Crying and Soothing

On average, a baby cries two to three hours a day and is often fussy around suppertime.

Healthy babies cry on average two to three hours a day, and are often fussy around suppertime. Between three and eight weeks of age, they may cry even more! After three months of age, most babies cry less and less.

Although it may be distressing to hear your baby cry, there are no guaranteed solutions. When your baby begins to cry, check and make sure that he/she is not wet, hungry, hot or cold. If none of these things are bothering your baby, some ideas for quieting him/her down are suggested below. Experiment and see what works. Does your baby like your voice, or your touch or both? Does your baby want to be cuddled and fussed over? Don't worry about "spoiling your baby" by responding when he/she cries, but do remember that some babies can calm themselves. Try it and see if it works! Sometimes there may be too much activity and your child may simply need some quiet time alone.

Here are some other ideas:

	Babies are often soothed by motion. Try: rocking in a cradle or rocking chair carrying your baby close to you in a carrier or sling taking your baby for a walk or car ride standing or sitting with your baby
	You baby may need to feel more secure. Try: letting your baby be in a room where he/she can see you putting your baby near people's voices or background music wrapping your baby in a blanket with his/her arms close to the body quiet, rhythmic motion
	Maybe your baby wants stimulation and attention. Try: singing or talking to your child offering him/her a toy or mobile
	Maybe your baby is over-stimulated. Put him or her in a quiet, dimly lit space. Experiment with quiet background noise.
	Maybe giving your baby something to suck on will help.
	Try taking a warm bath with your baby.
	Lie down and take a nap with your baby.

You may not always succeed in calming your baby. It is OK to feel upset when the baby won't stop crying. It may be hard to resist the impulse to strike or shake the baby, but both can be very harmful. If you cannot take it anymore, put your baby somewhere safe – like in his/her crib – and go away for a few minutes until you have more control. Some women take a short shower, keeping the baby within earshot. These few minutes may be all you need. If you feel overwhelmed (and many parents do), look in the front of your phone book for a distress centre in your area.

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