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Settling and Soothing your Baby

The list below may seem obvious, but checking you’ve tried these things can reassure you the crying is not your fault.

Things to check and try:

  • Your baby is hungry and wants to be fed
    Responsive feeding (also known as ‘feeding on demand’ or ‘infant-led feeding’) is usual at first. After a while, you and your baby will probably work out a routine.
  • Your baby needs comfort or attention
    Try holding your baby in the cradle position or upright cuddled into your shoulder. Gentle rocking, walking and singing or talking can also be soothing. The video on this page gives examples of different soothing techniques. It may take a while to work out which position your baby prefers.

Make sure you give each approach a few minutes to work, as it can be easy to change too quickly if you are feeling stressed. If the crying still continues after a few minutes, try another

Sandra Martin,

Senior Lecturer and Health Visitor

Settling and Soothing your Baby

  • Your baby has wind Sit or hold your baby upright.  Gently massage your baby’s back.
  • Your baby wants to suck Some babies like to suck even when they are not hungry. Giving a dummy, or helping your baby to find a thumb or fingers, may help. A dummy is perfectly safe at this age.
  • Your baby’s nappy is dirty This will become uncomfortable if left and may lead to skin rash.
  • Your baby is tired and wants some sleep Babies sometimes fret for a few minutes before they settle to sleep.
  • Your baby is too hot or cold Check the room temperature and check your baby’s temperature (see Health Checklist for how to do this). Is your baby’s clothing suitable for the room temperature?
  • Your baby is constipated Babies vary a lot in how often they poo. If you are worried about this, check your baby’s health more generally by looking at the Health Checklist.

You can download a copy of this checklist by clicking here.  You can also read and download a list of settling and soothing suggestions from other parents who have had crying babies here.

"It came as a shock when my third son was very unsettled."

Alison

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"I felt so lonely and isolated."

Susanne

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"She cried just about every waking minute."

Caitlin

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“I think I felt quite frustrated … I had expected when you pick them up and try to comfort them, you expect that to work and when it didn’t you don’t really know what to do with yourself.”

Rebecca

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Myth:
“I should be able to know why my baby is crying from the sound of the cry”

Fact:
It’s not possible to know if a baby is in pain, angry or hungry from the crying.

The loudness or intensity of the crying tells you how upset a baby is, but not the reason for it. Parents gradually learn through experience to work out why their baby might be crying e.g. that it is four hours since the last feed, so baby is probably hungry. But, as we’ve said elsewhere, this doesn’t always work!


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