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How to Stop a Crying Baby Pick him up, turn on some white noise and take a stress break You’ve fed, burped, changed and rocked your baby, but he’s still crying. And crying. Your nerves are frayed, your sleep is wrecked and you’re losing confidence as a new parent. Now what? “First, don’t blame yourself,” says John Nagamine, M.D., pediatrician. “Most babies have extended crying episodes with no easy explanation.” Some babies cry for long stretches at 3 and 12 weeks of age during steps in development when their sleep is less settled. “Colicky” babies — generally, those who cry nonstop for more than three hours a day, more than three days a week — are thought to have a built-in tendency to overreact to any stimulation, be it a bowel movement or slight temperature change. In short, they don’t easily adjust to the world outside the snug womb until age 4 months, when colic often disappears. Other babies are just hard-wired to cry more. And the longer a baby cries, the harder it tends to be to get him to stop. Once your doctor has ruled out any underlying reason for crying, Dr. Nagamine suggests these tear-stopping techniques: Wrap him like a burrito. Swaddling babies snugly in a soft blanket helps keeps their arms and legs from flailing, and can switch on relaxation. Wear your baby. Babies who are carried more cry less, studies show. Skin-to-skin contact is best (and bathing together is ideal). But wearing baby in a sling for several hours a day also cuts crying and provides constant sound, temperature and motion that signal comfort. Switch on shusshing. A running shower, a whirring fan, a white noise machine or a recording of the vacuum cleaner (watch the volume) helps block outside stimulation and may mimic the steady sounds of the womb. Get moving. Take a stroll or a spin in the car. Motion swings or dancing are especially helpful at the dinner hour, when fussy babies tend to kick it up a notch. Drape her. Draping your baby along your forearm with her head in the crook of your elbow provides warmth and pressure to relax a tense, colicky belly. Take a stress break. Have your spouse, family or neighbor take over while you walk, bathe and calm yourself so you can better handle crying. John Nagamine, M.D. Infant Care/CPR/Breastfeeding Class This three-week series includes “Breastfeeding for Expectant Parents;” baby basics (includes bathing and diapering, information on wellness and illness, child-proofing your home, crying, colic, car seat safety); and pediatric CPR. Fee: $85 per couple Call 808-535-7000.