Top Tips for Newborn Soothing

I wanted to share with you, some of the top tips for Newborn Soothing I have picked up from mentoring and training, practise and from being a mother myself. If you have been to a session with me, you will already know I am a chatty Cathy. I talk through baby soothing techniques as I do them and how I make baby feel safe and secure.

All Babies Cry

Firstly, all babies cry, and some more than others. Crying is your baby’s way of telling you they need something.

Sometimes it’s easy to work out what they want, usually because you can smell it or know its time for a feed. Sometimes it’s not.

The most common reasons for crying are:

hunger
a dirty or wet nappy
tiredness
wanting a cuddle
wanting to be left alone
wind
being too hot or too cold
boredom
overstimulation

There may be times of the day when your baby cries and refuses comforting. According to the experts, early evening is the most common time for this to happen.

This can be hard for you, because you are tired too.

How to sooth a crying baby

Here are some top tips for Newborn soothing. Some may work better than others because as I said, all babies are different:

If you’re breastfeeding, let your baby suckle at your breast. This will also help build your supply if baby is cluster feeding.
Having some gentle noise in the background may help distract your baby. I use an app in studio called Sleep baby sleep! It is free and has some household ‘white noise’ type sounds like the hoover and washing machine. The one I tend to use with the fresh babies I see is womb sound.
Some older babies like to use a bit of cloth or a blanket as a comforter.
Hold your baby or put them in a sling so they’re close to you. Move about gently, sway and dance, talk to them and sing. I find this works best stood.
Rock your baby backwards and forwards in the pram, or go out for a walk. The movement is soothing.
Find something for them to look at. This could be a rattle, or a mobile above the cot. Bright colours work best because they don’t see all colours straight away.
Try stroking your baby’s back firmly and rhythmically, holding them against you or try the ‘bottom tap’. Gently patting baby on their bum I find works a treat.
Undress your baby and massage them gently and firmly. Avoid using any oils or lotions until your baby’s at least a month old. Talk soothingly as you do it and keep the room warm enough. The studio is usually in the mid to high 20’s when I am photographing a Newborn to ensure they don’t get cold. Some health centres and clinics run baby massage courses. For information, ask your midwife or health visitor.
Try a warm bath (around 38C). This calms some babies instantly, but makes others cry even more. Remember a wet baby chills easily so make sure you have a warm towel ready to wrap them in.
Sometimes too much rocking and singing can keep your baby awake. You might find lying them down after a feed will help. Make sure you’ve given them time for a burp though.
Ask your health visitor for advice. They are there to be called upon.

Help and Support

Most importantly, if you are struggling in any way with any aspect, reach out to professionals, friends or family. No one will judge. Newborns are hard, particularly at the point partner goes back to work. It takes a village sometimes, you don’t have to manage it all yourself. I don’t know a single mum, myself included, that hasn’t done a big cry at some point because they are frazzled. There is no shame in that whatsoever. No one has got it all together all the time.

The NHS has some great support online and there are a lot of agencies set up to help.