Life

Ask the expert: How can I calm my baby down?

Singing a lullaby can work wonders on some babies
Singing a lullaby can work wonders on some babies Singing a lullaby can work wonders on some babies

Q: "My eight-week-old baby cries a lot and I seem to be either feeding her or picking her up constantly. What other ways can I calm her down?"

A: Sarah Beeson, author of Happy Baby, Happy Family: Learning To Trust Yourself And Enjoy Your Baby (Harper Thorsons), says: "I've got three calming techniques for you to try that remind babies of the calm environment of the womb through motion and sound.

"The Up-Down Technique is a forgotten baby-calming trick that recreates the weightlessness and comfort of being in the womb and can stop a baby crying in a couple of minutes or even a few seconds.

"Stand up. Hold your baby with one hand under their bottom, placing your thumb and forefinger gently round their thigh and resting the baby's head in the palm of your other hand. When your little one feels secure, move them up and down, slightly away from your body, using a rapid motion. You'll usually find they'll stop crying in moments.

"Singing a lullaby or playing gentle music can really work wonders on some babies. You'll soon learn what your baby likes to hear, and if you sang and played music a lot while you were pregnant, it's quite likely they'll like those tunes best.

"Making gentle, rhythmic shushing sounds will often help babies to relax. It stimulates the noises of blood pumping. From gently behind the ear, not into the ear, make low-level rhythmic shushing noises for a couple of minutes to calm your little one.

"It's important to use the calming techniques you feel comfortable with as a family. You'll get there and you are the expert on your own baby."