by Vanessa Bartlemus

Created on: January 14, 2010

The sun is shining as you arrive home with your sweet little baby for the first time. It’s a picture perfect scene. Then, out of nowhere, your previously sleeping baby wakes up with a loud wail. What to do? Before this, the nurses at the hospital took care of everything and told you when it was time to feed your baby. Is she hungry? Does she need a diaper change? Is she too hot or too cold?

As a word of reassurance, you will get to know your baby’s cries…later on. But until then, here’s a checklist to go through when your infant starts fussing.

-Is he hungry? Before he arrived into the world, your baby never experienced the feeling of being hungry. He got whatever nourishment he needed when he needed it from the umbilical cord. So try offering your baby the breast or a bottle.

-Does she need a diaper change? Some babies are more sensitive to wet diapers than others. If your baby is one of them, change her diaper soon after each feeding, more often if necessary.

-Is something hurting him? Look for signs that he’s gassy, sick or uncomfortable in any way. Also make sure he doesn’t have any diaper rashes that are causing him discomfort.

-Is she too hot? Or too cold? Check the thermostat. Baby’s room and the house should be between 68-72 degrees. Also check your baby’s clothes. Unless she was born prematurely, your baby needs no extra clothes than you would feel comfortable in. To see whether baby is too hot, check her head for perspiration. Your baby should not be sweating. To see whether baby is too cold, feel her chest. It should feel warm. Many new parents make the mistake of using baby’s hands and feet as a guide to their baby’s temperature. Newborn babies’ hands and feet are usually cold because of their immature circulatory systems, so avoid the temptation to bundle your baby up because her feet are a bit cold.

-Is he tired? A tired baby will start to lose interest in what you two are doing and may rub his face with his hand.

If all the basics have been checked and baby is still fussing, try one of these strategies to calm her down.

-Go for a walk: a little fresh air and some sun can boost anyone’s mood. Weather permitting, take your little one for a stroll. The motion of the stroller and the constantly changing scenery will hopefully calm your baby down, and may have the added benefit of helping her fall asleep.

-Give him a bath: If it’s nighttime, a bath may help settle your baby down. Draw a warm bath and get in the tub with your baby, or set up his baby tub.

-Swaddle her: A constantly fussy baby may be missing the conditions of the womb. Swaddle baby up in a light blanket and rock her softly as you sing to her.

-Quiet time: Young babies can get overstimulated if too much is going on around them. Try turning off the lights, the T.V., and anything else that may be overwhelming his little senses and have some quiet time.

Learn more about this author, Vanessa Bartlemus.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.