How To Stop Baby Crying

As a new dad there is nothing more disconcerting or worrying than the sound of your child crying. It can seem like it goes on for hours and there appears to be nothing you can do to soothe them back down.

Babies cry for the following reasons.

1. They're hungry - Simple, feed them. We were told to fed our daughter every 4 hours but at night we kept having to wake her to be fed. In the end we left her to sleep as long as she wanted and fed her when she woke. This meant both my wife and I had some decent nights of sleep.

2. They've got wind - A simple rub of the back, quite firmly, in anti-clockwise direction with the heal part of the palm of your hand should soon have the offending wind back up and into your face. This is very important after feeding. To help avoid this altogether, along with a condition known as croup, is to use a medicine that helps baby's digestion. I would recommend Infacol (please bear in mind this worked for us but may not work for you, also I am NOT a medical person and have NO medical background)

3. They've got a dirty nappy - You should be able to tell very quickly if this has happened. The stench can be truly awful. A simple nappy change and everything should be all smiles and gurgling again.

4. They're too hot / cold - If baby is not hungry or dirty it maybe they are too hot or cold or ill. If baby is too hot or too cold this is easily remedied just add or remove clothes as necessary.

5. They maybe ill - Depending on the age of the baby will depend on what medication is available. I recommend seeking a doctor's opinion if baby is ill. They will be able to give you the right advice. This is always a very scary time particularly when your baby is very young (under 3 months old) and it's your first born. Apparently the second time round is never so bad as you've been through it once with the first one.

6. They maybe hurt - Babies are going to hurt themselves. Do not worry about it too much (unless they fall on their head or neck). Just by picking them up, giving them a cuddle and making soothing noises they should quieten down very quickly.

7. They could be overtired - A sure sign of this is constant rubbing of the eyes, and when being cuddled, burrowing into your shoulder. Again simply picking them up and giving a cuddle should be enough.

If none of these seem to be the reason and baby is still crying constantly here is what I have found to be a simple, quick and easy way to get baby to sleep (this particularly works well with very young babies - under 9 months).

Firstly take off your clothes so that you're semi naked and pick your baby. Babies love to feel the warmth of your skin and also hear the beating of your heart. It soothes them.

Next you need to stand up and start gently swaying from side to side. Don't move you feet, just rock sideways on your feet, changing the weight distribution on each leg each time. Your partner is bound to be able to do this instantly. It took me 2 weeks before I managed to get the sway right. Within 5 minutes any noisy and unhappy child should be well on their way to sleep, if they are not already there.

I hope you have found this useful.