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Calming Fussy Babies

5 Top Tips for Parents to Help Soothe Infants

By Shannon McKelden

Yikes! Baby's crying and you can't seem to calm her down. Or he's miserable with teething pain and you've had no luck finding something to make him more comfortable. So what do you do if a trip to the store for the "latest and greatest" baby gadget doesn't fit into your schedule – or budget? Just take a dose of imagination and add a few items conveniently found around your home.

Spending money isn't always the answer when it comes to solving infant problems. After all, parents for centuries managed without fancy teething rings, white noise machines and super-duper infant entertainment centers. By investing a little bit of thought and creativity, parents can often solve their problems without ever leaving home or spending a dime.

"The benefits of using household items are most parents have these items, such as a hair dryer, vacuum, etc.," says Blythe Lipman, author of Help! My Baby Came Without Instructions (Blythe Lipman, 2004). "[They] don't have to go out and buy them."

With a little imagination, an exercise ball becomes a burping aid (just sit on the ball and bounce Baby in your lap to help loosen up those bubbles), and your clean finger becomes a great way to feed a baby who is still a little intimidated by the spoon. Lipman, who is headquartered in Scottsdale, Ariz., adds that parents shouldn't have too much trouble inventing ideas on their own. "Sometimes, just thinking about what makes them feel better will help them come up with a tip to help their baby," she says.

Want to see more?

• Shhhhhh! Using White Noise to Calm a Fussy Newborn
• Baby's First Cookie: Making Homemade
  Teething Biscuits
• Crying Times: A Colic Primer for New Parents
• Check out our Article Library.
• Talk about it!

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