Did you click on this post because you have a crying baby who is actually making you cry? Well, here are some ways to soothe a newborn as a new mom that leaves your baby sleeping, and keeps you smiling and happy!
I’m a (fairly) new mom with a baby boy who is currently 10 months old. And he’s adorable, I might add <3
But let me tell you, I have had my fair share of long days and long nights of endless tears, both his and my own.
To be honest, those days aren’t over- we just had a rough day last week. But I have learned how to soothe a crying baby. More specifically, I have learned how to soothe my crying baby.
This is key. Learning how to soothe a newborn is helpful in general, but you need to learn how to soothe YOUR newborn.
In order to do so, you are most likely going to have to test out a few methods to see which one your baby responds to best. You might find that those methods change as your baby grows, which is normal. My little boy currently likes certain methods of soothing that he didn’t like when he was a newborn and vice versa.
As your baby grows and their preferences change, you will learn to adapt to their needs again, and again, and again.
So, what are some ways to soothe a crying newborn?
*Friendly reminder: I know you are a new mom and that you have never done this before, but remember, your baby has never done this before either. Look at their little hands and how small they are. Be patient with them. Love them. Accept help from family and friends when you are overwhelmed and tired. You’ve got this, Mama. This baby is worth everything.
This post is all about ways to soothe a newborn as a new mom.
Ways to soothe a newborn as a new mom
Bouncing on an exercise ball:
This was my go-to during the night when my baby would get fussy. I would sit on the exercise ball and bounce gently up and down as I held my baby over my shoulder.
He didn’t like to be held in a cradle very often – he preferred to be held more upright over the shoulder, but you can play around with different holding positions to be sure your baby is comfortable. You also don’t want to bounce too roughly because of their soft spots on their skull, so be gentle and aware of the movement.
As for myself, doing this was a workout. My abs would get so sore, and my lower back started to hurt the more I did this method. Make sure to engage your core and don’t arch in your back.
Bum/Back pats:
My baby loved bum pats, and not super soft ones, but bum pats with a little bit of force. Not painful, of course, but a little harder than the average pat, I guess.
Haha we always joked that if we were to ever spank our kids, he wouldn’t even be phased by it 😛 (Keyword joked)
He liked the pats more on his bum instead of his back, but you can try both placements and see if your baby responds positively. Play around with faster or slower pats, or softer pats vs pats medium force pats. Pats, people. Not smacks. Pats.
Going on a walk outside:
There was a phase where my baby would scream every single day around 5 or 6 pm. It was like clockwork. We never knew why or what was bothering him, and nothing would work to soothe him.
Until we stepped outside.
Literally (and I’m not joking) the moment we opened our front door and stepped through the door frame, he would stop. The moment we would step back inside, he would cry again. It was so bizarre! So, we went outside.
I would secure him in the body wrap, go outside, and walk around until he fell asleep. He. Loved. Being. Outside. Well, he still loves being outdoors. The fresh air, the change in scenery, all the new sounds.
It was easier to be out because it was warm weather when he was first born in the spring. During cold winter months, this can be tricky and might not be the best option.
Rocking:
Rocking your baby gently can put them right to sleep. You can rock them in your arms while you stand, or you can move it to some sort of rocking chair.
Movement in general is helpful. They have been used to being in your tummy while you went about your day doing whatever it is that you do: walking, dancing, doing the dishes, swimming, climbing Mt. Everest, skydiving, whatever. Intentional movement and rhythm for them can be soothing and calming when they are fussy.
Singing/Playing Music:
Are you a music lover? Were you constantly listening to music or singing while you were pregnant?
(I am raising my hand right now because this was the definition of my pregnancy hahaha.)
My baby loves it when I sing. He also specifically loves the song “Caroline” by Patrick Droney. If he is screaming, this song calms him down. It’s amazing how fast it works.
So maybe your baby has an ear for music, whether that music is baby lullabies, country music, or an Eminem rap song (my guess is that it might be similar to what you listened to during your pregnancy). Or maybe they calm down when they hear you softly play an instrument like you did while you were pregnant.
Bath/Running Water:
Baths can be a great way to relax your baby. You can bathe them any time when they are fussy and mad.
However, for a newborn, a bath isn’t a solid daily soothing method. You should not be bathing your newborn every single day because it dries out their skin. I have heard that some people bathe their newborns every night with water, and only use soap and shampoo once or twice a week. Apparently it’s the soap that dries the skin? I don’t know for sure. My midwife told me to only bathe him once in a while for the first few weeks.
So, talk to your midwife or doctor about specifics surrounding daily baths, especially if a bath is one of the only ways to calm your baby.
Some people bathe their baby before bed because of how soothing it can be. When Atlas was a newborn, it did the opposite. Not exactly sure why, but he would just scream. We would bathe him in the morning instead, and he did just fine. Now that he is older, we have moved his bath right before bedtime, and it has been working wonderfully.
