Go Outside Some babies really like a change of scenery, so whether it’s going for a walk or rocking on the porch, a change of scenery will ignite other senses and hopefully, calm them down.

9. Nurse If all else fails (and for me sometimes it did)…a baby who nurses is almost always soothed when given the opportunity to do so! 

10. Take a breath This one is more for you, because let’s face it…you aren’t sleeping, you aren’t showering, and you have a baby you sometimes can’t figure out. I promise it will get better! So when your precious little one is crying with no end in sight, and you have tried everything you can think of, remember it’s just a phase. Lay your little bundle in their crib and walk away to take a breath ( promise they’ll be okay). Don’t get frustrated, just breathe for a minute. Come up with a new game plan and then go back in refreshed to love on your little one. At the end of the day, all they need it YOU!

………

Colief Infant Digestive Aid is available online and at Walgreens stores nationwide. Hear from real moms on their experience with colic and how Colief Infant Digestive Aid helped in their testimonial videos. Also, please share your #ColiefMOMents and enter our giveaway for a chance to win a $500 Walgreens gift card, a Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag of your choice, or be one of five weekly winners to receive a package of Colief Infant Digestive Aid! Enter by August 14, 2015 here!

Colief® Infant Digestive Aid is a gluten-free dietary supplement for the reduction of colic-associated crying resulting from temporary lactose intolerance (TLI) in infants. Colief Infant Digestive Aid may help reduce the crying time associated with colic by breaking down the lactose in breast milk or infant formula, making it easier for infants to digest. To learn more, visit http://us.colief.com or LIKE the brand on Facebook.

This is a product-provided, sponsored conversation that contains affiliate links. All opinions, text and experiences are my own. Colief Infant Digestive Aid is a dietary supplement to provide relief due to colic-associated crying from temporary lactose intolerance (TLI). These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. The product is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease.

Want more easy recipes, fun activities for your children, and simple DIY tips? Sign up below to receive A Step in the Journey right in your inbox!

Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.