Indeed, some parents are lucky - their babies fall asleep almost instantly without additional receptions. However, many babies do not want to go to sleep, and mothers have other worries besides being at the baby's cradle for a long time.
Rocking a baby is a fairly effective way of putting babies to bed, known since ancient times. However, some modern scientists are convinced that this method can harm the child's body. Is it so? And how to rock the child correctly? Let's talk about this further.
Sleep is a natural need of the human body. Night rest is of particular importance for babies, because during wakefulness they receive a lot of new information, as a result of which their psyche can “overload”.
During daytime and nighttime rest, the brain processes the information received, rests. Also, there is a restoration of the forces and functions of all other organs and systems. If the child does not get enough sleep, he will be lethargic, irritable and capricious.
Thus, putting the baby to sleep is the most important process that has a direct impact on child development. But the need for sleep is obvious to the mother, but newborn babies may react differently to the importance of this phenomenon. Someone falls asleep at night instantly, while others are naughty, cry, lie in bed for a long time with their eyes open.
In this case, many mothers resort to the old proven method of putting the baby to sleep - motion sickness. It allows you to quickly put the newborn to bed and relax on your own. In addition, being in mother's arms allows the baby to feel completely safe.
But how necessary is motion sickness? The question is ambiguous, because if the child calmly falls asleep without monotonous movements, then such actions on the part of the parents are not needed. Another thing is if the baby cannot fall asleep without "rolling". But even in this case, such a habit can have negative aspects.
Arguments for and against motion sickness
Doctors and psychologists have not yet come to a consensus regarding the need to lay newborns, rocking them on their arms. In various sources, you can find information that indicates the benefits and harms of this ritual. It is important to consider the arguments of each side.
Benefit
Recently, the first 12 weeks of a child's life is commonly referred to as the fourth trimester of pregnancy. And this name is quite reasonable, since the baby, who got into this world after the usual mother's womb, needs to adapt to it.
The monotonous swaying of mother's hands or the cradle helps the child experience the same sensations that he felt when he was in his mother's tummy. As a result, the baby subconsciously calms down, feeling safe.
Experts cite others arguments in favor of motion sickness:
- Rocking a baby is a traditional practice that has been used by many mothers for several millennia. Centuries of experience have not revealed the negative impact of this method of laying on children's health.
- Rocking a child before bedtime means satisfying his need to be close to his mother, in bodily contact. It is extremely important for a newborn baby to smell the mother's body, milk, this develops a basic trust in the world.
- Mothers, rocking babies, help them distract from the discomfort that is caused by colic, teething. That is, lulling in this way can be called a kind of natural analgesic.
- Swinging movements help to calm a naughty or overexcited child in a short period of time. This often happens if there were active games before falling asleep.
- There is an opinion that uniform motion sickness contributes to the development of the children's vestibular apparatus. And this helps children quickly learn to balance, crawl, and then, respectively, walk.
- Measured movements can calm not only the child, but also the mother. And if a nursing woman is in an optimal psychological state, then feeding and other procedures will take place without much hassle.
If the father wants to rock the baby, his request must be granted. Men are less sensitive to the needs of a newborn baby than women, so motion sickness can help strengthen emotional bonds. And when the baby gets used to the father, then the mother will be able to delegate some of her "powers" to the stronger sex.
Harm
Opponents of motion sickness bring their own arguments, which point to the undoubted harm of this method of laying children down. First of all, the researchers point out that rocking movements prevent full sleep.
As a result, children's sleep can become restless, superficial, intermittent. Naturally, in this case, the child will not be able to fully sleep and rest. Why can't you lull the baby with motion sickness?
- the vestibular apparatus in newborns is imperfect, so any unwanted interference can adversely affect children's health. Children have dizziness and even fainting, which adults mistakenly take for sound sleep;
- if motion sickness has become a habit, then negative consequences are formed. The child cannot fall asleep for a long time, sometimes you have to rock the cradle or carry him in your arms for an hour. At the same time, the baby wakes up quickly as soon as he is placed in the crib;
- another negative point - it is extremely difficult to give up motion sickness later, because the baby refuses to fall asleep without many hours of mother's "shaking". The transition to other laying methods is significantly delayed;
- the child grows up, therefore, becomes more difficult. If a mother pumps a butuz every evening for 60 minutes, then she will face problems with her spine, pain in her hands. The overwork of the mother cannot but affect the well-being of the baby.
