Settling Techniques for an Unsettled Baby 

Settling Techniques for an Unsettled Baby 

Why? It is very important to look at is why you think your baby is unsettled and address any concerns.  Is your new baby feeding ok? Are you winding them well?  Are they particularly upset at a certain point during the day/night?

If your baby is older have you introduced any new foods? Are their daytime sleeps timed correctly for them?  Do they have any teeth coming through?

Problems can be related to wind with newborn’s, try and work out which position they burp best. Try sitting them upright with their back as straight as possible.  Rub rather than pat, if a baby is experiencing tummy/reflux problems.  Patting causes the milk to move around and the baby experiences more discomfort.  To shift stubborn wind try laying them flat for 20seconds and lift them back up.  Some babies like a bit of pressure on their tummy so having them up by your shoulder helps.

If your baby is having a difficult time then try to calm them in your arms, with slow, gentle movements.  When laying them down, preferably still awake, place your hand on their chest or tummy to give them the reassurance before moving it away.

Most babies love to be swaddled whereas some are not so keen, others like one arm up and one arm down.  Try to work out what your baby is trying to tell you and follow this, provided it is sustainable, and this will help you all.

White noise is popular and can be used to calm an unsettled baby.  It is useful in hospital, if a baby needs to return for any reason, where the sounds around them may be irregular and loud.  It is fairly sustainable provided you are not getting up in the night to it switch back on.  Once you have sorted out the main cause of the issue we recommend gradually reducing the volume and frequency of use until the baby can happily sleep through without this support.

Other issues that can present a very unsettled baby are reflux, which doesn’t always involve your baby vomiting, or intolerances.