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Home › Articles › Crying Issues › Fussy Babies

Fussy Babies

Taking It from Commotion to Calm

By Jenn Director Knudsen

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It's 3 a.m. It's night 13 of trying anything and everything in your arsenal to soothe your bawling baby. Of course she's cute. Of course she brings you endless joy. Well, maybe during daytime hours. Now, it's the wee hours, and you're beyond fatigue and clear-headed thinking. You're in Zombieland.

Looking for a way out? A way – or two, or five – to calm your fussy baby so that she and you can get some sleep?

"There are different methods that work for different babies," says Hilary Zalon, a mom from Santa Monica, Calif., and CEO of TheCradle.com. "The trick will be finding the right one (or combination of two or three) that will work for your baby."

Here are 5 "tricks" experts and seasoned parents default to again and again. Even a mind numbed by hours of crying – your baby's, that is – can recall these tried-and-true tips.

1. Swaddling

"To watch your baby go from inconsolable to peaceful, swaddle her tight to make her feel secure," Zalon says.

Call it "the baby burrito" if you must, but swaddling really works. Even for the craftiest of baby Houdinis, from newborn up to age 4 months, says Jennifer Walker, a registered nurse and mother of three sons and co-founder of Moms on Call. But for health and safety reasons, it must be done properly, Walker stresses.

Studies show that improper swaddling can lead to hip dysplasia (hip dislocation or unstable hip) and even inhibit breathing in preemies, according to Walker.

Jennifer Shu, an Atlanta-based pediatrician and mother, says to avoid smothering, entangling or dangerously limiting Baby's hip movement and development, select a thin blanket or special swaddling blankets just for that purpose.

In Heading Home with Your Newborn: From Birth to Reality

Pages:  1  2  3  4  

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