How to Calm a Baby Without Using a Pacifier
Discover How to Quiet a Frantic Infant Without a Pacifier Addiction
Aug 21, 2009
Many mamas view giving their brand new infant a pacifier a necessary evil, and often regret choosing to offer one, even as a last resort. Everyone knows how incredibly difficult it is to get children to break a habit, especially when they’ve formed an attachment. Here's how anyone can soothe a fussy baby and make everything okay again. Of course, this is barring medical issues that prompt relentless crying, such as colic. Here are the steps to be taken when that little bundle of joy is screaming bloody murder, with a voice that would make anyone to pop in a plug.
Check if Baby is Hungry
Finding out if the baby is hungry or thirsty should be the first step. Offer the breast (or bottle) in multiple positions before giving up on this one, as some babies prefer one position more than another. Try nursing or feeding in the cradle position, football hold, sitting baby upright, or lying down together.
If it seems like the baby just finished eating, try to feed him anyway. Often, a brand new infant will have a fairly irregular eating pattern. If baby refuses all efforts to fill up that little belly and keeps crying, go on to the next step.
Find Out if the Baby's Uncomfortable
An uncomfortable baby is an unhappy baby – is her diaper wet or poopy? This may not bother some infants, but others may cry if they’re feeling extra sensitive. Even if the diaper’s just slightly damp, go ahead and change it anyway.
The baby should also be checked to see if he's uncomfortable in any other way. His or her diaper or clothes may be too tight or itchy, so often just stripping down and getting naked will make some babies cheer up. Some babies are also extremely sensitive to the position they are placed in. Try sitting baby up with one hand supporting her back, sitting while leaning back against a parent's chest, lying down on his or her back, side or stomach, sitting supported in an infant seat or swing, etc.
If Something's Really Wrong With Your Baby
If none of the above measures work, it is crucial that the baby should be checked to see if there’s something physically wrong. Is the baby overheated and sweaty, or shivering and too cold? Check his temperature to make sure everything’s normal, and go over every inch of that little body to check for rashes or insect bites. Another issue that may be bothersome is gas. If this seems to be the issue, the baby should be laid down on her back with her legs pedaled in the air, as this may eliminate gas pains.
The Baby Who is Moody and Lonely
Often, a baby may be feeling lonely, bored, or just miss her parent's company. Talking, laughing, making weird noises, blowing raspberries, singing, and making exaggerated faces at the baby can all help calm her down. If baby loves to move around it, may help to dance or walk while holding the baby, bouncing the infant baby gently, or rocking in a rocking chair.
The Non-Pacifier Substitute
Sometimes babies just want to suck on something, a need that’s completely normal for young infants and toddlers. To avoid getting an infant addicted to a pacifier, a clean pinky with the nail trimmed very short may be offered for the baby to suck on. The finger pad should be flush against the roof of the baby’s mouth, nail side down. This creates an instant non-pacifier relief that’s completely portable, sanitary, and one that any babe will love.
Why Babies Must be Allowed to Suck
Checking to see if a baby is hungry, uncomfortable, sick, or bored are the basic steps to making any baby happy. Sucking is a basic reflex that infants possess to comfort themselves, however, and should never be discouraged. Artificial objects such as pacifiers, however, can be harmful to a breastfeeding relationship and can cause the child to create a harmful attachment to an inanimate object. Thumbs, fingers, fists, and toes, along with a parent's finger, are all great pacifier substitutes that will enhance, never harm, a child's development.
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