No parent likes to hear their baby cry. It’s not so much the grating noise (although if we’re being honest that part of it can get to a parent after a while) its more the fact that you just don’t like to think for one moment that your baby is unhappy or somehow in distress. Often, your baby cries because she needs something such as a diaper change or to be fed. There are other times, however, when she’s not hungry or doesn’t have a dirty diaper that she may need some additional measures to help soothe her.

Here are some things you can do to soothe your crying baby when feeding and changing don’t seem to do the trick:

• Examine your baby’s environment. Some babies can get over stimulated pretty easily, while other babies may need more stimulation. Pay close attention to the ways in which your baby reacts to various situations. Eventually, you’ll figure out which he prefers. Some babies will prefer a dark, quiet room, for example, while others prefer to have sunlight and plenty of people.
• Give your baby some movement. Some babies are very comforted by movement. You might sway her gently from side to side, or she may need more vigorous movement such as can come from a baby swing.
• Consider noise. Some babies are soothed by the presence of steady or rhythmic sounds, such as “white noise” type sounds. Some babies will be comforted by the sound of the vacuum or the dryer, for example.
• Don’t forget touch. Usually, holding your baby is the first thing you try to soothe your crying baby (after feeding or a diaper change, of course). However, sometimes he needs more than being held. She may need to be massaged, patted on the back or even close to your body worn in a sling.

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