Their little fingers, tiny toes, little everything. When tired, they let out the cutest yawn you’ve ever seen. Even when babies feel tired, they may cry. And that’s okay, especially if you’re a first-time parent.
New parents prepare for their little ones in several ways, but can find it difficult to calm a fussy baby. Many mothers, since ever, have come up with variations of comforting their little ones. It’s your turn to take a look and learn from the five s’s guide to soothing a crying baby.
Swaddle
Swaddling is a method you learn before the baby arrives, and it’s something many hospital workers perform before administering the first skin-to-skin contact with the mother.
When swaddled, it creates a calming sensation. When wrapped, babies feel the same snugness as they did inside the womb. Not only does this method decrease crying, but it vastly improves sleep.
When swaddling, use a long thin blanket to prevent overheating, then cover the head if you want to. You should only wrap if the baby’s fussing or trying to sleep.
Side or Stomach
When discussing the side or stomach position, this often refers to the way the mother holds a child—either on their side, or over your shoulder on their tummy. This position is often debated among mothers, both old and new. However, the method’s completely interpretable.
You’ll likely notice which position your baby responds to by how quiet your little one becomes in either place.
Shush
Forget what you’ve heard before; babies don’t need complete silence. So, the shushing method involves more noise than you’d think, and it’s not screaming but white noise.
White noise creates hissing noises, which sounds very similar to the vibration of blood flow the baby feels when they’re in the womb. Even though parents can’t imitate the noises, a machine can.
Swing
A baby responds well when you have them in a position their neck and head feel supported. Swinging in your arms or a mobile, the baby feels relaxed. This method’s easy to learn and gets the baby relaxed and drifting off to sleep fast.
Suck
Sucking is the last “S.” The sucking action is a fun one, as you watch your little one fall into a trance all due to sucking on a pacifier. When you give the baby a pacifier or something to suck on, they feel transfixed and a lot calmer.
Additionally, there are other methods to help your baby sleep through the night. However, now that you’ve learned the five s’s to soothe a crying baby, you should know that these methods take practice, and not every baby responds the same way. So, if you’re ever finding your little one fussy or tired, try using one of these techniques.