How to Cope When Your Infant Won’t Stop Crying

The newness of your fatherhood has worn off and now you're wondering what to do if your infant won't stop crying. This happens with every infant at some time or another and different babies will have varying patterns of unstoppable crying, too. The simple answer for this problem is to invest in a good set of earplugs. But that isn't the best way to deal with your baby's noisy nature. Here are some things you can do to cope with the situation when your baby seems to cry for hours on end.

1. Identify the reason for the crying. Since infants can't speak, the only effective form of communication that they have in their arsenal is crying. Usually, babies also have different cries for different problems. For instance, a "hungry cry" will be slightly different than a "restless cry." But if you're a new parent, it might take some time to notice the subtle differences. Until then, it's mostly trial-and-error. Start by trying to feed the baby. If that doesn't work, try burping them. It will take practice to find out what they want, but it will pay off once you learn how to decipher the different types of cries.
   
   
2. Wrap it in swaddling clothes. If your baby is a newborn, it might be crying because it feels uncomfortable. The womb was a very warm and cozy place for your baby and sometimes they might want to have that secure feeling once again. The only way to duplicate this feeling for them is to wrap them in a blanket. Wrap it tightly, but not too tight. Also, keep the arms and legs wrapped inside the blanket, too. Babies generally feel uncomfortable with their arms and legs flailing around.
   
   
3. Soothe the cries of the savage baby. Find some music that comforts you and play it while you hold your baby. This often works unless you're soothed by the melodies of death metal. Play some classical music or nature sounds as you hold your baby close. When in doubt, you can even find CDs at your local music store that are made for comforting babies (and yourself) during these tumultuous times. If you're feeling especially adventurous, you can even sing to your baby. The soft sounds of a parent's voice are very soothing to a baby's nerves.
   
   
4. Plug it up. Sometimes, coping with an infant that won't stop crying is as simple as giving the baby a pacifier or something else that they can put in their mouth. Unfortunately, though, it's usually more complicated than this.
   
   
5. Invest in a rocking chair. Rocking your baby is often one of the best ways to cope with the crying. The rocking motion is very soothing to the baby and it also helps you keep your nerves at bay. Even if it doesn't stop crying, you'll feel more relaxed. Combine this with the soothing music from the previous step and you'll be on your way to coping effectively with your crying infant.
   
   
6. Give them some stimulation. A baby's mind is always wandering. They're new to the world and they are trying to absorb everything they can. But by being a baby, their exploration skills are limited as to where they can go and what they can do. As such, they might start crying when they get bored. If they are old enough to bounce around in an exerciser or crawl around on the floor, allow them to explore their surroundings.
   
   
7. Use this trick for colic. Everybody always worries that their baby is crying as a result of colic. Most parents look at this as a no-win situation because there's nothing you can to about colic. But this parent relays the tip that if you lay your baby on its tummy across your lap and rock gently back and forth, this allows the gas to escape effectively from its body and makes it more comfortable. It might not work for every baby, but it's certainly worth a try.
   
   
8. Leave it alone. This sounds like the easiest solution, but it's often the hardest thing a parent can do. Allowing your infant to "cry it out" can sometimes solve the problem, especially when it happens throughout the night. While attending to your crying baby won't necessarily cause them to be "spoiled," running to their crib at every little whimper could make them extra dependent and needy. Use your own judgment about using this method.
   
   
9. Take turns with mom. Sometimes, babies simply won't stop crying and you just can't figure out what the problem is. When this is the case, take turns with mom to hold the baby and make them feel as comfortable as possible. Whether it has a case of colic or the crying is stemming from something else, there may be nothing you can do besides spend some time with your arms around the infant.

Learning how to cope when your infant won't stop crying will undoubtedly take some practice. Patience, however, is the most important aspect of coping. And learning what is making your baby cry won't happen overnight. It will take some bonding time for the first few months to even know why your baby is crying. While following these steps won't guarantee that your baby will stop crying, you will have a good chance at peace and quiet by following these suggestions.