The well-known TV doctor E. Komarovsky has a negative attitude towards motion sickness in infants. He is convinced that even if such a habit does not affect children's health, it will turn the process of falling asleep into a stressful situation for parents and the baby.
Many children independently outgrow the habit of falling asleep in their mother's arms by the beginning of the second year of life. However, some doctors believe that the child should be laid differently at about 3 to 4 months of age.
The opinion that every child needs rocking to fall asleep is erroneous. If the child is absolutely healthy, his teeth are not cut, he is not hungry and not wet, then his mother will be able to put him to bed quickly and without any problems.
And yet, there are some circumstances that prevent self-sleeping. Doctor Komarovsky calls several such factors:
- Disrupted daily routine. If the parents did not work out, did not take care of discipline, then the child will fall asleep at different times. A baby who is accustomed to a certain routine falls asleep without problems.
- Little activity. An awake child must actively explore the surrounding reality. It must be encouraged in every possible way to move, crawl, turn over. A slightly tired (but not overtired) baby will fall asleep quickly and sleep soundly.
- Wrong feeding. Malfunctions in the digestive system force the baby to wake up at night. A woman needs to monitor her own diet, excluding the use of harmful foods. Equally carefully should be treated with the introduction of complementary foods.
- uncomfortable conditions. The inability to put the baby to sleep may be due to an uncomfortable diaper, a wet diaper, loud noises, excessively bright lights, or stuffiness in the room. It is important to follow all the rules of healthy sleep.
In addition, as we have already said, the child who is in the mother's arms feels completely safe. The hugs are a kind of reminder of those glorious days when he was in his mother's belly.
Thus, one should not go to extremes - rock the baby for several hours or even ignore the natural children's desire to receive mother's love and affection.
Some parents, not wanting to accustom the child to motion sickness, try to take it in their arms as little as possible. In this case, the baby will really learn to fall asleep on its own, but delayed negative consequences are possible - low self-esteem and a violation of parent-child relationships.
How to rock a baby in your arms?
If the mother answered positively to the question whether it is possible to rock the baby, now it is important to observe the basic conditions for proper rocking. First of all, you can not rock the baby up and down or at a very fast pace.
Failure to comply with safety precautions can end very badly: an increase or even rupture of the blood vessels of the brain. It is necessary to swing the child slowly, smoothly, from side to side, avoiding swings.
How to properly rock a baby in your arms? It will help answer this question. description of the main ways of motion sickness:
- cradle. Take the baby in your arms, lay him on your forearm, while the baby's neck should be above the elbow. Turn the child with his stomach towards you and with the other hand support his buttocks. Hold the baby a little closer to you and gently rock, turning left and right. The second option - just walk around the apartment;
- back to you. Lay the child on his stomach on his forearm so that the cheek is located in the crook of the elbow. Turn the baby back to you, pass the other hand between the legs and press the open palm to the baby's tummy. This position is especially useful during the period;
- lying. What to do if a parent is tired of standing and walking with a child in his arms? You can rock the baby in a lying position. Lay the baby with his tummy on your body, and then begin to sway from side to side.
If the child cries even after 15 minutes of motion sickness, it is necessary to check whether everything is in order with him. Perhaps the baby is worried about a dirty diaper, creases in the diaper, hunger, stuffiness, or cutting teeth.
If the mother is tired of rocking the child in her arms, then you can purchase one of the many devices for this process. Stores offer a wide selection of such devices: cribs, strollers, rocking chairs and other "miracles of technology." Let's talk about them in more detail.
Such a device is a suspended cradle, which is distinguished by the presence of many settings.
Mom can adjust the back angle, rocking mode, musical accompaniment, which entertains a small child. Additionally, the child is fixed with the help of seat belts.
Why is such a product necessary? With it, parents can take a break from motion sickness, set aside a few minutes for household chores or personal matters. It is only important to choose a device suitable for newborn children.
