Swaddling imitates the cozy, secure feeling your child experienced during their nine months in the womb. This is a great step to try early and in combination with the other soothing strategies, since it may help your baby settle down faster and stay calm longer.

On their back is the only safe position for your baby to sleep, but it’s not a good position for calming them while they’re crying. This orientation feels unnatural to your newborn, who is used to moving more freely while supported by amniotic fluid in utero. Moving your baby to their side or belly while they’re fussing can recreate this sensation and deactivate the startle reflex.

Mimic the rumbling white noise your baby experienced in the womb by loudly saying “shhhhhhhhhh” in your baby’s ear as you hold them on their side or stomach. You want your volume to match your baby’s crying here — so don’t be afraid to get close to their ear and be loud! As your baby begins to calm, slowly decrease the volume of your shushing. 

Life in utero wasn’t quiet for your baby, and it wasn’t static either. Movement was often quick and small, so while gentle rocking works on an already calm baby, a different type of motion is required to soothe a crying one.

Use fast, tiny movements to soothe your upset newborn. It’s critical you keep your rocking small — shaking your baby can lead to permanent brain damage.