Many parents have been there, listening to a screaming baby and not knowing what to do. Some parents find by accident that white noise calms babies. Other people, like Dr. Harvey Karp, author of The Happiest Baby on the Block, realized that the womb is not a silent environment. When babies are born, they are used to constant noise. Unborn babies hear their mother's heart beat and hear the blood pumping through her veins and arteries. In fact, the sound of the blood movement is similar to the white noise that babies like so much.
The following are some tips to create sounds to calm a baby.
- Shushing. Shushing is actually one of the five S's outlined in The Happiest Baby in the Block. You literally shush your baby, drawing out the sound. You will want to make the sound close to your baby's ear and as loud as they are crying.
- Vacuuming. Many babies respond to vacuuming to help them stop crying. If this works, you may consider taping the sound and playing it over and over again. Some babies do not respond well to the sound of the vacuum, so you shouldn't force it on your baby if your baby doesn't like it.
- Hair dryer. A hair dryer is the same concept as a vacuum. However, hair dryers are very loud, so if you use this technique, move it away from your baby as soon as your baby stops crying.
- Water. Many people have found that the sound of water works to calm a baby. You can get a cheap fountain at most home decorating places for your baby's room or your living room. However, if you have older children, or your baby is toddling you should be careful that they can't drown in the fountain water. You can also turn on a faucet, though this is wasteful and potentially expensive.
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Author: Theresa Halvorsen