By Leah Higginbotham
Your new baby is the joy of your life, but there are times when she cries and you honestly have no idea why, or what to do to make her better. Crying is her way of expressing what she needs. Pay attention to her and you’ll soon learn which cry means what. Here is a breakdown of what she is saying.
But as your baby gets older, you should be able to institute a few tactics that help to get you and the rest of your household a little more sleep. Getting newborns to sleep is not an exact science; every baby is different. But try a few of these suggestions to try and ease your baby into a routine of sleeping soundly and longer through the night.
“My stomach hurts.” When babies eat, they don’t just drink, they gulp. As a result of this gulping, they suck air into their stomachs. This causes gas, which can be very painful for your child. Make sure you burp your baby after each feeding. If she still suffers after you’ve burped her, try burping her again. Get the gas out. If that doesn’t work, they have gas drops for infants that you can buy at any local grocery store.
“I’m wet.” Your baby likes sitting in a dirty diaper about as much as you would like it. If she has soiled her diaper she will cry until she is comfortable again. Make sure you check her diaper often. If you know she’s pooped, don’t wait to change it. This will cause her to cry, and it will cause diaper rash.
Let her watch something that moves. Babies seem to like repetitive motion. If you place her underneath a fan or something that moves, continually following the same pattern, she may just calm down. While you don’t notice these things in your home, your baby does. Unless she is completely freaking out, the fan will probably keep her interest.
There are times when baby just wants mom to hold her. It’s a good idea to invest in a newborn sling so you can hold her and still use your hands. Newborn slings cradle baby next to your body, much like she would be cradled if you were holding her in your arms.
If you try these things and she still keeps crying, she may be tired. Baby will cry if she’s over stimulated. Calm her down, speak softly to her, sing her a song, and let her sleep. She’ll wake up happier. Remember, every once in a while your baby will just cry. Be calm and just love her. The crying won’t last forever, guaranteed.
About the Author:
Kat Hafen writes for many baby and family online publications including HugaMonkey. Kat is an avid over the shoulder baby holder supporter because of the positive impact it can have on babies. For more information regarding over the shoulder baby holders, visit HugaMonkey.