How To Calm a Crying Baby

Expand the description and view the text of the steps for this how-to video. Check out Howcast for other do-it-yourself videos from Janeen and more videos in the Baby Health category. You can contribute too! Create your own DIY guide at www.howcast.com or produce your own Howcast spots with the Howcast Filmmakers Program at www.howcast.com There's nothing more heart-wrenching—and, let's face it, sometimes nerve-wracking— than a wailing infant. Here are a few ways to soothe your sweet little crybaby. To complete this How-To you will need: A crying baby As much patience as you can muster A bottle for the baby (optional) A pacifier (optional) Music or noise that's soothing to your baby, like humming (optional) An exercise ball (optional) A warm bath (optional) And a baby toy (optional) Warning: No matter how frustrated you get, NEVER, EVER shake a crying baby—just a few seconds of jostling can cause serious brain damage. If you can't take anymore, put baby down in a safe place, leave the room, and let her scream while you calm yourself down. Step 1: Try to find reason Check all the obvious reasons the baby might be crying. In babies under 3 months old, crying is almost always a sign of physical need—she may be hungry or gassy or wet or hot or just plain uncomfortable. So offer a breast or bottle, burp her, check her diaper, make sure her clothes aren't pinching, and so on. Step 2: Offer pacifier or thumb Offer the baby a pacifier, help her find her thumb, or slip your own ...

Your Kid Is Crying! - Don't Panic! What Should Be Done!

When a baby cries it is only the physiological process. Babies do cry to communicate with one another. As they can not speak and express their feelings in words, they cry to communicate. Babies who are normal cry when they wet, are in pain or when they are hungry. If there are no people around the baby, the baby might cry sometimes. Some babies however do cry fro no reason. Family members do get worried when babies cry even though it is a normal process. As the reasons for crying may be very simple or go on to be very complicated, this cannot be left without any consideration.

Consider the following points when you deal with crying babies.

1. Do not shake babies vigorously when they are crying.
2. Do not use any clothes that are tight.
3. Open windows and let the fan turn when the room is hot.
4. When the nappy is wet, remove and clean with dry towel.
5. Stroke or pat the child gently and let them hear your voice.
6. Make them quiet by feeding them.
7. If the weather is too cold, cover the child in a soft towel.
8. Walk slowly around or rock the baby.
9. Make the baby listen to a doll that makes music.
10. Use a pacifier or let the baby use his or her thumb.
11. Change positions.
12. Walk outdoors along with the baby.
13. Rock gently on a cradle.
14. Let someone else carry the baby.

If the baby does not stop crying after all these, then check for the following signs. The causes for each of these signs are also mentioned.

1. colic - on pressing the abdomen, baby will resist or twist
2. earache - pull the ears, baby may push you off or may become worse
3. fever caused by infection - feel temperature with the back of your hand
4. allergies, eruptive diseases, measles, nappy rash or vesicles - look at skin form head to toe
5. coryza - check nose for discharge
6. head injury or meningitis - check head for stiffness of neck
7. increase in mucus in the wind pipe (bronchiolitis, pneumonia or asthma bronchitis) - put ear to chest to hear rattling sounds
8. crawling of worms, anal erosion, rectal polyp - examine anal orifice
9. erosion or any discharge - examine the genitalia
10. torsion of testes or orchitis - testicles may be tender or swollen in male babies
11. check body movements and see for any sort of rigors, convulsions, cough, vomiting or labored breathing

If you do find any of these signs or any other abnormal signs then consult a doctor.

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What to do With a Crying Baby - Will Picking Her Up Spoil Her?

Many parents ask if they should pick up their crying baby, concerned that they will spoil the baby if they do. My simple answer is "Yes, pick up and attend to your crying baby".

Picking up and attending to your crying baby won't spoil her/him. For the first few months, you are getting to know your baby and they are getting used to being in the world. By being responsive to her/his crying, you are letting your baby know that she/he is loved and cared for and that will give her/him security.

If you consider other mammals, the babies stand within minutes of birth and walk shortly afterwards. The human baby can't walk until she/he is 12 months old or so. That suggests, from an evolutionary point of view, that babies are supposed to be carried. Certainly, in developing cultures, babies are carried by their mothers, in slings or other baby-carriers.

In our developed world, we don't carry babies routinely, but imagine what a shock it is for your baby when she/he realises that she/he is alone and unattached in a big strange world. She/he will cry. Picking her/him up will reassure her/him that she/he is safe. Babies learn behaviours and by picking your baby up when she/he cries, she/he will learn that she/he is loved and secure and that there is someone always looking out for her/him.

Of course, babies cry to communicate - so you need to check your baby isn't hungry or wet or dirty or hot or cold. All the usual things. All babies cry and particularly over the first few weeks to months. Some babies have excessive crying and this is referred to as infantile colic. The most important strategy for managing colic in your baby is to maintain a calm and responsive manner with her/him - so, if all else is well,(ie. she/he has been fed and burped and has a clean nappy/diaper), a reassuring voice and gentle rocking will often settle your baby. You can read more on infantile colic at Baby Medical Questions and Answers

Sometimes babies are so tired, they need to be put to bed to fall asleep even when crying. You may have to do this occasionally with your baby, but only after you're sure that she/he is dry and comfortable and is not hungry and doesn't have wind. So, only after you've attended to her/his needs.

Parents sometimes worry that their baby will learn "bad habits". Babies are creatures of habit but they learn the patterns of behaviour (habits) that their parents teach them. If you want your baby to go back to sleep quickly at night after a feed, teach her/him from an early age that night-time is different from day-time and so you expect different behaviour at night-time. You have to act differently for your baby to learn this - you need to keep the lights low, have limited talking and no playing with your baby at the night feed. This will teach her/him what you expect. This will develop "good habits".

So, back to the original question - "Will I Spoil My Baby By Picking Her Up When She's Crying". It is important for your baby to learn that she/he is loved and secure - that is why picking her/him up when she/he is distressed and attending to her/his needs is essential over the first few months until you get to know each other. Spoiling a baby means teaching her/him "bad" habits and you can prevent this by teaching your baby "good" habits. For example, getting your baby into "good" behaviour patterns regarding night-time feeding is possible from a very early age - it is up to you.

Enjoy your new baby and don't leave her/him to cry.

Dr Maud is a pediatrician who provides easy-to-understand up-to-date health information and practical medical advice for parents of babies and toddlers on her website Baby Medical Questions and Answers.