The center has many advantages. The only disadvantage of such a rocking device is the high cost.
Chaise lounge chair
This device is not as expensive as the motion sickness center. However, its functionality is somewhat limited. The chaise lounge chair is equipped with vibration, musical accompaniment and hanging toys.
Such a product is usually operated from birth to 9 months of age. To make it comfortable for the newborn to lie, a special anatomical insert is placed in the deck chair.
These chairs are very mobile. Parents note that the device can be folded and taken with them on a long journey. However, among the minuses, a short service life can be distinguished.
Swing chair
Such devices are also called rockers. They work thanks to the rounded metal skids on which the cradle is installed. The swing sets in motion the movements of the baby or the efforts of an adult.
You can block the movement of the swing with the help of special legs located in front and behind. Such devices are equipped with various functions: vibration, toys on the arc, music, light effects.
It is also possible to rock a newborn with the help of a car carrier, although this restraint is intended primarily for transporting babies in a car.
Quality models of carriers have a rocking function due to the rounded base.
That is why many mothers adapt such devices for motion sickness of the child, however, some efforts will have to be made.
In general, it is enough for a mother to simply rock a chair with one hand, at the same time she can read a book, listen to her favorite music or enjoy a delicious drink.
Stroller
Despite the fact that not all experts are positive about the idea of rocking a child in strollers, babies usually fall asleep very well in these vehicles.
Helps fast and sound sleep fresh air, soft movement. It makes no sense to talk in detail about this device, but it is important to clarify that not all strollers have the motion sickness function. It is worth choosing cradles designed specifically for newborns.
Sling
A fabric bandage-carrier is a great option for rocking a baby without interruption from an important matter. Such a device provides uniform support for all parts of the spinal column and the baby's head, involves close contact between the baby and mother, and also frees up hands.
The only drawback is that the mother needs to get used to wearing a sling and the heaviness in the form of a child. In addition, it is necessary to choose the optimal device for a newborn baby, since not all dressings are suitable for the smallest children.
Ergo backpack
Another version of the sling, only reminiscent of a backpack rather than a bandage. Such a device is used to carry and rock the babies, who can already hold the head and sit confidently enough.
The baby sits behind the mother's back or facing her, which is also useful for forming a strong parent-child relationship. The motion sickness process itself occurs due to the uniform movement of the parent with this same backpack.
Fitball
The large inflatable ball is a great helper for the whole family, as it allows you to do fitness, exercise with your baby and rock the little man.
Allocate 2 main ways to rock a child on an inflatable ball:
- Mom sits on the ball, takes the child in her arms, slowly jumps on the fitball.
- A small blanket or diaper is placed on the ball, and only then the child is placed on the device. The fitball is smoothly swayed from side to side.
Choose your fitball very carefully. To ensure that motion sickness does not cause any inconvenience to you and your child, you must choose a device based on your height.
Hammock
Hanging netting is a great accessory for outdoor recreation. However, some mothers successfully use a hammock to rock the baby. Naturally, one child cannot be put on it. First, the mother lies down in the net, and only then puts the baby on herself.
To avoid injury, you need to pay attention to the attachment of the suspension device. Also, one should not forget about the soft mat, which is placed directly under the hammock.
If before going to bed, the mother has to rock the baby for a whole hour, it is important to reverse the situation. What to do in such a case? Experienced parents recommend using certain tricks.
Of course, you won’t be able to put the child to bed in 40 seconds right away, but it is still possible to gradually move away from motion sickness.
- How to wean a small child from rocking? You need to pay attention to him during his wakefulness. Caress the baby more often, lift it on the handles, do a massage. You can use the sling for contact, which we talked about above.
- Keep your child next to you. Of course, it is not necessary to sleep in the same bed with the baby. It is enough to move the baby bed with the side removed to your bed. This will help to create a sense of security and safety in the baby.
- You can come up with a "deputy" mother. For example, put your mother's t-shirt in the crib, which keeps the scent familiar and pleasant to the baby. An older child will be able to fall asleep with their favorite teddy bear.
- Do not leave your baby in complete darkness. It is best to turn on the night light, sit next to the bed and sing a lullaby. In this case, you do not need to rock the crumbs.
