10 Ways to Calm a Crying Baby

Let’s get right to the honest truth, Moms and Dads. Babies cry – a lot. In fact, a newborn baby can typically cry for as much as 2 or 3 hours in an entire day. Phew! Why do babies cry? Well, at this stage, crying is the only way in which your baby can communicate and express themselves to you. Maybe they have a wet diaper that needs to be changed, or maybe they’re hungry, or too warm, or cold. There are several reasons why your baby might be crying, and in time, you (Mom & Dad) will become experts at deciphering your baby’s every wail, even though it might seem a bit overwhelming right at the beginning. For a basic understanding on why babies cry, click here to read our blog - 12 Possible Reasons Why Your Baby is Crying.

While there is no magic trick that can instantly calm a crying baby, there are a lot of helpful tried & tested techniques to help calm & soothe a crying baby. Let’s take a look at these top 10 ways to help make your baby stop crying.

1. Rock-a-bye baby
Put your baby in a baby carrier or hold her close to your chest and walk around while gently rocking her. A rocking or gentle bouncing motion can be quite relaxing for babies and may slowly get them to calm down. Accompany the gentle rocking by making a soft ‘shooosh’ sound repeatedly, that will help create a calming distraction for your baby.

2. Swaddle your little one
Swaddling aka wrapping your tiny one snugly in a special swaddle blanket, is a great technique for soothing fussy or even colicky babies. It helps recreate a safe, womb-like feeling for baby, and can even help them sleep longer. Learn how to swaddle correctly here. Choose from our wide range of luxuriously soft organic cotton swaddles & muslin swaddles that come in gorgeous colours & prints to swaddle away!

3. Turn off the lights
Newborns can get easily overstimulated, especially with all kinds of sounds & lights, things that they weren’t used to in the womb. To help your little one relax, take her into a quieter room and turn off the lights, while you continue to rock her in a gentle motion.

4. Try using a white noise machine
A white noise machine sort of mimics the sounds your baby heard while in the womb and can almost instantly help calm them. If you don’t have a white noise machine, there are a number of white noise apps available on your smartphone as well as videos on YouTube. Just make sure that you keep the sound of the machine low.

5. Give your little one a soothing massage
A gentle massage has amazing benefits for your little one. A massage can actually help release feel-good hormones, thus soothing your baby and reducing any anxiousness or crankiness. However, make sure you pick the right time to do this. It may only make things worse if your little one is already in the midst of a full-blown meltdown. Instead, calm baby with a massage BEFORE she begins to get fussy. The Softsens Calming Baby Massage Oil is a delightful blend of natural ingredients that’ll soothe your baby’s skin & senses.

6. If you’re feeling a bit overwhelmed, give yourself a minute to calm down before you soothe your little one
It’s absolutely normal to feel completely overwhelmed when your baby just won’t stop crying. Keep in mind, you too are running on less sleep than usual and still adjusting to your new routine. If you feel helpless and frustrated, take a minute or two to calm your own self. If possible, give your baby to your partner or a family member so that you can leave the room for a few minutes. If you’re on your own, place baby safely in the crib, close your eyes and take a few deep breaths. Or play your favourite calming music.

7. Make your baby wear soft, comfortable clothing

A baby’s skin is much more delicate and sensitive in comparison to adult skin. Uncomfortable, itchy clothing can be one of the reasons why your baby is cranky & irritated Therefore choose soft organic cotton and muslin cotton apparels & accessories that are GOTS certified, thermo-regulating, naturally anti-bacterial & UV protective to ensure that your baby is comfortable at all times! You can find them here

8. Try this simple baby holding technique to relieve gas
Here’ s a trick that many parents swear by. Hold your baby in your arms but make sure she is resting on her stomach instead of her back. Make sure her head is supported properly by placing baby’s belly on arm and head on your forearm. With your other hand, rub baby’s back gently in circular motions. This might help relieve gas and can also help baby relax and go to sleep. If your little one falls asleep, gently lay her down on her back in her crib.

9. Help your baby find her thumb or offer a pacifier
Sucking on their thumb or a pacifier can be quite calming for your baby and helps them self-soothe.

10. Take baby for a relaxing bath
Disclaimer: Not all babies love taking a bath. 😊 But if your little one loves bath-time, a relaxing bath might be just what you need to help calm your fussy baby.

In addition to these tips, here are some other important things to keep in mind when you are trying to calm your crying baby:

- No matter what, don’t ever SHAKE your baby. This can impact the blood vessels in a newborn baby’s head and can be very dangerous.
- If you feel that your baby is crying excessively or far more than usual, it’s always safest to call your pediatrician. This can also be reassuring for you, Moms & Dads.
- Try and maintain a diary of the times when your baby sleeps, eats, cries and is awake. By doing this, you will be able to track when your baby seems to cry the most. This might help you figure out a solution or make adjustments to your routine. You can even discuss it with your pediatrician.

While there will most definitely be a lot of crying sprees, there will also be countless moments of joy and love. Take each day as it comes, Moms & Dads. You’ve got this!