Calming a crying baby
Posted: December 30, 2013A fussy baby can hard to deal with and unnerving. Understanding why a baby is crying can help you soothe the child. Le Bonheur nurse Creedon Ryan explains some of the common reasons an infant may be upset and things that might be comforting.
A baby may be crying because he or she is:
- Hungry
- Too hot or too cold
- Uncomfortable
- Over stimulated
- Sick
There are many things you can do to soothe a crying baby:
- Hold the baby
- Rock, swing or drive
- Breastfeed
- White noise or quiet music
- Gentle massage
- Pacifier
- Swaddling but only when baby is awake
Remember, never shake a crying baby!
Creedon Ryan has been a nurse with Le Bonheur’s Nurse-Family Partnership for two years. She is one of the specially trained nurses who visit low-income moms in their homes throughout their first pregnancy and the first two years of their child’s life. The program aims to improve pregnancy outcomes, child health and development and families’ economic self-sufficiency. She previously worked in a hospital mother-baby unit.