- It is necessary to do a certain ritual that the child associates with falling asleep. For example, feeding, massage, bathing, reading a fairy tale and singing a lullaby.
Whether to rock the child or choose a different way of laying is the conscious choice of every mother. Smooth wiggle has both its advantages and disadvantages. Therefore, it is important to listen to the baby, who will tell you the right decision.
If you wondered how to put a small child to sleep without motion sickness, then the child has already grown up, got heavier and is ready for a certain independence. In this case, you need to try other ways of laying, which will allow you to teach your baby to fall asleep without tears and whims.
The birth of a child is a great joy for the whole family! As a rule, during the first months of life, a newborn sleeps almost all the time. After all, sleep contributes to the full formation of the nervous system and physical health of the crumbs, restoring his strength.
But this is not the case in all families. Some babies are very restless and often cry. They find it difficult to fall asleep, as a result of which their parents have to resort to various methods of calming the baby, one of which is motion sickness.
How to properly rock babies
Since ancient times, motion sickness has been practiced to calm the baby, when the baby was rocked with smooth movements, helping him calm down and fall asleep. For this, hanging cradles were used, or children were rocked in their arms. To date, nothing much has changed. Babies are also rocked in a crib, stroller or in their arms.
There is one important rule here! Before rocking a baby, you must be completely calm, as calmness is the most basic rule when rocking a newborn. Being in a state of nervous tension, parents themselves, without noticing it, begin to shake the stroller or crib too actively. No wonder the baby refuses to fall asleep. But smooth, measured movements soothe the child, helping to stabilize his vestibular apparatus.
But as it turned out, this method of putting the child to sleep does not suit everyone. So, for example, opponents of this method refuse to rock a newborn, referring to the fact that children quickly get used to their hands and if this is allowed to continue, it will be even more difficult. But be that as it may, infants require constant maternal attention, affection and care. Therefore, there is no way to do without hands here.
Hold your baby correctly. Since the child is still very small, he will not be able to hold his head and back on his own. Therefore, you should lay the child so that his back rests on the flat part of your forearm. This is the distance between the elbow joint and the wrist.
Support the child's head at all times. So he will feel more comfortable, and his head will not dangle in different directions.
Rock your baby in slow and smooth movements. While in the womb, the baby constantly swayed from side to side. This was especially strongly felt at the time of the mother's walk. So if you decide to rock the baby correctly, you can try to repeat these movements, slowly walking around the rooms with the baby.
At the time of motion sickness, sing songs to the baby. It is best to rock the newborn to a lullaby or quiet monotonous conversation. You can sing a song to him or tell a good story. The main thing is that you have a calm, even voice. The mother's voice soothes the baby, helping him fall asleep faster. Gradually, as the child grows older, these lullabies can completely replace the motion sickness process.
Try not to be nervous. If for a long time it was not possible to put the baby to sleep, then he is not yet ready for bed. Shaking your baby too hard in the stroller or in your arms can cause fainting or spinal injury. It is better to walk with him around the house or apartment, show everything that surrounds him. Sleep will gradually come to the child and he will fall asleep peacefully.
Do not constantly put the baby to sleep by motion sickness. Otherwise, he will get used to falling asleep like this and you will have to rock him in this way until he grows up. It is advisable to use alternative methods of laying: special strollers and cribs equipped with shock absorbers. Alternatively, you can also use a fitball or rocking chair. But there is another way to lay the child. Its essence is to take the baby in your arms, gently pressing his arms and legs to your body. Then they will not interfere with his sleep. In this position, you need to slowly swing your whole body. These movements are similar to those in the womb. The most important thing is that everything should happen slowly and with great tenderness.
By the age of one year, the child should be able to fall asleep on his own, because by this time he has already developed a feeding and sleeping regimen. Therefore, the time spent by the child in the arms should be gradually reduced or taken less often. You can also lay it with the help of a lullaby, or turn on calm music. Under musical accompaniment, children fall asleep easier and faster.
A baby's sleep is not just a period of time during which a mother can relax and take care of the house. It is the basis of the health of the crumbs. Accordingly, you need to properly treat the sleep regimen and the process of laying the baby down. Otherwise, the baby may be threatened with sleep disturbance, which will lead to more serious problems.
