10 easy ways to soothe your fussy baby when nothing seems to work
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I remember how nervous, frustrated and clueless I was with my first born. Here I was calling my mom every time my daughter wouldn’t stop crying. Everything was new to me and hearing my baby cry and being fussy non stop was horrible to me. I even called her doctor once or twice! The truth is that your newborn’s cry can make you go insane because you just don’t know why your baby is crying. After baby is fed, dirty diapers are changed and it seemed like you have done everything to calm her down, she’s still crying! I’m sharing with you today the easy ways you can soothe your fussy baby when nothing seems to work! Because I know what you’re going through and I know what can work!
When you become a mom, you sort of learn as you go and that’s exactly what happened to me. With my first born, I learned what made her fussy and what things I had to do in order to help her feel better. My mom and aunts helped me a ton, for which I am so grateful for. Believe me hearing your baby cry for the first time is so magical and amazing. But, once baby is home, reality sets in and you’re super tired and overwhelmed, the last thing you want to hear is your baby cry for long periods of time, specially when you can’t seem to comfort her.
Watch video on baby tummy massages for colic, gassy and fussy baby:
These tips will help you figure out why your baby is fussy and what to do to comfort your baby. I hope you find these 10 easy fussy baby tips.
10 easy ways to soothe your fussy baby when nothing seems to work
Disclosure: This post contains affiliated links for your convenience. You can read my disclosure here.
1. Your baby may be in pain (gassy, colic or constipation)
Many babies suffer from being gassy, colicky and constipated. It can really be painful and uncomfortable for them. The non-stop crying can be contributed to one of these things. My first born daughter suffered from colic and believe it was not fun. Here are some of the things that worked for my baby:
Gassy:
- Gently massage your baby’s tummy to release gas
- Make sure to burp your baby after every feeding
- Make sure to use an anti-colic baby bottle like these ones!
Colic:
- Exercise baby’s legs
- Change baby formula
- Speak with your baby’s pediatrician
I wrote a post all about helping your baby with colic, where you can read right here.
Constipation:
- Increase water intake
- Give your baby apple or prune juice (if baby is old enough)
- Try the “bicycle leg” massage (moving your baby’s legs back and forth)
2. Diaper rash?
Having a diaper rash is no fun for babies. My second daughter had the worst diaper rash I had ever seen when she was a baby, it broke my heart and of course she was extremely fussy. So please make sure to check if your baby has a diaper rash and simply treat it! I used and loved the A+D diaper rash ointment to help treat her rash. And, I also changed the diaper brand that I was using to the brand Pampers, which made all of the difference.
Sometimes your baby may be allergic to whatever chemical a brand of diaper may have, so switching to a different one can really save you your sanity and your baby pain.
3. Take a ride
Car rides for the win! This has always worked for all three of my children. Whenever I have tried everything to soothe my fussy baby, taking a ride in my car or going on walks with my babies has done the trick. The car or stroller movement can soothe your fussy baby.
You can also try putting your baby in a baby swing for the soothing back and forth movement.
4. Rock your baby (shush baby)
Your baby may just want to be held by you or your partner. You can simply rock your baby back and forth to sleep and also make “shushing” sound softly in your baby’s ear. I would always shush my baby’s to sleep or to calm them down when they were fussy, they loved it.
5. Sleepy (can’t seem to fall asleep?)
Is your baby having a hard time falling asleep but it’s clearly easy to see how sleepy she is? Well mama, welcome to the club of stubborn babies who refuse to sleep or take naps even though they are practically falling asleep! Try to buy blackout curtains, make sure the room is not too hot or too cold, have your baby wearing comfortable clothes.
6. Change environment
Maybe a change in environment can soothe your fussy baby. Take time to get out of the house and smell the fresh air. Take a long walk with your baby and see how she feels. Also, how about going into a different room of the house, a more quieter area can make all of the difference.
Sometime babies may get irritated by noise or a super bright room. Help your fussy baby by creating a calm and comfortable environment.
7. Clothes too tight or hot
Have you ever thought that maybe your baby’s clothes is making him feel uncomfortable? Yes! Maybe your baby’s clothes are too tight or making him feel hot.
Help soothe your fussy baby by putting on breathable and light clothing.
8. Baby is still hungry
Your baby might indeed be hungry and that’s why he may be fussy. If you find that your baby drinks all of his formula and then gets irritated or fussy right after. It can be that he was still hungry. Try increasing the ounces of formula milk or breast milk you give your baby by 1 ounce and go from there. A hungry baby is definitely a fussy baby.
9. Low milk supply?
If you are breastfeeding your baby, make sure your baby is getting enough milk and that you have enough supply. Again, you do not want your baby to stay hungry because he will get fussy.
Milkology is a breastfeeding class that you can take online. Learn the ropes of successfully breastfeeding your baby. Quick informative videos that are easy to follow. Learn more here!
10. Talk to your baby
Sometimes all baby wants is to hear your voice, so speak to him! Talk to your baby, sing a lullaby and connect with your baby 🙂 Also, cuddling works as well, your baby wants to feel secure and what better way than in his mother’s or daddy’s arms.
Quick recap:
As you saw you can totally soothe your fussy baby, you just need to apply a few techniques and see what works for your baby. I know it can be totally frustrating hearing your baby cry and not knowing what’s wrong. Even if you think you have tried everything to calm your fussy baby, just remember these tips and see if it works for you!
Sometimes your baby may be fussy because she’s hungry, needs a diaper change or sleep, you know the obvious. But there are times that your baby may be fussy because she’s in pain and that’s the only way she can express to you, by crying. Maybe she has colic, is constipated or has a diaper rash!
I hope you found these fussy baby tips useful and let’s all say good bye to fussy babies! These tips are totally going to help your baby feel better and be less fussy. Hooray for that mama!