The first few months of parenthood are exciting, exhausting,
awe-inspiring, and sometimes frustrating.
Babies cry when they’re hungry.
They cry when they are tired.
They cry when they wake up. They
cry when their diaper is wet or dirty.
They cry when they want to be held, and they cry because…well, just
because.
Sometimes, babies cry for no apparent reason, and it can be so
frustrating for a parent to not know the reason behind the squalls and even more
so to not know how to comfort their infant.
New mothers can feel like they are failures and that their maternal
instincts are lacking. They can feel
helpless and hopeless, sad and angry at their inability to figure out what is
wrong and how to fix it.
Even the healthiest of babies can cry for seemingly no
reason. Sometimes, it is only a matter
of finding the right way to comfort your little bundle of joy.
Babies usually love to be gently rocked, so this is often
the go to for new parents. You can sit
in a rocking chair or glider, holding baby close or rock her as you walk
around, or use a baby swing or take a walk with baby snug in a stroller. Some parents resort to driving around the
block a time or two to get baby to settle down.
In some newborns, the need to suck is very strong. Comfort sucking can steady a baby's heart
rate, relax her tummy, and help her to settle, so allow additional sucking time
at the breast or let her suck on her on her fingers or a pacifier. A warm bath may also be soothing, and sometimes
a massage or a tummy rub helps to soothe a fussy baby.
It won’t take long before you know your baby’s likes and
dislikes, so don’t fret Mommy, you’re doing just fine.