Most of the time breastfeeding and/or babywearing are powerfully effective tools to comfort a fussy baby.  As a nursing mom, I rely pretty heavily on the magical power of milk to soothe my baby. Although there are times when baby is fussy and for whatever reason nursing doesn’t provide adequate comfort. On that rare occasion, I might feel at a loss of what to do to help soothe my baby. In the moment, while baby is crying/fussing it is often hard to think clearly and react efficiently. That’s when a little cheat sheet of tips, such as the one below, comes in handy; a list of tried and true ideas that are typically effective for soothing a fussy baby.

Photo courtesy of Jazmin.V Photography

1. Go for a car ride

2. Take a walk (in stroller or baby carrier)

3. Bounce on an exercise ball with baby in wrap or in your lap

4. Babywear while vacuuming (my floors were super clean when my second was a newborn because this was his favorite activity)

5. Swaddle baby

6. Give baby Rescue Remedy

7. Give baby a massage

8. Give baby a bath

9. Change baby’s diaper and/or clothing (something may be causing discomfort)

10. Sing to baby

11. Put on loud music

12. Rock baby in a rocking chair

13. Call in reinforcements. Sometimes having someone else hold baby is helpful in changing baby’s mood

14. Change of scenery. Go somewhere…anywhere. Give baby new surroundings/stimulation to attend to.

15. Use aromatherapy such as a few spritz of lavender in the air or drops of lavender in a bath

16. Provide baby with skin to skin

17. Go into a dark room with white noise (we have a noisy bathroom fan that my middle son liked as a little baby. Sometimes I would sit in the dark bathroom with the fan running while holding him)

18. Tell a story. Sometimes just the gentle sound of your voice can be calming

19. Do leg exercises to release baby’s gas

20. Burp baby. (I remember one time my first son was extremely fussy for about 20 minutes and suddenly he let out a huge burp and then he was fine)

21. Change baby’s position. If they have been upright in your arms for a while, try laying them down on their back or tummy.

22. Provide visual stimulation in high contrast colors such as a blanket or toy to look at.

23. Change temperature of the room or add/remove layers of clothing

24. Go outside. A breathe of fresh air can be very healing

25. Take a few deep breathes and as much as possible keep yourself calm. Baby will react to your energy. If you are feeling anxious, baby will too. If you remain peaceful, that message will be sent to baby and can have a calming effect.

What tip(s) do you have to add to the list? Would love to hear your tried and true baby calming techniques!

-Sarah