Crying Baby: Don’t Panic

how to soothe crying babyBeing a parent provide unique experience that can trigger a pleasant feeling when we deal with our baby. But sometimes it can also be the hardest thing to deal with. One of the first challenges parents face is how to deal with a crying baby. Crying is a normal and a natural part of a baby’s development. In fact, it's one of the first things that doctors and nurses look for as a sign that a newborn is healthy and alert. Crying is a necessary and useful behavior for all babies. The main purpose of a baby's crying, believe it or not, is to talk to you since crying is the only way babies have to communicate that they need or feel something. According to John Bowlby and Margaret Ainsworth, crying is primarily an appeal for the protective presence of a parent. There are many meaning of crying, but one thing that we should realize that crying helps to establish and maintain the attachment tie between babies and their parents.

Crying behavior in baby is activated primarily by separation and is terminated primarily by physical contact, unlike other attachment behaviors of babies, such as smiling and arms up, which are activated by social contact. The many replays of crying and the comforting parental responses it brings—disconnection followed by connection—help to create, maintain, and affirm the tie between the baby and the parent. Usually, crying baby will trigger the parents to right away handle the crying by trying to meet baby’s needs.

I have to inform to you that when your baby starts crying you have to immediately respond it. Many parents are afraid that responding immediately to their baby’s cry will spoil the baby. This belief is a common mistake--and a big one! You are not going to spoil your baby by giving them attention. In fact, if you answer calls for help, your baby will probably cry less overall. Sometimes the longer a baby cries, the more upset he or she becomes, and the more difficult it becomes to calm the baby. Crying too long will also make the baby getting into the stressful condition, and it will change their nervous system due to their brain is flooded by stressing hormones.

When your baby cries, first of all you have to assess the situation and meet the most pressing need. For example, you can change the diaper, feed, burp, or change position of baby. Once the basic needs are covered, there are many ways to help calm your baby, most having to do with providing reassuring contact and a pleasant environment. Sometimes there's nothing more reassuring and nurturing than skin-to-skin contact (tactile stimulation) and a relaxed environment. Following are the ways to soothe a crying baby:


  1. Pick up your baby. Hold him or her to your heart. The sound of your heartbeat is familiar and calming. A baby most often needs the comfort of being held. Babies who are held and cuddled cry less.

  2. Rhytmic pat. Pat your baby’s back or bottom. A heartbeat pattern or any other rhythmical pattern may be soothing.

  3. Breathe slowly and calmly. The baby may feel your calmness and become quiet.

  4. Gently and quietly, move your baby to a new position.

  5. Gentle stroke. Gently and repetitively stroke one of your baby’s body parts. Experiment with stroking directly against the skin and with stroking clothing on an arm, a leg, the neck, behind the ears, the bottoms of feet, or the back.

  6. Dim the lights, or turn the TV down or off.

  7. Rhythmic motion. Rocking your baby or walking him or her in a stroller may soothe him or her.

  8. Neck cradle. Cradle your baby’s face between your cheek and shoulder. Sway or rock your baby while you hold him or her this way.

  9. Turn on some soft music, slow dance and/or sing. Sometimes soft background noise (white noise) helps. Some babies are comforted by external monotonous noises such as vacuum cleaners, washing machines, dishwashers, or the sound of running water. If your baby is soothed by these types of white noise, try making a tape of the sound to cut down on your power bill.

  10. Monotone hum. Hum a monotone note over and over again. You might even find your baby humming it with you.

  11. Skin contact. Remove your baby’s shirt and lay her or him against your bare skin inside a robe or under a blanket, or even you can massage your baby’s body gently.

  12. Lying together. Lie down with your baby on the couch, bed, or floor. Try positioning yourself and your baby both belly-to-belly and “spoon” style with baby’s back to your belly. You can play with him or her.

  13. Wrap your baby snugly in a blanket, or you can wrap your baby swaddle-style in a blanket. Experiment with having your baby’s arms inside and outside the blanket.

  14. Take a warm bath together as the warm water may calm your baby.

  15. Distraction. Distract your baby with interesting sights, such as your face, other people, pictures, fish swimming in a tank, toys, a flashlight shining on a wall, a mobile, or even a “snowy” television, just keep trying to refocuses your baby’s attention.

  16. Trying to talk or read quietly to your baby.

  17. Lay your baby tummy down across your lap and rub his or her back, or sway your knees from side to side.

  18. Feeding small amounts more often may help.

  19. If your baby cries at bath time and is startled by water, wrap him or her in a diaper or soft blanket before getting him or her wet. Remove the cover when the baby feels comfortable.

  20. Taking a break is okay. If you feel yourself getting very stress, you can wrap your baby in a soft blanket, turn out the lights, place your baby on his or her back, close the door, and leave the room. Give yourself some time to calm down. Remember, it is never okay to shake or hit a baby.

  21. You can ask for help from your family and friends you trust to care for your baby.


Dealing with a crying baby is one of the great challenges facing you as a parent. However, it's important to recognize that a baby's cries have special meaning to you. Raising a child is a brand new experience filled with expectations and anxiety. Remember that babies were given the ability to cry for a reason. Their moans, shrieks and howls are their first attempts to talk to you. You have to stay calm in the face of their crying and remind yourself that crying is just a part of the healthy development of your child.

Regards

If you enjoyed the articles, you can sign up for our daily email newsletter.

baby

Comments :

1
rezkizuka said...
on 

hallo, thx for coming to bayi-anak. link nya udah dipasang. maaf, udah kelamaan ya. by the way, link bayi-anak dimana ya?
iya memang kalo ngatasi bayi nangis harus pinter2 ya. thx infonya. anak saya udah 2 tahun udah ga nangis2an lagi. ntar mampir kesini lagi. cya

Post a Comment

 
Google bot last visit powered by Bots Visit Yahoo bot last visit powered by  Bots Visit Msn bot last visit powered by  Bots Visit Add to Google Add to My Yahoo! Parenting Blogs - BlogCatalog Blog Directory Top Parents blogs TopOfBlogs DigNow.net Blogger Indonesia
eXTReMe Tracker


Recent Posts

Label Cloud