Whether you are working 72-hour weeks or away on military assignment, coming home and trying to spend quality time with your little one can be stressful. You think you know how to comfort this demanding little creature, but you begin to doubt your parenting skills each moment your baby cries. How do you comfort him? Here are some tips you can try to ease your baby's distress and yours.

One step that you can take to help your newborn become more comfortable is to have her get used to your smell. "When a baby is first born, they are amazingly aware of the world around them," says Dr. Alan R. Greene, founder and CEO of DrGreene.com and on staff clinical faculty at Stanford University School of Medicine. "They have a very strong sense of sight, sound, smell and taste."

If you will be out of the home for an extended period of time, wear soft, cuddly nighttime clothes for about a week. Do not wash these clothes. During your time away, your spouse can place these clothes in the baby's crib while she sleeps. This helps invoke a sense of familiarity of you with your baby.

Having your baby listen to your recorded voice can help bond your relationship. "Babies can remember things they hear in the womb," says Dr. Greene. "They can recognize their mommy's and daddy's voices."

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