All photographs are taken from the site Google.Images.ru
Nowadays, the centuries-old method of calming a child has both supporters and opponents. Arguments for": motion sickness of a child physiologically, as the child is accustomed to natural motion sickness in the womb; he feels safe; and finally, it is a soft training of the vestibular apparatus.
Arguments "against": frequent stay on the hands forms the habit of falling asleep only in such a way that complicates parental life; intense motion sickness is harmful to the baby - for example, neck muscles can stretch. But what a shake! However, with extreme fatigue, even staunch adherents of the inexorable Dr. Spock dream of only one thing - that their beloved child calm down. This is where motion sickness comes to the rescue.
How to properly rock a child?
It is worth noting an important point. If the baby continues to cry after a long period of motion sickness (10-15 minutes), you need to check if everything is in order. After all, a wet diaper, an uncomfortable crease in a diaper, hunger, bright light, noise, stuffiness can disturb a baby ...
Methods for rocking a child:
- Take the baby on the handles, laying it on your forearm and supporting it under the shoulder blades, the elbow bend is under the infant's neck. This is classic motion sickness method- cradle. Turn the baby with his tummy to your body and with your free hand support the bottom of his buttocks. Slightly press the baby to yourself and begin to slowly rock, turning from side to side, as if twisting slightly around your spine. You can just take a leisurely walk around the house.
- There is another good pose for motion sickness baby. Lay the baby with his tummy on his forearm, his cheek is located in the elbow bend. Turn the child back to you, pass the free hand between the legs and press the open palm to the baby's tummy. The position on the stomach helps with a tendency to colic.
- Sometimes you can use a sling (posture - cradle). Providing uniform support in all parts of the back and head of the newborn, the sling frees up the hands, but gives bodily contact between mom (or dad) and the child. Baby rocking in a sling occurs naturally, in time with the movements of an adult.
- You can rock the baby in the prone position. This option is especially to the liking of fathers. It is only necessary that the baby lies, pressing his tummy against the parent's stomach, and he sways slightly from side to side.
- Today, there are many different products in stores for motion sickness of babies- cribs, strollers, chairs with special mechanisms ... But parents should not forget about their hands, which sometimes work wonders.
Surely this question is asked by every young mother. After all, the only way to calm the child and put him to sleep. Many people are against such methods and believe that the child will quickly get used to motion sickness, as well as to the hands themselves. But it grows and in the future it will be very difficult for you to continue to pump it, moreover, such children develop less independent. Are these statements true or is it just the experience of some moms? Proponents of motion sickness believe that in this way the baby feels comfortable and swaying no matter in his arms, in a crib, in a stroller, it is like a mother's womb. The baby feels warm and secure, and this is important. Moreover, even if not in childhood, there will be an opportunity to shake your baby.
How to properly rock a baby in your arms?
The correct technique of the motion sickness process on the hands is very important. Pediatricians recommend holding very small babies so that their back rests completely on your arm up to the elbow joint, and the second arm serves as a supporting support. All movements should be smooth, swaying from side to side like in mom's tummy, you can sing a lullaby at the same time or just talk to your little one. Indeed, despite its small age, the child hears and feels the voice of the mother, he is familiar to him from the period when you talked to the stomach during gestation.
Motion sickness is preferred for babies due to their age, up to about one year of age. Older, this will already develop an association with sleep in the mind of motion sickness, and it will be very difficult to reset this daily ritual. Moreover, to swing on your hands for 30-40 minutes a yearling weighing at least 10 kilograms, this is very difficult and unfavorable for the health of the mother herself. With such actions, you can easily earn problems with the spine. Therefore, alternate motion sickness and gradually try to accustom yourself to fall asleep on your own. For example, put the child on its side and lie next to the bed, sofa. Stroke his head and sweat a lullaby.
Does a sling help with motion sickness?
