The Best Way To Soothe A Crying Baby

Is your little one not calming down when you pick them up and hold them in your arms? The scientists might have just found out the one little detail you are missing to successfully soothe your crying newborn.

Up to 30% of infants cry excessively and exhibit sleep difficulties for no apparent reason, causing lots of stress for parents who desperately try to figure out what they can do to help them. Research published on September 13, 2022, in the journal Current Biology, suggests that holding a baby alone might be insufficient in soothing crying infants, contradicting the traditional assumption that maternal holding alone reduces infant distress.

In the study, the scientists found out that the best strategy to calm down a crying infant is by holding and walking with them for five minutes. When the mothers actively walked while holding their babies, the crying infants calmed down and their heart rates slowed within 30 seconds. The positive reaction was not the same when the mothers were not in motion.

The theory behind it comes from studying the transport response, a way of maternal carrying behavior seen in altricial mammals, such as cats, lions and mice. Thank you for the tip, animal kingdom 🦁❤️