How to calm your child down quickly

How to calm a newborn

1. Take it in your arms, press it to your chest

A versatile way that works for kids of all ages and even adults. Hugs soothe, give a sense of security, convince that you are not alone in this harsh and scary world. They also increase the production of the hormone oxytocin (sometimes called the "cuddle hormone" for good reason), which increases life satisfaction and reduces pain.

In general, take the baby in your arms, remembering to support the head in the back of the head with your palm, and press it to you. Crying, if it does not stop immediately, will surely become quieter. And there and before the child calms down, not far.

2. Swaddle or, conversely, swaddle

Newborns still have strong physical memories of the time they were in their mother's belly. Therefore, perhaps the child needs to feel that he is in a safe, movement-limiting cocoon. Swaddle him.

Another option (if the crying began already in the diapers) - free the baby's arms and legs from the fabric. Maybe he was wrapped too tight and he is in discomfort.

3. Give a breast, bottle or pacifier

Even if the baby is not hungry, sucking will help him calm down.

4. Rocking the baby to the white noise

Ideal if you have a white noise generator. Then just turn it on and rock your baby to these soothing sounds.

However, if there is no special device at hand, it doesn't matter. Use the old grandma's method. Take the child in your arms, swing him rhythmically and hiss quietly monotonously above his ear: "Shh-shh-shh-shh."

5. Use Dr. Hamilton's 5-second technique

The video, which Californian pediatrician Robert Hamilton posted on YouTube, has already garnered over 36 million views. And no wonder - it contains an almost magical way to instantly calm a crying baby.

“My parents have asked me a million times to share this recipe,” the pediatrician himself explained the appearance of the video. Robert Hamilton has been working as a pediatrician in Santa Monica, California for 30 years, and the way he describes is an extract from years of experience.

Hamilton calls the proposed technique "retention." It consists of only four steps, the execution of which can be completed in literally 5 seconds.

Take the baby in your arms and cross his arms over your chest.
Press the crossed arms with your left palm against his chest and place the child on the same palm - at an angle of 45 degrees to the floor. With the fingers of the same left hand, hold the chin so that the head does not fall.
Support the newborn under the diaper with your right palm.
While holding the baby at a 45-degree angle, begin to gently rock the baby. It can be up-down or side-to-side movement. Choose the option that is most comfortable for you. The main thing is that the movements are soft and smooth. In just a couple of seconds, the baby will be silent.

See Dr. Hamilton's video for details:

The pediatrician warns: This technique is suitable for babies under 3 months of age. Later, they become too heavy to be safely held in this position.

And one more note. If the child does not calm down, then there are good reasons for crying. Perhaps the baby is hungry, he is hot, or maybe he just has a wet diaper. Help the newborn get rid of physical discomfort, and he will give you the long-awaited smile and silence.

How to calm your baby between 4 months and 1 year old

By this time, the baby has matured and begins to be aware of himself, so simple physical methods are no longer so effective. To calm the child down, you have to use your imagination. But let's start with the classics.

1. Pick up

Again, this option is suitable for all ages. Use it as often as possible. Holding the child close to you, whisper something soothing to him in a gentle, soft voice.

2. Switch attention

Take the child in your arms and walk up to the window with him, enthusiastically telling something like "Wow, look what a big dump truck has gone!" or "Look, what a cute fluffy cat in the yard!" Turn on the cartoon TV. Put on your favorite nursery rhymes and start dancing with your child in your arms.

Your goal is to switch the baby's attention from the situation that worried him and caused him to cry, to something new and interesting.

3. Replace emotional activity with physical

Take the baby under the arms and let him jump on the bed. Or do gymnastics. Or throw it in the air (low). The need to concentrate to coordinate muscle activity will make the infant stop crying.

Attention! This method is not suitable if there is even the slightest suspicion that the crying was caused by a fall or pain.

4. Translate crying into something funny

For example, tickle a child. Or take his toy and put on a little puppet show. Speak for her in a funny theatrical voice: “Oh, who is crying here? Hush, hush, I'm afraid! - and hide it behind your back. The goal is to make the baby smile. Baby crying, if you try, quite easily turns into laughter.

How to calm a child from one to 3-4 years old

At this age, most children already understand adults well, can and love to communicate. The most effective ways to calm down are based on this.

1. Take it in your arms and sympathize

Hold the crying child close to you, tell him something like, “You are crying. You must be upset about something. Tell me what happened, how can I help you? He will most likely tell you what worries him. This will help solve the crying problem.

2. Add awareness

Ask your child to cry more quietly (for example, so as not to wake up the resting mother) or in a lower voice, "like a bear." If he obeys, you win. Crying will turn into a conscious vocal exercise, from which the child will quickly get tired.

3. Remind me of an important task for which it is worth putting off crying

It may look like this: "Come on, you will cry later, otherwise it will soon become dark and if you cry for a long time, we will not have time to walk." In this way, you do not take away the right to cry from the child. Just ask to move them to a more convenient moment.

4. Find a way to take out the child's bursting emotions

Offer him, for example, a pillow: "Come on, so as not to cry, we will beat her!" And together with the child, start knocking on soft things with your fists. You can also hand over an inflatable hammer or offer to throw plastic balls into the wall. Any kind of activity will do that will help get rid of negativity.

5. Create a funny ritual

For example, as soon as the child starts crying, run for a hairdryer to dry the tears urgently. “So, where is our hairdryer, where did I lose it? Oh, let's blow on the cat? This will help shift the child's attention and may even make the child laugh.

6. Come up with "bad mood pills"

It can be bear-shaped gummies, chocolate pills, or any other small sweetness. “Who is crying here? We urgently call an ambulance, she is bringing us pills for a bad mood! Eat - and the tears will dry! The basic rules are: there should be one “pill”, and if the child refuses it, this time it will not be offered any more.

How to calm a child 3-4 years old and older

By this age, children are already full-fledged personalities. And their reasons for crying are much more varied than those of babies. You have to work with each of them individually. Fortunately, the child can already clearly articulate what exactly made him cry, and this makes the task easier.

Only one thing remains unchanged: pick it up, hug it, kiss it, say how you love your child and how you sympathize with it. Empathy and support help people to pull themselves together at any age - at 4 years old, and at 15, and at 45.