You can try running water from the faucet or the shower to create some soothing sounds for them to listen to.
My husband and I also swaddled our baby and ran some warm water over the top of his head from the sink. Doing this keeps their whole body warm in the blanket, but they get the soothing properties from the water on their little head.
We were careful not to let the water run onto his forehead and definitely not onto his face. And then we took a soft bristled hair brush and combed his hair as the water ran through it. He seemed so peaceful and content.
If you are not comfortable holding your baby with one arm, I don’t recommend brushing their hair unless you have someone with you to help. I held our swaddled baby while my husband brushed his hair.
If your baby needs soothing, maybe a bath or running water will do the trick!
White noise:
Similar to what I mentioned above about running water to create a soothing sound, you can play running water from a media source. Youtube, Spotify, etc., have playlists full of white noise for babies.
There are ocean waves, rainstorms, thunderstorms, rivers, vacuum sounds, bird sounds, fan sounds, and more!
Just hook up your phone to a speaker, or place your phone close by (careful that it’s not too loud for their little eardrums) and see what sounds relax your baby best. There are also white noise machines, like this Hatch Sound Machine, that might work better for you. And whether or not you use it for soothing, it is still great for naps and bedtime! We use it every single day.
Vacuum:
Yes, you can play vacuum noises from your phone, but you can also plug in your actual vacuum and let it run.
I have done this a few times, and it has worked, but I didn’t love the waste of energy and the weird marks it left in my carpet from just sitting in one place, so I stopped 😛 But I did have some success, so if you are in a pickle, give it a go! Just make sure not to have the vacuum so close to your baby- you don’t want to damage their little eardrums.
Car ride:
A peaceful car ride is one of the ways to soothe a newborn to sleep. This is an iconic method- whenever my mom would babysit, she would always say, “We will just go for a drive if he’s having a hard time.”
There’s something about the movement of the car, the sound of the car, the warmth and coziness of the car. All the factors of a car ride just do wonders for a little human in need of soothing.
Baby Swing:
A constant sway in a comfy little baby swing can soothe your baby while also giving yourself a break. You want to make sure they are in a safe position where their airway isn’t closed off.
You also don’t want to leave them alone in the swing, especially while they are so young as they are unable to readjust themselves if they are uncomfortable or if they can’t breathe.
Swaddle:
Swaddling makes a baby feel safe and secure. It mimics feelings they had while inside the womb and creates a calm space for them. You just need to make sure you swaddle your baby correctly and safely.
Sometimes my baby liked to be swaddled, sometimes he didn’t. This method was hit or miss for me, but I think swaddles soothe most babies.
Instead, my little boy seemed to like being in a baby wrap more. I think this was because he was closer to me, closer to my skin and to my heartbeat. It also allowed me to move around more freely and use my hands, and I think the movement in conjunction with the wrap was comforting.
I used a Boba Baby Wrap and I really liked it, but there are others to choose from. There are wraps with a lot of fabric and wraps with less fabric, wraps you tie or wraps with buckles, etc. You just want to be sure that they are safe for your baby and work well with their body developments. Some wraps cause harm to your baby’s hips, whether it’s the wrap itself or because you wrapped the fabric incorrectly.
Do your research or talk to your doctor if you are unsure what’s safe.
Soothing Combinations
Sometimes, just one method alone won’t work, but combined with a flattering plus one, or even two or three, it can be magic. For example, I would place my baby in a baby swing AND play rain sounds over a speaker, and it would put him to sleep in no time.
Below are some combinations using the methods mentioned above that you might want to try.
- Baby swing with white noise
- Baby swing with music or swinging
- Baby swing with vacuum
- Swaddle/Baby wrap with rocking movements and vacuum
- Swaddle/Baby wrap with rocking movements and bum pats
- Swaddle/Baby wrap with rocking movements
- Swaddle/Baby wrap with rocking movements and white noise
- Swaddle/Baby wrap with rocking movements and music
- Swaddle/baby wrap while going outside
- Swaddle/baby wrap with rocking while outside
- Car ride with white noise
- Car ride with music or singing
- Bath with music or singing
- Bath with white noise
- Rocking while outside
- Rocking with white noise
- Rocking with music
- Rocking with vacuum
- Rocking with music and swaddle
- Rocking with swaddle and white noise
- Bouncing on ball and swaddle
- Sing/play music and bounce on an exercise ball
There you have it! A few of my favorite soothing methods and a few combos to go with it! Hopefully you found something here to be of use to you, whether it’s a soothing method or just knowing you aren’t alone in your baby-crying world hahah. I’ve been there, and so have many, many others 🙂
If I missed any wondrous tips or tricks, please comment below and help out these mamas.
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