How to Calm a Crying Baby When Nothing Else Works

Please, God, make it stop. If you've ever had a baby, you know that feeling all too well. Like your ears are about to start bleeding and your eyes want to explode out of their sockets because of the sheer force of the sound that's been assaulting your brain for what feels like a hundred years now.

You may have tried everything and I mean EVERYTHING, to calm down your fussy little one, but nothing seems to work. Sound familiar?

Well, stay tuned. we'll teach you how to calm a crying baby when nothing else works.

Swaddle the baby.

One way to calm a crying baby is to swaddle it. Swaddling can give the baby a sense of security and it may be all the baby needs to stop crying and fall asleep. To swaddle a baby, get out a thin blanket.

Lay the blanket on a flat surface, like your bed or couch, so that one corner is pointing up toward you. Place the baby on its back in the center of the blanket so that its head is by your hand (the hand closest to you) and its feet are by your other hand (the hand farthest away from you).

Then wrap one side of the blanket over the baby's body and tuck it under his or her far arm. Take the bottom corner of this same side of the blanket and pull it up over his or her body as well, wrapping both sides across his/her chest and tucking them under his/her other arm. Pull up this last corner so that it covers all but their neck, leaving the room so they can breathe freely. As with everything you do with babies, be gentle.

Bounce, rock, or walk with the baby.

Bouncing, rocking, and walking with a crying baby can help soothe him or her. You can try it while you're holding the baby, or if that's not possible, try placing the baby in a stroller and bouncing the stroller while you walk.

To rock your baby in your arms:

  • Hold your baby close against your body with his or her head cradled in the crook of one arm.
  • Use the other arm to gently bounce up and down on the balls of your feet (or rock forward and back) for several minutes until the crying stops.
  • If this isn't working after a few minutes, try switching arms.

To walk with a crying baby:

  • Walk slowly around an open room while holding your little one tightly against your chest. You might also find that it helps to sway side-to-side as you walk to mimic what it feels like to be rocked in someone's arms. Or if you want to take things up a notch, consider dancing, just make sure to hold on tight.

Talk to your baby in a soothing voice.

One way to calm your baby is to talk to her in a soothing voice. Try talking in a soft, low-pitched tone and speak with a relaxed cadence. You can talk about anything that's pleasant to you, whether it's singing songs or reciting nursery rhymes, or reading poems or stories.

Talk slowly and rhythmically. You can talk about what you're doing as you go about your routine, like telling the baby what you're going to do next when changing his diapers.

The important part is that these words are coming from a calm place inside of you. It's best if the environment is quiet when you do this so that all of your attention is focused on the baby and vice versa.

Play calming music or white noise.

If your baby is crying and you know they're not hurt or hungry, try playing some music or singing a lullaby. Some studies suggest that babies respond well to music, especially if it features a steady beat.

You can also try playing white noise in the background, which may help drown out other sounds that might be bothering your infant. Just make sure the music isn't too loud.

If you have to raise your voice to be heard over the music, it's too loud for them.

Try a warm bath and massage.

Babies love warm water. A bath is a good way to make your baby feel safe and secure. It can also help you relax, which will further soothe your child.

The water should be warm but not hot; too-hot water can burn your baby's skin, even if the water feels comfortable to you. Warm water also makes it easier for you to massage your child, which can be a great way to soothe them.

Try holding your baby in the bathtub with their back against your chest as you pour or drip warm water over their belly. You may find that this helps them burp after eating as well.

Use infant massage.

When your baby is crying uncontrollably, you may find that the fastest way to calm him is to do an infant massage.

To start with, make sure you have the right place for doing the massage. You need a flat surface to lay him on and enough time to do the massage.

You can use any kind of safe oil for massaging your baby; almond oil works well, but you can use any kind of organic oil that says it's safe for babies.

Put some on your palm, warm it up in between your hands and then gently touch one part of his body at a time, starting with his little feet and working up all over his body to his head.

When you get to his face, rub around the edges of where he has hair, but don't go into the middle because he might not like it there yet; when you're done with his head give him a little kiss or two on top.

You can sing softly while massaging or even talk about something funny; this helps keep both mommy and daddy alert so they don't fall asleep while giving their precious son such an important gift.

Give the baby a pacifier.

If you've tried any of the techniques mentioned above and you can't seem to get your baby calmed down, then this is a good time to use a pacifier. Pacifiers are great for helping babies calm down since they soothe the baby by satisfying the sucking reflex.

Pacifiers are not recommended for newborns. After four weeks of age, pacifiers can be used, but only if breastfeeding is established. And when it's time to feed the baby, don't give them a pacifier because that's their cue that it's time to eat.

If you try and immediately your baby spits out their pacifier or refuses to take it, do not force them to take it. A pacifier is meant as a soothing tool; if they're having none of it, then just put it away until next time.

Also, remember that young children should never have dipped their pacifiers in sugar or honey; this can lead to tooth decay. After feeding your child with honey or sugar in their bottle (or after eating something sweet yourself), be sure to wash off any residue on their pacifier before using it again.

Lastly, make sure to keep their pacifier clean by washing it at least once per day with hot soapy water or by placing it in boiling water for five minutes daily

Keep the house calm.

Babies don't like loud noises. When your baby is crying and you can't calm him, the last thing you need is a vacuum cleaner or washing machine running. It's best to keep the house as calm as possible. Try not to have other children screaming or crying while your baby is upset, too.

Have a television on? Turn it off. Radio? Turn it off. Dishwasher or oven on? Turn them off - or pause them if they are almost finished. You want your home to be as quiet as possible so that your baby won't be upset by any loud noises around him when he's already distressed about something else.

Crying is normal and when you're worried about it, there are many ways to soothe your baby.

Before you try anything to soothe your baby, make sure that the crying is normal. If your baby seems to be in pain, don’t hesitate to call up the pediatrician.

For example, if your baby has a fever, find out how you can reduce it. Babies cry for a variety of reasons: hunger, sleepiness, and growing pains are just the tip of the iceberg. Try these different ways to soothe your little one.