After a long sleepless night and exhausting day split between breastfeeding, changing nappies, catching up on sleep and managing household chores, one thing that would give me jitters and goosebumps was the approaching evening. It was that time of the day when as new parents we would be extremely drained out and add on to it two infants who would just start crying ……for nothing! And we would look at them with tired helpless nervous eyes thinking- how to soothe a fussy baby?
Before I became a mother, I perceived babies to be like what we normally see in Television commercials – smiling, giggling, playing, eating, sleeping! It was only later I realised that there exists the other side – a fussy baby. Fussiness becomes difficult to decipher, you don’t know exactly what is bothering the baby. And it quickly becomes frustrating making you lose patience. Of course this is totally normal because now you have that mommy-hormone in you which makes it difficult for you to see the baby cry.
I remember our babies getting fussy at one particular time of the day (Thank God their time matched otherwise I would have ended all day handling crying babies). They would start crying inconsolably to the extent that I used to end up going to a corner and crying myself. It gets too much on the nerves, With postpartum changes, hormones doing funny stuff to your body and leaking breastmilk, at times I felt trapped (that sounds rude but it’s a natural thought).
Is it normal for a baby to be fussy everyday?
Yes, fussiness can be normal too. Baby crying at the same time of the day with usually the same intensity is somewhat normal. Normal fussiness tends to occur during the time when baby usually stays awake more – the most common time frame being evenings. The standard infant fussiness usually starts at about 2 to 3 weeks, peaks at 6 weeks and is gone by 3 to 4 months. It lasts on “average” 2 to 4 hours per day. Of course, there is a wide variety of normal.
But what makes babies fussy?
If you identify your baby’s fussiness to be not normal, it is always a good idea to consult the doctor for ruling out any underlying illness. Common causes of fussy baby are: Colic , thrush, diaper rash, hunger, nipple confusion, low milk supply. Other reasons of fussiness in babies are : overtiredness, overstimulation, loneliness, discomfort, boredom etc. Babies are often very fussy when they are going through growth spurts also.
How to soothe a fussy baby
Fix the basics
- Nurse the baby– This might sound too basic but as new parents , especially when you are sleep deprived, even most common things don’t click.
- Change the diaper– That’s another of those oh-how-could-miss-it kind of things, but I have encountered skipping on such simple issues at times.
- Check discomfort in clothes– Undress baby completely to make sure baby isn’t uncomfortable or getting irritated/hurt because of the clothes.
I remember seeing my son cry all evening and everything we tried just failed. It was only few hours later that we realised that the elastic of his new pants were tight and it was hurting his tummy making him cry his lungs out!
- Burp/ Gas/ Constipation – Oh what troubles these little ones have! Imagine you want to burp but unable to? How uncomfortable it sounds, isn’t it? Newborns, especially hungry ones, tend to take in a lot of air when they suckle. This results in gassy tummies, especially in very young babies whose digestive systems are still getting used to food. A gassy fussy baby grumbles and whines; learn your child’s expressions, you’ll figure it out before long. If they’re squinching up their faces, it may be pain. Before switching formulas or something drastic, try positioning them on their tummy. You can also hold the baby upright from underarms – it helps ease out the gas. Or place the baby on your thighs and gently rub the back.
Your Miraculous touch
- Hold baby– The baby might be wanting to feel you around . Just hold the baby close enough and walk around a bit.
- Give baby a back rub
- Massage your baby– It works great for general fussiness, gas or fatigue.
- Give baby a bath
Change the position
- Lying on back or tummy might make the baby uncomfortable. Try out new positions like holding the baby upright; kangaroo position.
Try “The Hold” position : Fold arms across the chest – Secure arms gently with one hand – Grasp diaper area with your dominant hand – Rock baby at a 45 degree angle With our babies, my husband came out with a trick- we realised they loved being rocked on our legs. So for hours together we would sit with our legs stretched with babies placed on top while softly swaying and rocking them.
- Carry baby in a baby carrier/ sling or wrap and walk around a bit in the house
- Carry baby in the “colic hold” (lying across your forearm, tummy down, with your hand supporting his chest)
- Lay baby across your lap & gently rub his back while slowly lifting & lowering your heels
- Lay baby tummy-down on the bed or floor and gently pat his back
Rhythmic motion/ Vibration
- Rock the baby, hold baby and gently bounce, sway back and forth
- Try nursing the baby in motion (while walking around or rocking)
- Bouncers/ Rockers – These work great for a fussy baby as the rhythmic motion calms the baby and helps soothe. You may check out baby swings or carry cot that come handy as well.
I figured out that with my son, doing light dance moves did wonders in calming him down (It helped me in terms of work out as well!).
Swaddling
Creating a womb-like atmosphere for infants helps soothe a fussy baby. It’s one of the most effective ways of controlling a crying baby. The warm feeling of being safe & secure would remind your little one of his home for 9 long months- your tummy.
Music
Ah well, isn’t that a solution to almost everything in this world. But you know what’s music to your baby’s ears- YOUR VOICE. Start singing lullabies to the baby. We used to read a lot to our Tweenies. It worked like magic in calming them down. Also it’s a great way to interact with your bub. You may read the post ” Babies & Books” Confused what to read ? Pick up these must have books that you should buy to start your baby’s first collection ; Read ” Five Must-Have Books for Infants ”
- Comforting sounds – Play some music (try different styles and types of voices to see which baby prefers)
- Turn on some “white noise”
Stimuli – or lack thereof
Newborns and infants are often overwhelmed by the volume and intensity of visual and audible stimuli. They’re accustomed to dimness, muted shapes and sounds before birth. So dim lights and reduce noise. Combine this with a light message or swaddling.
Break the monotony
Infants get bored too! With little or no movement, they spend almost all of their time (while awake) looking at the same ceiling.
- Change the room – During evenings get the baby to the living room or stroll in the balcony
- Take baby outside to look at the trees & sky
- Take baby for a walk in the stroller
- Go for a car ride
Teething remedies
If you notice any of those teething symptoms like drooling, slight fever, warm head, running nose- soothe your baby with a teether. It’s a difficult stage for your baby- be patient and help your little one cruise through.
You may also checkout these Five must Have toys for Infants. There are several ways you can soothe the little one. Trust me, a few might work for you some day while other times you would need to change your strategy. But the key is to be patient. Don’t hesitate in asking for help. Take some time out for yourself. Feel confident about yourself as a mommy. Just because the baby is crying, doesn’t imply that you start doubting your motherly- capabilities. By soothing the baby in different ways you are just reassuring the little soul that you are always there for your munchkin!
Go Mommy!
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