1. Get Comfortable Comforting Your Baby
It will come naturally as you hold, rock, walk and calm your baby. Learn from the nurses, your partner, and mostly from your own experience.
2. Assemble Your Crying Hack Kit
Try some of the DEFCON based crying hacks, and after you see what works, invent your own.
3. Develop a Checklist On Why Your Baby Cries
Starting with the most common. A typical list might include:
Hungry/Tired/Burping/Overstimulated
Gas/Constipation/Dirty or Wet diaper/Diaper Rash/Frustration
Too hot/Too cold/ Needs to be held/Too noisy/Lonely
Too quiet/Bored/In Pain/Sick
Check each reason, ruling out problems as you try solutions, and then stick with what works.
4. Check for New Problems/Move on to New Techniques
Sometimes, crying is caused by random things like his finger may be bent back in his sleeve, a hair might be wrapped around his toe, or his clothing may be too tight. When current solutions lose their effectiveness, try new ones.
5. Getting Seriously Frustrated? Put Him Down and Walk Away
You need to be prepared for when this will happen, as it does for most new dads.
“To calm my baby down, I’ll stand next to the dryer, washer or kitchen sink with the water running. If that doesn’t work, I will sing or turn the radio on. And if that doesn’t work, I’ll take her outside for a walk or go for a car ride.”
“One time my wife left me with our baby, Madison, who wouldn’t stop crying. I panicked and decided to call my wife. Just before I punched "Call," I decided NO, I’m not going to call her. I put down the phone and started finding ways to calm Madison. A half-hour later she finally calmed down. It proved to be a real confidence builder for me.”
| DEFCON* | Your Baby | Dad Readiness Description |
| 5 | Relaxed & Easy | Relax, you’re lucky; a few hacks needed |
| 4 | Somewhat Fussy | Limited Crying Tool Kit |
| 3 | Fussy+ / Pre-Term | Small tool chest needed |
| 2 | Serious Fussy | Medium tool chest: headphones |
| 1 | Colic | Large tool chest; headphones on high, tag team |
* DEFCON levels go down as the threat increases.
DEFCON 5 - Relaxed & Easy
DEFCON 4 - Somewhat Fussy
DEFCON 3 - Fussy+/Pre-Term
DEFCON 2 - Seriously Fussy
DEFCON 1: Colic
Research indictes there is no ongoing impact on babies of crying due to colic. This is of little comfort when you see their contorted, miserable face and hear their piercing screams for hours on end. It doesn't help much when you're in the thick of it to know it'll all end at around 3 - 5 months. What does help when the crying ramps up at about 2 weeks? Keep the following in mind:
Dads Adventure Cigar Box Treasure Chest
$34.00
For all your treasures! Solid wood box with dove-tail joints, perfect for all your/his most prized keepsakes. Makes a great Dadchelor Party/Man Shower gift!
Proceeds go toward funding for Boot Camp for New Dads
Russell: Big Boys Do Cry (0:48)
Edel & Ryan: Crying (1:27)
“Sometimes he is just on another crying jag and there isn’t anything you can do to calm him. If that’s the case, let him be for a while. It might seem harsh at the time, but his crying is one way for him to get his system back in sync.” - Vet Dad
You may also like...
GETTING SLEEP
BABY CARE
GUIDE TO BIRTH
You may also like...
