Calming a Baby.

Being the mother of two very calm, happy and rarely upset children I feel it is only fair to share my secrets. That is not to say that my children never cry, throw tantrums or get upset, for they do. However when they do experience distress and discomfort I have found effective ways to calm them.

Before I go on further I feel it necessary to discuss the term 'calm' briefly. To be calm is a state of mind. It varies between people. Some people are naturally more resilient to stress hence they will always be able to remain calm easier than others. I am one of those people. I have successfully to accept that there are some things beyond my control and at times you just have to ride the storm the best you can. This relaxed attitude has assisted me greatly at times as a parent.

The number one rule for calming down a crying baby is to remain calm your self. It is well known that babies sense feelings through touch, hence ensure you are calm before touching baby. If possible take just a few pauses to gather yourself completely. Take a deep breath and get centered. This can be very difficult, especially after hours of sleep deprivation, but just remember that right now your baby needs you to make everything alright. Plus anger never rids anger so a stressed mum can find it hard to calm a crying baby.

Remaining calm at a screaming baby can be difficult but babies don't cry without a reason. There are the obvious reasons for distress, hunger, comfort, tired etc, but sometimes the reason may go unknown. Crying is the baby's way of communicating, it is not always very easy to understand or interpret, but it is not impossible. One of the hardest parts of being a parent is accepting the fact you can't always fix every problem your child is faced with, but you can make sure you are always there for them.

Parents need to take the time to get to know their babies. They need to practice active listening skills and empathize with their upset child. A comforting hug and an understanding ear might be all that is needed. Granted it may still take a long time but not everything in life comes easy.

I feel that babies are really just little adults, with a variety of emotions and feelings about life. As babies I accepted that there would be times when my children would get upset and I would not know why. When I saw the first signs of distress I would offer comfort and love.

Infant massage is a great way for parents to bond with their babies. It helps develop and foster a relationship which enables the parent to offer peace and calm to their children from baby to adolescent. Massage of the abdomen may be useful for a baby suffering colic. While a crying baby should only be massaged to assist with colic/reflux/constipation, a daily massage at other times will assist in the development of the baby's nervous system which may in turn assist with calming.

I like to think of babies as some form of reincarnation. I believe that some babies may have been here before so to speak and adapt to the world with great ease. While for others their soul is relatively new an inexperienced, hence why tooth growing is much happier for some and not others. I share this with you as I think it brings an interesting perspective to a crying baby.

The best way to calm your crying baby is to be there for them. You will know if they like to be wrapped up or uncovered. Talk to them, listen to what they say. Use massage as a means of developing a meaningful mutual understanding with your child and you will find them calm almost instantly.

Learn more about this author, Rhianna Suttie-Gunson.
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