By the time Beth and Andrew brought baby Lindsay home from the hospital, she had only cried a few times. Beth was quite happy to think motherhood was this easy! Those first few weeks, Lindsay was the happiest newborn on the blockeating, sleeping, pooping, and playing with very few tears.
Fast forward one month later, "Yikes, what happened to our little angel?" cried Beth in unison with baby Lindsay's wailing.
The first few weeks of a newborn's life require many
adjustments. The sounds, the smells, the light, the temperature; in fact, the
baby's whole world is new. Remember, the baby was used to being in a small,
dark, warm environment with the very loud sounds of the heartbeat and the sway
of the mother's movements. It was that way for the first nine months of the
baby's existence. Now, it is all different. No wonder babies cry!
Everything is also new for Mommy and Daddy. New demands, new sounds (crying,
cooing), new sleep patterns (or frequently no sleep), and new feelings of love.
But there is the sudden, sobering realization that they are now totally
responsible for another human being twenty-four hours a day. Help! Where are
the instructions?
Nothing is more disconcerting to new parents than
hearing their baby cry. Babies cry for many reasons, and sometimes they cry for
no reason at all. First check your baby for the following: Is she:
Wet?
Have a soiled diaper?
Hungry?
Does she have to burp?
Is there a piece of string or hair wrapped around her tiny finger or his penis,
cutting off the circulation?
Is the elastic on her diaper pinching her legs?
Is her cute little headband too tight?
Once you have determined that none of the above is a problem; try the following tips to turn off those tears!
- Take a receiving blanket and put it in the dryer for four to five minutes, making it nice and warm (not hot!). Cover or swaddle your baby with it. Nothing is more comforting than a warm blanket.
- Swaddle your baby in the warm receiving blanket(instructions in my book). You can lay her in the crib, bouncy seat swing or car seat in this swaddled position.
- Place your swaddled baby on the clothes dryer and place her on her back or side on top of the dryer. Put one hand on the baby's tummy and gently stroke her face with the other. The warmth from the receiving blanket, the gentle strokes and the vibrations from the dryer will stop any baby's tears.
- Prepare a warm bath, testing the temperature with your elbow. Place your baby in the bath and gently pour water over the back of her head while singing your favorite song.
- Sit in your rocking chair and stroke your baby's cheek with your fingertips gently as a feather while rocking slowly back and forth.
- Sit in a chair and place your baby across your knees on her tummy. Gently rock your knees back and forth while rubbing her back
- Put your baby in the swing. Take one of your T-shirts and roll it up like a jelly roll. Place the shirt next to your baby's cheek on her shoulder and position it so she can also touch it with her hand. Babies are very tactile. What could be more comforting than something soft to touch that smells like Mommy?
- Take your baby outside. A change in scenery is not only interesting, but very distracting for a crying baby.
- Put your baby in the stroller and just wheel around the house. The motion will be very calming and it is great exercise!
- Try turning on the vacuum cleaner, hair dryer or put the radio on a static station, This type of white noise can be very comforting to some infants. Your baby is used to very loud swishing sounds in the mother's womb.
It is normal for babies to cry for any number of reasons. The important thing to remember is not to feel guilty. It doesn't mean you are not a good mommy or daddy. Try and stay calm, you are both new at this! Your baby will pick up on your stress and that will only make matters worse. Just relax and try the above tips. Before you know it, all of your tears will be dry!
Blythe is our Baby Expert and for more fabulous information from Blythe, check out her website at www.babyinstructions.com