My baby just cries, how do I calm him down?

From birth, babies can cry a lot, on average between 2 and 3 hours a day. Whether it’s crying from discharge, hunger, cold, or simply a sign of discomfort, a child’s crying is often badly experienced by parents, it can be disarming, even making you feel guilty. But rest assured, it’s completely normal for your newborn to cry. In fact, until he learns to talk, crying is your baby’s only way to communicate. Clear, a crying baby is a talking baby!

While all babies have periods when they cry more, remember that every child is different. Many studies agree that it is during the first three months of life that babies cry the most and that this crying is the most intense. Parents may not be able to calm their crying baby, even by feeding him, making sure his diaper is clean, or cuddling him. These tears are normal, you have nothing to do with it. The main thing is that your child feels the comforting presence of his parents.

How to decipher the cries of my infant?

After extensive research, several scientists believe that babies emit different cries to express hunger, boredom, discomfort, colic, release at the end of the day, pain, etc. However, this vision is not unanimous among experts. Indeed, more and more professionals believe that listening to cries above all makes it possible to measure a baby’s stress level rather than to determine their precise cause. According to them, the louder the sound or intensity of the child’s cry, the greater the baby’s distress. Parents are also able most of the time to guess the needs of their baby according to the sound of crying.

The causes of your baby’s crying can be various, such as:

• hunger;
• tiredness;
• discomfort (linked to heat, a wet diaper, a burp that is difficult to expel, etc.);
• the need to be close to one’s parent;
• the need to release one’s emotions;
• the need for stimulation;
• pain.

Of course, babies can also cry during a health problem (fever, nasal congestion, skin lesions, etc.) or when teething.

How to calm baby crying?

To easily calm your baby’s crying, here are some expert tips:

• start with talk to your child in a soft, calm voice. This voice, like certain sounds (white noise) or certain melodies already heard, is reassuring and soothing for him.
• Take your baby in your arms and hug him gently. Infants like to be carried, human contact allows them to relax, calm down, reduce their stress level and feel safe. You can also place your infant in a baby carrier or adjustable sling, this allows your baby to stay in contact with you while leaving your hands free. Several studies report a significant decrease in crying in babies being carried every day. This may allow him to fall asleep more easily.
• A baby tummy massage can provide relief and is completely safe. You can also place your newborn on his back, take his feet in each of your hands and pedal him by gently bending his legs towards his stomach one after the other like riding a bicycle. This technique relieves colic and stomach aches in children.
• For your child to calm down easily, provide him with a peaceful environment : turn off or dim the lights, reduce ambient sounds and avoid loud noises. Also avoid moving your baby too much. You may excite him further, while he may be expressing his need to rest. You can gently put him in his bed and stay close to him while talking to him and see if he can calm himself down.
• If you are breastfeeding your baby, you can breastfeed. Indeed, many babies calm down when they suckle their mother’s breast.
• skin to skin can also be radical against baby crying, especially on the first day. To do this, remove your baby’s clothes so that he only has his diaper and take off your sweater. Then take your baby in your arms against your chest and cover his back with a soft blanket so that he is not cold. Skin-to-skin has a relaxing effect on babies, allowing them to fall asleep more easily. The warmth and movement provided by contact with the parent’s skin can also provide relief from discomfort.
• You can also lay your baby face down on your forearm by placing his head towards your elbow and holding his buttocks with your hand. Take a few steps around the room, rocking him gently and massaging his lower back if possible. This solution is regularly used in case of stomach aches in the baby.
• Swaddling can also be a solution to your baby’s crying. This consists of wrapping a baby in a blanket to limit his movements. The feeling of wrapping reminds him of life in his mother’s womb and is very pleasing to baby.

The solutions to calm the crying of babies are multiple and specific to each child. When you become a parent, a baby’s crying can be very difficult to bear, especially if it is frequent. The exhaustion of the parents can sometimes lead to certain too abrupt gestures which represent a danger for the child. If you feel exhausted, overwhelmed, angry, or have negative thoughts about your baby: Do not hesitate to ask for help, talk to a relative or someone you trust to take over, contact a doctor or any health professional (if necessary call 15).

Journalist

Since May 2021, Pauline has joined the Aufeminin team. A journalism student, Pauline is currently on a work-study program and writes for the Aufeminin and Parole de Mamans websites. Curious and passionate, she…