They say the first few months after bringing your new baby home is the best time of your life! .. Well yes of course this is true, however this is also one of the most tiring and stressful times that you will face as a mother.
Every day is a learning curve - You learn as you go and you start to recognise your baby’s signs for when they are hungry or tired. But there are many other things that they may want to tell you but can only do so by screaming, which can bring a whole new level of stress and anxiety into your life.
There is nothing worse then to hear your little baby crying and not knowing what is wrong or being able to give a ‘quick fix’ to their problem.
So.. How can you soothe a newborn baby? There are plenty of tips and tricks that worked for others, so why not give them a try?
1. Eliminate any obvious reasons for their distress - A full nappy, are they hungry, do they need burping, are they too hot or too cold?
2. Don’t be too quiet - Most of us assume that we must be super quiet around babies.. however they have been so used to the noise from inside the womb that again this may bring a comfort feeling to them. Talk as normal, play some music, or switch on the tv. This may be just what your baby is after.
3. Change position - If you or I felt uncomfortable then we would move position. In fact, we do this all of the time without noticing. However your baby can’t always do this for themselves, so if you are holding them then try swapping sides, try handing them over to Dad, or turn them onto their tummy.
4. Have a change of scenery - Babies can get cabin fever too and sometimes need a change, so go for a walk and get some fresh air.
5. Try a dummy - Im sure you have convinced yourself throughout your whole pregnancy that ’binky’ is not our friend.. however a sucking motion is your babies best friend!
6. Movement - Your baby spent the last 9 months being moved around inside your tummy, and now all of a sudden they are laying still in their cot.
Have you ever noticed that as soon as your baby is in the car seat in a moving vehicle they tend to drop off to sleep? Motion/movement has become a comfort for them so pick them up and rock them, buy a motion chair, or one of those vibrating baby seats. There are lots of alternatives out there for this.
7. Colic - There are many articles out there with all sorts of help for babies suffering with colic.
Colic’s exact cause is unknown, and thats why there is no one way to help it. Usually trying one calming method at a time to see if it helps is best. If it doesn’t, move on to another one.
8. Thats a wrap - Sometimes all you need is a tight warm wrap. Afterall the womb was not a very roomy place so try to recreate this feeling by swaddling them in a thin lightweight blanket. Swaddled babies often sleep longer and more soundly, too.
'Keep trying and keep perservering'
Annie x
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