What is working for you?

[NewAtThis]

Ok Moms...share your tips, your secrets, your hints that you have discovered to make it through the first few months! I know there are moms out there (like me) that can always use new ideas, and I'd love to share my latest tricks for calming dd:
1 - Swaddling, super tight so she looks like a papoose, has worked wonders for calming her enough so she'll sleep. SInce starting to swaddle, we have been sleeping 5-7 hours at night at a stretch! It's great!
2 - the fitness ball. We have the big 65 cm ball and slight bouncing on that ball while I hold her in my arms can calm even the worst crying spells. Ahhh...relief!

What have you discovered that you want to share?

[phoebemommy]

hard rock puts my ds to sleep!

Okay, I was just coming here to post this --

Spike has developed these evening fussy spells, and he's got such a strong cry that it really traumatizes everyone around. The best thing so far has been music, singing with a CD and dancing. But what's weird is the music that works. We started with U2, which he liked okay, then Blur and Blues Traveler, again both okay. Then I switched to a baby lullaby CD, and he totally scoffed at that. So then DH pulled out his Nine Inch Nails CD, and it totally put Spike to sleep! Then we tried a soundtrack that has the likes of Limp Bizkit and White Zombie on it -- even better.

I don't think we were out of line in naming our kid Spike! And I totally didn't listen to this stuff while I was pregnant. I was all about the Fleetwood Mac and Patsy Kline.

[AmieV]

Same tricks as you! I feel bad because some days she's swaddled most of the day, but she loves it so oh well. I'm glad you discovered the exercise ball early, I didn't figure that out until DD1 was about 6 months old!

Basically everything in Happiest Baby on the Block (a book EVERY pg mama should have to read!) has worked like a charm. I could seriously kiss Harvey Karp (or more, for how many pleasant evenings his tricks have afforded us! )

[mamamilkers]

Originally Posted by NewAtThis

1 - Swaddling, super tight so she looks like a papoose, has worked wonders for calming her enough so she'll sleep. SInce starting to swaddle, we have been sleeping 5-7 hours at night at a stretch! It's great!
2 - the fitness ball. We have the big 65 cm ball and slight bouncing on that ball while I hold her in my arms can calm even the worst crying spells. Ahhh...relief!

With DD#1, these are the exact things that worked for her. With DD#2, she doesn't need to be swaddled, but loves the ball.

Originally Posted by AmieV

Basically everything in Happiest Baby on the Block (a book EVERY pg mama should have to read!) has worked like a charm. I could seriously kiss Harvey Karp (or more, for how many pleasant evenings his tricks have afforded us! )

I second the suggestion for this book! I couldn't have survived through DD#1's infancy without it

This probably sounds wierd, but DD#2 really likes having her booty whacked. I say "whacked" because that's really what it is! She lays on me, tummy to chest, and I whack her big cloth booty and she's as content as can be.

[veganf]

None of the happiest baby tricks has ever worked for our's. They all HATE being swaddled and fight and fuss until their arms are free again.

#1 liked dancing
#2 liked me to do squats
#3 likes to go outside, but sometimes just wants to be put down and actually cries when I pick him up from his bouncy seat or the changing table.

- Krista

[ColoradoMama]

I guess I have a pretty easy baby. I hold him, sling him, or nurse him. That's it. Of course, he wants one of these three things ALL THE TIME! At night, as long as he is close to someone, he sleeps really well, sometimes I have to put a hand on him.

[blairinargentina]

Cant say enough about swaddling. We have done it for nighttime since the first day and it works like a charm.

The other thing that really works for Isabel is putting her in the stroller (gasp! i know, some folks think it's very un-ap) but it works! and she sleeps better and is more relaxed than even in the sling at times. I think it's the fresh air and motion.

[mrs rockstar]

Definitely swaddling. I didn't with my first daughter, she just wasn't into it but Thing2 has loved it since the first night in the hospital. And nursing of course, but with my kids that seems to be a given.

[taradt]

My 2 have both hated their hands covered, so swaddling is out

Nursing and moving in the sling are the 2 things here. Being outside under trees is also a big thing

tara

[BirthFree]

Lol about Harvey Karp! I hold his longest-swaddled-baby age (according to him) with my 18m old swaddled one. He weaned swaddling at that point.

So for this baby what works to calm him... holding/walking.
What helps him to sleep at night... baby hammock, sound machine on 'waterfall' (blessed machine!!) and swaddling.

phoebemommy - my friends actually put earphones on their baby and played Led Zepplin when he was a baby... he plays bass now and loves music... maybe you have one of 'those'.

[2 in August]

Mine likes being held just by his arm pits with our fingers and thumbs supporting his head so it doesn't flop around. Then you have to slowly move him up and down. if any part of him touches anything he will start to cry again. Good thing he's still really little.

[Bay Area Babe]

Swaddling, jiggling and something to suck.

[SummerTwilight]

being held (constantly) hanging over our hands facing front, having her butt or back patted, swaying, being outdoors, not being in my house, car rides, nursing. doesn't like being put down into anything except a moving car, hates swaddling and barely tolerates the moby wrap or hot sling.

[Sailmom]

Swaddling, definately. My dh has perfected the "magic swaddle" - very tight so he can't move at all. Also being held on his side against me as I bounce and say "sh, sh, sh"very loudly in his ear. He also likes it when dd talks to him. I guess, next to my voice, hers is the one he is most familiar with.

[Robynee]

Originally Posted by 2 in August

Mine likes being held just by his arm pits with our fingers and thumbs supporting his head so it doesn't flop around. Then you have to slowly move him up and down.

Sean likes the same thing. He's getting pretty heavy though. Dh figured that one out. Works everytime.

[louloubean]

rock on!

waylon digs the hard rock too! we got the sirius radio, and he loves all rock.
maybe he and spike should meet someday!

rocking chairs and pirate songs seem to work too (what should we do with the drunken sailor?)

[mamamilkers]

Originally Posted by 2 in August

Mine likes being held just by his arm pits with our fingers and thumbs supporting his head so it doesn't flop around. Then you have to slowly move him up and down. if any part of him touches anything he will start to cry again. Good thing he's still really little.

Last night while driving I had to pull over to calm DD#2 down. She was so hysterical she wouldn't nurse, and we were just sitting in the front seat of car, so I couldn't bounce her or anything. I was remembering this post and I tried it, and it worked!

So, thanks for the tip! It works great in cramped spaces!

[2 in August]

Glad it helped mamamilkers!

Robynee--My dh figured it out too! I would have never "dangled" a baby like that, but it works and it doesn't hurt him so i do it.

[carolina~mom2be]

my daugher loves to be held like that too DH freaks when I do it... "You're so rough with her"

[AmieV]

Mine loves that damn swing more than anything!! I borrowed one from a friend thinking it would help in a pinch when I needed to do something with DD1...well, there are times when literally NOTHING I can do for her calms her like that stupid thing. I feel so bad because I already hold her less than I'd like to (even with the sling, there are some things that just take two hands and I have to put her down) and then she's fussy and wants nothing to do with me.