There are a lot of innovations in the world for your own convenience, and the sling is no exception. This is also motion sickness in the arms, but the mother's hands are freely available, and body contact continues to be present. This is convenient - the mother can do her own business, not limit her movement around the house and at the same time always be with the baby. In terms of safety, a sling is superior compared to carrying a baby in your arms. Motion sickness is natural - moving around the household, mothers do not even notice how their child is already sleeping in a deep sleep. However, putting a baby in a sling is not an easy task. There are such Protestants that they will flatly refuse everything except their mother's hands with a cry. And orthopedists generally believe that a long stay in it adversely affects the baby's spine and can lead to serious injury.
With his crying, the child tries to manipulate his parents, and many manage to do this until a deep childhood, unless, of course, they flatly put it within the framework of what is permitted in a timely manner. According to the well-known Spock, parents do not need to be led by their child, just be patient and try to ignore all the tears and pleas for motion sickness on the handles. Gradually he will understand that you won’t achieve anything by caprice, and it won’t even be a month before he begins to fall asleep on his own.
Can constant motion sickness form negative habits in a child?
There is an opinion that constant motion sickness can adversely affect the vestibular apparatus of the child and in the future he will constantly be motion sick in a car, on carousels, and even just circling in place. In adulthood, the exact opposite happens - such people are drawn to extreme sports, they constantly want to try something new and crazy, and alcohol, smoking and drugs are no exception. Pediatricians adhere to this opinion, but statistical data on this issue have not yet been identified.
Can a child really develop an umbilical hernia from crying?
I still remember our grandmothers saying: "He will scream at himself a hernia." Does it have something to do with crying? There is a risk of umbilical hernia in a newborn and this is primarily due to the age-related weakness of his umbilical ring. It can take a couple of weeks or a few months. When a child strongly strains the abdominal muscles when trying to empty the intestines on their own or when crying or screaming for a long time, internal organs can come out through the weakened umbilical ring - fragments of the intestine, a large omentum, etc. That is why parents need this time to be as vigilant as possible, and not refer to different methods in raising children.
Video: how to rock a child to sleep in a minute.
A sleeping baby is a magical sight, akin to a miracle. And this picture seems especially implausible to those exhausted parents whose babies cry for no apparent reason, arching and screaming non-stop 24 hours a day. Do not despair! And don't beat yourself up - you're not a bad parent! You simply do not know the ways that can rock even the most capricious child, while not depriving his mom and dad of mental clarity, self-control and a sense of parental happiness. We will teach you how to properly soothe your baby.
From the very first words, it is worth noting that all the tips below on how to calm a crying baby (namely, a baby between the ages of 0 and six months) refer to those cases when the baby cries and screams “for no apparent reason” - that is, his tummy does not hurt (not swollen, not tight, well palpable), he is not hungry, not cold and does not need a diaper change. Rather, these tips are for those tired and exhausted parents in whose eyes the question is read: “How to calm a child who just likes to cry and yell?!”.
How to soothe a 0-3 month old baby? Get in his position!
One of the world's most competent experts in the field of baby crying is an American doctor, professor of child psychiatry, pediatrician Harvey Karp. For over 20 years, he has been teaching young parents effective ways to quickly soothe a crying infant. Dr. Harp's book on these methods has long been the undisputed bestseller in its segment. On the one hand, these methods are extremely simple, judge for yourself:
- swaddling;
- holding in a position on the side;
- "white noise" or hiss;
- rhythmic swing;
- sucking.
But refrain from surprise and doubt until you have tried all five methods in action. What is the essence of this technique? In his book, Dr. Harvey uses such an ambiguous concept in relation to newborn children aged 0 to 3 months, as " fourth trimester of pregnancy».
During this period of life, babies are in dire need of conditions that would closely replicate the intrauterine environment of the mother. It is in such conditions that babies instantly calm down, instinctively gaining a sense of familiar comfort and safety.
Actually, on this principle, Dr. Karp built his methodology. For example, tight swaddling of a newborn imitates his presence in the mother's uterus in the last stages of pregnancy, where the baby is already quite crowded. The position on the side is also the most familiar for him. Hissing sounds are the most familiar to the baby, because being in the womb, he constantly hears the mother's breathing and the passage of fluids through her intestines. The unborn baby experiences monotonous motion sickness (almost shaking) all the time when his mother moves. And if you look at the ultrasound images, then make sure that starting from the 24th week, while in the mother's womb, the child reflexively sucks his thumb almost all the time.
