Calming a Fussy Baby

Although not all babies will respond to the same methods of soothing, you may also want to try some of the following to determine what might best meet your child's needs:

• Pick your baby up when he cries. It's impossible to spoil a newborn baby.
• Snuggle your baby close to you. Try using a carrier or a sling. Offer skin-to-skin contact.
• Provide a change of environment. Go outside. Take baby for a ride in the stroller or in the car.
• Provide gentle motion; walk or rock the baby in your arms. Experiment with positions, combining a "football" hold with a gentle rocking action.
• Try nursing while walking with your baby.
• Give your baby a warm bath or a massage.
• Provide soft music or other relaxing sounds, such as humming or singing.
• Provide some white noise, such as a vacuum cleaner, clothes dryer, dishwasher, ceiling fan, running water, or a recording of environmental sounds.
• Try various forms of rocking, such as a rocking chair, or gently bouncing up and down on an exercise ball.
• Try eliminating bothersome foods from your diet if you are breastfeeding.

When it comes to dealing with babies, Dr. T. Berry Brazelton, MD, pediatrician and author of Calming Your Fussy Baby: The Brazelton Way, offers words of advice that have endeared him to so many parents over the years. He suggests that parents should follow their hearts and their instincts. "You try it out first and see what works for you." And remember, it won't last forever.