When I first welcomed my son, Langston, to the world back in 2011, I didn't have a clue what I was doing. When I confided in my friend, Melissa, she assured me that most new parents are clueless.
She told me, "The first night we brought our daughter home from the hospital, she wouldn't stop crying." Melissa and her husband tried to calm the baby down, but when they couldn't do it, they called the hospital. "We told them that something was wrong with our baby because she wouldn't stop crying."
Guess what the lovely hospital receptionist told them?
"Welcome to parenthood. That's what babies do."
It's hilarious now, but wasn't at all funny that night. Melissa and her husband were so desperate, they put the baby in the car and headed toward the emergency room. But, before they even pulled out of their neighborhood, the blood-curdling screams had stopped.
That leads us to our list of the top three ways to calm a baby.
1. A Car Ride
Just like Melissa and her husband quickly found out, a car ride is almost a surefire way to put your baby at ease. The vibration of the wheels, the hum of the car engine; it adds up to pure Zen for baby. It's such magic, it even has its own nickname: Snooze Cruise.
2. Nap
Whenever I find myself getting into petty fights with my husband, do you know what I realize? I need a nap. A lack of sleep makes us all cranky, no matter your age. Babies need SOOOOOO much sleep, so much more than what probably seems reasonable to first-time parents (16+ hours a day!?). When nothing else works, try putting your baby to bed.
3. Pool and Bath Time with Mommy
Did you know that playing in the water with mom has been proven to calm babies?1 A study by the University of Minnesota found that babies’ cortisol levels (stress hormone) dropped after they interacted with their moms in the pool. The Otteroo provides a new, easy way for you to engage in the water with your baby whether together in the tub or pool. It not only calms your baby, it’s also been shown to calm you, too!
Sources:
1 Hertsgaard, L., Gunnar, M., Larson, M., Broderson, L., & Lehman, H. (1992). First Time Experiences in Infancy: When They Appear To Be Pleasant, Do They Activate the Adrenocortical Response? Developmental Psychobiology, 25(5):3 19-333.