Here is the nature of the origin of all five ways of effective motion sickness according to Harvey Karp.
And if you learn, using the tips of Dr. Karp, to imitate for your baby all these states that are most comfortable for him in the first months of life, then you will not have problems with how to calm the child. So:
5 magical ways Harvey Karp, or How to calm a child:
Method 1: Swaddling. Of course, keeping a newborn tightly wrapped in diapers is not worth it all the time. But if the baby is worried and cannot fall asleep for a long time, sometimes it is enough just to wrap it more tightly in a sheet or diaper (you need to swaddle it with the handles) so that the baby immediately calms down.
If your baby often shows anxiety and has difficulty falling asleep, it makes sense to buy modern diapers that even dads can use without difficulty.
Method 2: Position on the side. Place the child on your arm or on your knees on the side so that it seems to fall a little on the stomach. Gently support the baby's head. This position can also be used if the child suffers from minor colic.
Method 3: Rhythmic rocking (shaking). Holding the baby in the position on his side, start not hard, but rock him rhythmically from side to side. This method can be immediately combined with the following - with imitation of hissing sounds.
See clearly how to properly hold the baby on its side and rock it:
Method 4: "White noise". The point is to play monotonous hissing sounds right above the baby's ear. This is perhaps the most unusual of all Dr. Karp's methods of calming a child, but it works excellently.
Method 5: Sucking. The pacifier is an excellent all-round sedative for the baby. With the same success, you can attach the baby to the breast (if you are a nursing mother) or give a bottle with a small amount of mixture.
In Harvey Karp's own experience, sometimes one or two of the tricks on this list are enough to stop a newborn from crying and worrying. But often you have to use consistently and all five methods. However, according to the doctor, these simple methods, together or separately, help in almost 100 percent of cases.
Agree - this is literally a "gift from heaven" for those exhausted parents who, because of the constant crying of children, are, figuratively speaking, one step away from suicide ...
4 Ways to Calm a Baby Over 3 Months Old
Dr. Harvey Karp's methods are good, but it's worth reiterating - almost all of them are only suitable for newborn babies. If you try to swaddle or “hiss” a six-month-old crying toddler, you are unlikely to succeed. Other ways to calm older children can be tried. Moreover, in this case, the expression "how to calm a child" will not always be equal to the expression "how to rock a baby." To calm means, first of all, to distract from screams and sobs.
Method 1: Wear in a sling. Wearing in a sling, by the way, combines two of the items proposed by Dr. Harvey at once: motion sickness and swaddling, and if you add “white noise” to this list, for example, go outside with a baby, it will immediately become clear why kids love slings so much. And if swaddling is only suitable for newborns, then from time to time you can wear a baby in a sling as long as you comfortably carry (literally) the weight of your baby.
Method 2: Switch attention. Children older than 3 months already quite successfully and for a long time fix their attention on objects and sounds - they are especially attracted to bright colors and clear, loud sounds. Rustle bright paper or a bag, ring a bell, let you watch any commercial on TV. All these manipulations (especially the last one!) instantly capture the attention of the crumbs: he is distracted from the hysteria, begins to show interest and gradually calms down, calms down.
Method 3: Let the excess air out. When crying, the child swallows a lot of air, which gives him very unpleasant sensations. Thus, the hysteria runs the risk of closing in a circle: the baby cries, swallowing excess air, from which his tummy starts to hurt and he cries even more than before, swallowing air again and again. Therefore, as soon as the child begins to show anxiety or scream, take him in your arms and hold him in a column for a while - having burped out excess air, the baby is likely to calm down. And if not, use the previous method by trying to attract his attention with a bright toy or unusual sounds.
Method 4: Dance together. It may seem strange, but it is the smooth dance moves that can help you solve the problem of how to calm a crying baby. Take the baby in your arms, smile at him, talk to him in a soothing tone and move around a little - rocking him from side to side, up and down, singing a simple melody. When the baby stops crying, put him to the breast for a while (if the baby is bottle-fed, give a bottle of water) or give a pacifier. Most of the time it works!
