Crying and babies go in tandem, as kicking up a royal fuss is the only means of communication they know to express their needs. It can therefore be quite exhausting to handle if you do not get to the root cause of the issue, which is completely normal as you’re also trying to adapt to your newborn baby. The best approach, however, is to take to the task as calmly as possible so you’ll be able to identify your baby’s needs as quickly as possible. In order to do that, here are some helpful ways to calm and soothe your baby whilst determining what their specific needs are. Pro tip — you can also find useful toys and other apparel in our hamper for newborns that can be used alongside these methods to help soothe your baby more effectively.
Swaddle Your Baby
Wrapping your baby ever so snugly in a receiving blanket is a great way to help them feel safe and secure. Swaddling is considered by experts to be effective in soothing a baby as it creates a comfortable, womb-like feeling — a familiar environment that they’re already accustomed to. Parents often find that swaddling helps babies settle down more easily and sleep more soundly. As part of our line of newborn hampers in Singapore, we feature 3-in-1 swaddles that also function as a blanket and a towel, all of which are adorned with adorable designs to help your baby feel even more at ease.
Turn on a Calming Sound
Source: Tinybeans
Babies can sometimes calm down to rhythmic wooshing sounds, which again, reminds them of the womb. While white noise machines are often worth the investment, you may also want to consider free alternatives that could work just as well, like a vacuum cleaner, hair dryer, or fan. Making gentle shushing sounds or even playing a live Youtube white noise video are all worthwhile options to check out.
Check if the Diaper is Soiled and Change It
One of the most common reasons behind your baby’s incessant bawling is that they’re sitting in wet or soiled diapers. In fact, infants are capable of creating as many as six or more wet diapers a day, so it’s fairly likely that they’re letting you know that it’s time for a nappy change, which should be one of the first things you check for when your baby is crying. As an added bonus, you may want to dress them in something snazzy and comfortable after cleaning up after them, like our range of sleeveless rompers that you can pick out as a wonderful newborn gift in Singapore.
Establish Skin-to-skin Contact
Skin-to-skin contact is known to help a baby’s body self-regulate, which stabilises the heartbeat and breathing patterns. This reduces heart and breathing episodes by as much as 75%, and even pain levels. Additionally, skin-to-skin contact lowers cortisol levels and stress hormones after just 20 minutes. This is therefore a rather useful method to calm crying babies down.
Introduce a Pacifier
Non-nutritive sucking is another common way for babies to soothe themselves, and although this doesn’t fill their tummies, it does calm their nerves. You can also facilitate this by helping your baby find their thumb, fist, or finger when they’re crying. Alternatively, you could offer your own fingers, too. A pacifier is an extremely useful tool for this endeavour, but do consider holding back from this until breastfeeding has become an established routine for your baby.
Dim the Lights
Babies sleep between 14 to 17 hours a day, and being deprived of sleep can make them cranky, which translates to lots of crying. If you feel like your baby is due for a nap, we recommend creating a conducive environment for a restful sleep, including keeping the temperature in the room cool, and the lights dim, as some babies might not be used to a room that is pitch dark.
Gently Stroke Your Baby’s Head
There is a specific way of stroking your baby’s head to soothe them that requires you to carefully follow several important steps. To start, stroke your baby’s head from the front of the forehead to the back of their neck, all whilst covering as much of the head as possible with your hand. Do pay attention to the frequency of your stroking — a rule of thumb is to stroke once for each breath you take. You can stroke your baby’s head while holding them, or when they’re lying in their crib.
Change Your Baby’s Outfit if They are Feeling too Hot/Cold
Uncomfortable sensations will make your baby cry, including feeling too hot or cold. Therefore, ensure that they’re dressed to suit the climate around them. Generally speaking, babies like to be dry and dressed warmly, but not overheated. Here at Pineapple!, our adorable baby rompers in our newborn hampers in Singapore are designed for optimal comfort for your baby no matter the weather.
Learn more: 5 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing Clothes for Babies
Taking care of crying babies can be a challenging and exhausting endeavour, but take heart in knowing that you’re not alone — there’s a whole community of experts and experienced parents with a wide variety of tools and tips to make parenting a little easier. Moreover, here at Pineapple!’s one-stop shop, our hampers for newborn babies also contain useful apparel and other items that enable you to better soothe your baby. They can also be personalised to suit the different needs of every recipient.
