how to stop a fussy gifted baby from fussing

Loco for Motion

For baby, spending nine months inside Mom’s belly is literally like living in a mobile home. Even when you sleep, your body is moving, so when baby enters the world, lying quietly in a bassinet may seem oddly still and unfamiliar. Shaking things up a bit may make her more comfortable.

  1. Rock-a-bye baby: Place baby in your arms, stand with your feet slightly more than hip-width apart, and swivel back and forth at the hips. Your movement can be fairly vigorous as long as you’re holding baby close. When you get tired, use the rocking chair.

  2. Swing, swing, swing: Baby swings offer soothing, rhythmic motion that helps calm baby down. Just make sure the swing is designed for a small baby, as little ones may slump over in a large one.

  3. Get some good vibrations going: The vibrating motion of a washing machine or dryer has saved the sanity of many a frustrated parent. Place baby in an infant seat, put it on top of the appliance, and hold on to it firmly so the seat stays in place.

  4. Tool around the block: The smooth, consistent motion of a car or stroller ride, in addition to the snug comfort of a car seat or stroller, lulls many fussy babies to sleep.

Wrap It Up

A womb is not a roomy piece of real estate. Your baby is used to being packed closely in a warm, cozy environment. Emulating it stops tears and makes her feel secure.

  1. Swaddle away: Wrapping baby cozily in a thin, lightweight blanket with her arms across her chest has a wonderful calming effect. Swaddled babies often sleep longer and more soundly, too.

  2. Snuggle up: Try kangaroo care. This technique is especially good for preemies. Undress baby, lie down, place her against your naked skin, and cover both of you with a warm, soft blanket.

  3. Strap on a sling: It’s not surprising that the warm, dark, close comfort of a baby sling is a surefire soother. An added bonus: You can breastfeed anywhere undercover.

Bring on the Noise

A pregnant belly is not the serene sanctuary you might imagine. The inside scoop: Your baby can hear the pounding of your heart, the rush of your blood, and the gurgling of your stomach. For some newborns, silence isn’t golden.

  1. Turn on a fan: The soft whirring is music to a fussy baby’s ears.

  2. Vacuum up: Some kids are calmed by the jarring combination of noise and vibration.

  3. Hush with a “Shush!”: Your “shushing” sound mimics what baby heard in the womb. Say it directly into her ear, over and over again.

  4. Try white noise: Any machine with a consistent rushing sound has a soothing effect; recordings of waves on the beach, rainfall, or the sound of a waterfall will work as well.