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Soothing Infants

Soothing Infants 

Somewhere, a baby cries. Somewhere close by, two parents react… 

Honey, you’d better go check. 

Ahh, what’s the matter, little one? 

[Makes a silly face at crying baby. Baby keeps crying.] 

Oh, for crying out loud! — pun intended; pretty clever, huh? — What’s wrong? 

Arrrrrrrrrgh! 

What should we do? 

Any and all of these responses are possible — and likely — if you raised an infant. Perhaps the most frustrating thing about the situation, besides the obvious, is trying to figure out WHY your baby is crying. Sometimes the cause is obvious and can be easily addressed. Sometimes it’s not. But that doesn’t mean the baby can’t be soothed or comforted. As much as it might feel like it, you don’t need to be Nostradamus, Warren Buffet, or a psychic to do it. 

First…. 

Crying is Normal 

Knowing that crying is normal doesn’t always help when parents are tired, stressed out, or just plain worried about their baby. T Berry Brazelton, the famous pediatrician and host of the cable TV show “What Every Baby Knows,” did a study in 1962 that showed that baby crying tends to peak at about 6 weeks of age, with about 3 hours per day being the average, and we find that holds decades later. Crying generally decreases by one hour a day by 12 weeks. The hours when crying tends to peak are from 3-11 pm, which is often when parents are running out of steam!  

But WHY?  

Let start with the obvious causes: 

Hunger 

Most newborns  feed about every 2-3 hours, though on occasion, a more frequent feeding will be requested. It’s ok to try feeding first! 

Dirty Diaper 

While not all infants cry while in a dirty diaper… if the baby is crying, definitely check the diaper! 

Sleep 

Some infants who are ready for sleep may fuss and cry. The remedy: put baby to sleep. 

Teething 

Some infants will become fussy and cry with teething, but this is typically not until teeth begin to erupt at 6-8 months old or later.  A cool teething ring, pacifier, or appropriately dosed acetaminophen or ibuprofen may help.  

Discomfort 

Pain, itching, heat, or cold could cause a baby to cry. If you can find an easily explainable, reasonable, and treatable solution, then simple measures to relieve these situations can solve the problem. 

Illness 

This is certainly an important reason to check on a crying baby, since crying may be a signal that the baby is not feeling great. A mild runny nose or single episode of vomiting might help you to identify an illness. Significant symptoms or concerns (including fever in an infant less than 2 months of age) should be addressed with by calling the office. 

 Boredom   

Yep, sometimes babies cry because they are under-stimulated. Offer comfort, pick up, cuddle or interact your baby. To give your arms a rest, you might consider putting your baby in a sling or a front carrier. Over time you will get to know your baby’s temperament, and how much interaction they need. 

Overstimulation  

On the flip side, sometimes babies get overwhelmed by lots of noise and activity and need to reduce the amount of stimulation in their environment. This can especially happen after spending time in a larger crowd or being passed around to multiple people.  

Solutions 

Sometimes parents feel they know what’s causing the cry, and sometimes parents, despite the best of intentions and investigations, are totally stumped. If an obvious reason with a directed attempt to console an infant fails, or if you’re just not sure why the baby is crying, then sometimes trying these approaches may help: 

• Holding, rocking, patting, cuddling and general physical consoling often work. 

• Use your voice: singing, humming, talking, and/or shhhhhhhhhing. 

• Other sound: Sometimes music may calm an infant, and sometimes “white noise” like static from a radio or the sound of a vacuum cleaner or washing machine may do the trick. 

• A pacifier: even for breastfed infants, if breastfeeding is well established 

• Gentle motion: as above, in a swing, in a car seat in a moving vehicle 

• Reducing sources of over-stimulation, such as sounds, lights, tactile or sensory factors.

Will changing their diet help? 

Changing formula or eliminating something in your diet as a breastfeeding mother is very unlikely to significantly decrease crying. Typically, dietary intolerances are accompanied by other symptoms, such as blood in the stool or poor weight gain. Discuss with your Kids Plus Provider before making any dietary changes for baby. 

The 5 S’s 

Dr Harvey Karp’s Happiest Baby on the Block book offers the 5 S’s (Sucking, Swaying, Shushing, Side Lying [while held] and Swaddling) are also great techniques. The approach works best for infants younger than 4 months of age. Many of our parents think these techniques, and in fact the whole book, are an invaluable resource. 

Taking a Break 

Sometimes an infant’s cry — especially if prolonged, harsh, or in tandem with a sleep-deprived or emotionally fragile parent — can elicit unreasonable thoughts. (“I felt like I was at my wits end…” “I was so tired and angry…” “I wanted to toss the kid out the window…”) While this occurs in far more parents than will admit it, it’s also important to make certain that you, as a parent, have adequate support from your spouse, partner, and extended family. Sometimes you may even need to recruit friends and neighbors. 

I also tell parents that if you believe the crying does not require medical attention, but you’re not dealing well with the situation, it’s ok to place the baby in a safe location (like on their back in their crib) and for you to take a 5-10 minute breather to calm yourself.  If you still feel overwhelmed, then call a relative, friend, or even a medical care resource. You’re not alone, and there are plenty of people who can sympathize. And help. 

Crying and Babies… it happens. While it can be the source for significant parental frustration, with time, most parents learn to read their baby’s cues and respond successfully. These suggestions are excellent options for the times that you can’t. And, of course, just as a reminder: if you’re ever concerned that your baby’s crying is related to something significant, or their crying is interfering with feeding patterns, contact our office. 

Dr. Todd Wolynn is a former Kids Plus Doc