How do you soothe a baby?

[HenriettaTheThird]

Hi there, I'm researching for a video about how to soothe crying babies - I was wondering if you mums had any tips or anecdotes on interesting or out of the ordinary ways to get your baby to stop crying and go to sleep? thanks a lot

I called it the shushy shuggle. I think I got the idea from happiest baby on the block but basically ssh-ed just over the volume ds was making, bounced gently but quickly on my knees (while standing) and also swayed back and forth at the same time.
Probably looked like a loon but worked for my boy and we didn't need a dummy.

Hope that helps

wow, that's great thanks! and you've got a name for it too, I love the name shushy shuggle, cheers loads!

I cuddle ds to my chest and rock gently talking to him very quietly, so he quietens down to hear.

If he is definitely sleepy, not frustrated and raging, we have the wobbly head rock; I cradle him with his head just below my elbow and rock by quickly curling my arm then releasing, it makes his head shake like he's saying no and he can't resist it.

not that unusual but we use white noise - usually the hoover or the shower. In fact we've recorded the sound of the shower and use it to settle him at night. It works wonders!

i feed it

We used to use the rather bizzar "knee of sleep"...basically laid ds in my nap and lightly bounced the knee with his head on. It sounds mad but he loved it!

Mostly just fed him though

If DD was too unsettled to even latch on, I would stand on the bed and bounce gently while holding DD to my breast.

It usually did the trick and after a few minutes of that, she would start to feed and I would be able to sit back down with her and get her off to sleep.

clean nappy, feed, swaddle, dummy, something smelling of mum, hand on tummy gently wobbling, if need be, job done, then you can quickly nip off and do something far more interesting than soothe your baby.

Oh, and if that doesn't work, hug, gently rock, and play repeatedly.

this sounds weird but my 5 month old ds settles right down if he has a blanket on his face!! i put it on the side of his face so he can breathe and he calms right down.

he also has a cellular blanket (the ones with holes in) for bed and he pulls it over his face himself to settle himself, like right over his face. it's hilarious!!

Laugh at him...

It sounds cruel, but if you laugh at him, within a few seconds he starts laughing himself and then seems to forget why he's crying.

Or playing peek-a-boo.

Generally anything as a distraction.

Usually latching him on soothe's him instantly but if he's just tired and wants to sleep it's the "Shushing Swaying Neck Snuggle"

Basically hold him upright so his head is on my shoulder, snuggled into my neck and sway whilst shushing in a rhythmic pattern.

I hold the baby upright against my chest and do gentle sideways lunges, while shshing him. Calms him down and gives me a bit of exercise!

'Five little ducks' seems to shut my lo one up if he's cross, if he's very cross you have to do the actions too!

To get him to sleep I usually feed but if he's eaten the lot and not fallen asleep and won't suck any more singing whilst tightly cuddling him quietens him down and will usually eventually get him to sleep. Something quite rhythmic repeated over and over works best, a change in song seems to unsettle him again, so my husnband and I often sing rounds, lo seems to like the harmony that produces.

Oh, also blowing on his face or faning him with a muslin cloth seems to work. He will quieten down if you take him outside so I started trying to create an outside feeling inside to sooth him.

for newborn i used a wrap and carried them round the house, if they were really grizzly i had to go up and down the stairs doing a bit of back rubbing and shushing noises.

i sing to my ds and he stops crying and i jiggle him and ssssh if fails dummy sometimes helps.

xx