Comforting Your Baby Doesn't Mean Spoiling

Won't I spoil my baby if I go to him every time he cries? Sometimes parents think that if they go to their baby each time he cries, they are teaching him to cry even more to get attention. Babies don't work this way!

Infant researchers agree it is very important for parents to go to their baby promptly when she cries. This leads to less crying later. The important thing is how quickly parents respond to crying, more than the amount of time spent comforting the baby.

By about the fourth week of life, infants use fussing or complaining noises when they need something. If these quiet cries are answered, the baby learns she doesn't always have to scream. At about 6 weeks, just making eye contract with a baby can sometimes quiet her.

Remember -- your baby's cry is a way of asking for something. Your baby needs you not only to provide for her bodily needs, but also for comfort and reassurance. Because there are many different needs, it's important to know and use a variety of ways to respond to your infant. Sometimes if you answer quickly when your baby begins to fuss, the sound of your voice alone will be enough to soothe.

Very young babies often like to be swaddled. The snug wrapping provides warmth and security. Some babies seek comfort through sucking on a pacifier, wrist or thumb. Others prefer motion to soothe them -- rocking, being carried as you walk, riding in a stroller or car.

• Provide steady, monotonous sounds. Vacuum cleaners, fans, radios tuned to soft music; loud music with a beat or even static can help. Try singing quietly to your baby. Sometimes recordings of a human heartbeat are helpful.
• Cuddle for a while. Rock in a rocking chair or snuggle. Babies need lots of holding and touching.
• Leave a soft light on in your baby's room. Keep the room a little bit warmer to help make your baby sleepy.
• Wrap your baby in a light blanket to reduce thrashing around and startling.
• If your baby has diaper rash, wash her bottom with soap and water and leave the diaper off for a while to let her skin dry. Wrap her in a blanket if it is cold in the house.
• Your baby may be bored. Give her a new view. Hang something over the crib that she can look at but can't reach. Put her where she can keep an eye on you.

NEVER SHAKE A BABY. This can cause blindness, brain damage or death.

The second month of life tends to be the peak month for crying -- so when you get through this month, things should begin to get quieter.