If infants could talk, they could
tell us exactly what is making them
uncomfortable at any given moment.
We all know that since infants can't
discuss their problems, they
cry. Sometimes, they cry loudly,
until they get what they need.
Coping with a crying, fussy baby can
be frustrating. That's why St. Louis
Children's Hospital occupational
therapist Marianne Belcke, teaches a
class that gives parents some
methods to help calm their baby and
spare their nerves.
"Sometimes being a parent of an
infant is like being a sleuth,"
Belcke says. "You have to train
yourself to look for clues that will
lead to comfort for your baby and
peace and quiet for you."
Almost nothing makes a baby fussier
than hunger. If you're feeding your
child regularly and he still seems
hungry, Belcke says it may be time
to dig deeper. Food sensitivities or
feeding problems can interfere with
the way your baby gets the
nourishment needed to feel
comfortable and satisfied. It could
be that the baby has a
hypersensitive gag reflex. That
sometimes can be solved by using a
bottle with a shorter nipple. Maybe
there's something in the mother's
diet that doesn't agree with the
baby's system after breast-feeding.
"Once the problem is
identified, it is usually something
that's easily remedied," Belcke
says.
Often, however, it's not the food
but the steady stream of activity
that makes your baby restless. For
instance, at dinnertime, the other
kids are home from school; the
smells of cooking and the rattle of
pots and pans fill the kitchen,
televisions and stereos blare from
all directions.
"It could be too much for the
baby to take," Belcke says.
"Over-stimulation is a big
reason for fussiness." Removing
the baby from the scene, swaddling,
speaking in low tones and providing
some white noise, such as from a
fan, to drown out sounds from the
other parts of the house, might be
all the baby needs to calm down.
Another tricky time for infants is
late at night. Experts agree that
regular night crying in infants more
than 4 months old may be due to
conditioning. If you find yourself
regularly dealing with crying at 2
a.m., you may want to adjust the way
you respond. Belcke suggests that
you eliminate long daytime naps and
put the baby to bed awake so he will
learn to put himself to sleep. And
once you put an infant in his crib,
resist the urge to pick him up
again. "As long as parents
provide a safe environment and the
baby is otherwise healthy, they
should know that it's OK to leave a
crying baby in his crib in his room
with the door closed. Other than a
brief check every 10 to 15 minutes,
let the baby just cry it out,"
Belcke says. "If crying
persists all night for several
nights, contact your pediatrician
for help."
Remember, also, that you cannot
spoil a baby -- if he is crying,
there is something bothering him. He
is not trying to annoy you, he is
trying to get you to fix whatever is
wrong.
Parents should also never feel
guilty about taking a break from
their fussy baby, Belcke says.
"Ask a friend to come over so
you can get out for awhile. Share
your feelings and frustrations with
your spouse or another devoted
listener and get plenty of
rest."
In other words, pamper yourself as
much as possible, and you'll be more
ready to comfort your baby.
-
This article
is copyrighted, and used
with permission of St. Louis
Children's Hospital. All
information on Slumber Sounds is
for educational purposes only,
and is not medical
or healthcare advice, nor a
substitute for medical and
professional services from a
qualified healthcare provider
familiar with your personal
situation. For medical advice,
including diagnosis and
treatment, consult your
physician or other healthcare
provider regarding any condition
and before starting any
treatment. We supply this
information with the
understanding that Slumber
Sounds is not engaged in
rendering medical services or
other professional services or
advice.
Our
customers say . . 