Advice for coping with a crying baby???

[SASM]

How do you cope with your crying babies? When Ian cries we go through "The List": 1) Check to see if he is hungry, 2) Check diaper, 3) Check to see if he just wants to be held. My doctor and several lactation consultants have told us that babies sometimes "just need to cry" - after laying around all day and not doing much in the way of activities, babies just need to expel some of this pent up energy. This frustrates me because, as a mom, I want to ease his obvious frustration, but I can't!! What do you do mentally, etc. to get though this????

Sharyn
Mom to Ian Riley 01.29.03

[Rachels]

Snuggles, warm baths, a little chamomile tea, nursing nursing nursing. When Abby was little, swaddling and rocking really helped. Car rides help some babies. You can drink chamomile tea, too, or a little wine if you're losing it, and that can help. I think that you can't keep a baby from crying all the time, but you can make sure they know they're loved and soothed when it happens. This feels really important to me. I can't keep my daughter from encountering frustration in her life, but I CAN respond to her frustration with love and support and encouragement, and I work REALLY hard to do that.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[Momof3Labs]

Sharyn,

Congrats on Ian!! Your labor sounded awful - much worse than mine - but in the end, all that matters is that you are both healthy.

Two more things that we always check are Colin's clothes (sometimes we just change them, even if there is no obvious problem, like a damp neckline from drool - that works frequently) and his comfort level (too warm, too cold - he's MUCH more bothered by too warm).

Also, sometimes holding isn't enough - Colin always preferred walking to sitting, and we also had to play with his position. He has preferred to be upright (vs. reclined) since he was about a month old.

The other thing for you to know is that fussiness tends to increase around 3 weeks as babies wake up, and continues to rise until 12 weeks. At 12 weeks there is a huge burst of neurological development and fussiness drops off considerably.

I know that I didn't really answer your question, but maybe some of this info will help!

Welcome back!!

[COElizabeth]

James had to be moving, too, and also leaning forward, with pressure on his abdomen. He hated, hated, hated to be held "like a baby" or to lie on his back if he was upset. Also, if Ian seems especially fussy right after eating and shows other symptoms like arching his back, disliking being on his back, etc., he may have reflux problems, and your doctor could prescribe medicine that might help. But Lori is right, you are entering the period of peak fussiness for which it can be hard to find a cause. He will get better, though!

Elizabeth
Mom to James
9-20-02