The baby has arrived! Your precious little bundle seems perfect in every way. You bask in the magic of the moment. However, soon this moment is interrupted by an inevitable event – crying. Puzzled looks appear, blood pressures begin to rise and new parents (and even veteran parents) scramble to stop it.

Through crying, babies express what they need or feel. Hunger, discomfort, over-stimulation, over-tiredness, illness and even boredom are common reasons why babies cry. Crying is simply communication. Although it is a natural event, listening to your baby's crying can be nerve-racking and distressing. It is a universal challenge that every parent faces. Unfortunately, it is a lesson they do not teach in Parenting Class 101.

"I laugh about it now, but I was shocked by the amount of crying," says Carolyn Dickens, a recent new mother from Chicago, Ill. "I felt I had everything prepared. The nursery was finished, the clothes hung neatly in the closet, bottles, wipes and lotions were all ready to go. I was ready for anything – or so I thought. The amount of crying was such an adjustment!" These sentiments are echoed by mother after mother when describing that "new mom experience."

"I tried to stop Campbell's crying and immediately felt like I was doing something wrong," says first-time mother Michelle McClennan from Illinois. "Everything I thought would work, such as rocking or singing, did not suffice. At first, I was a little embarrassed. Then I was a bit panicky. I thought, 'Is this what it is going to be like?'" Michelle quickly began experimenting with various methods of soothing her daughter via trial and error. And during one magic moment, she discovered the positive effects of white noise.

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