Having children has been one of the greatest joys of my life. From the first time I first felt the tiny flutters of life in my belly to their first cries and beyond, I’ve treasured each moment and milestone with each of my children. Now, don’t get me wrong, motherhood is a challenge at times. It’s not always infectious giggles, endless cuddles or cute conversations. Parenthood has its fair share of challenges that are found in the gaps between those wonderful moments.

In fact, when my children were in the infant stage, tender moments were few and far between. This is especially true when they were going through a fussy stage. Whether one suffered from colic or simply wasn’t happy unless they were being held, I remember the challenge that came with having a fussy infant. Sometimes it felt like they’d never stop crying and sometimes I felt like the worst mom ever because I couldn’t comfort them. Over time and with each new little addition to my family, I learned some tips and tricks to help soothe crying little ones.

I’m no expert by any means but by trial and error, lots of internet research and advice from family and friends, I managed to get fairly good at keeping my little ones as well as others calm, even picky sleepers and colicky babes. Speaking as someone who has been on the verge of pulling out my own hair, throwing my hands up in defeat and yeah, even crying a time or two in frustration, I know that fussy babies are hard to calm and aren’t the easiest to handle.

So, I’ve decided to give my new mamas and daddy’s a few of the useful tips that I’ve picked up over the years. It’s my hope that they’re as much of a lifesaver to my readers are they were to me!

1. When it comes to soothing a fussy baby, I’ve come to rely heavily on anything by Johnson & Johnson and their baby line. They have a variety of different lotions and body washes to choose from that have a specific set of ingredients geared towards soothing a fussy baby, such as lavender, chamomile, rosemary and eucalyptus. I personally favor their Bedtime Baby Lotion because you can rub them into your little ones skin, without fear of skin irritation, and it starts working to comfort your baby immediately.
2. Often times when you have a fussy infant there’s justifiable cause such as colic or an infant cold. If you think about how miserable you are when you’re down with a cold, then you can only imagine how your little one feels. This is where another Johnson & Johnson product comes into play, their Soothing Vapor Baby Bubble Bath. Containing aromatherapy ingredients such as menthol and eucalyptus, this little gem comforts little ones with colds and helps provide relief fast!
3. If you’re looking for a great way to help soothe your little one without the use of store bought products, one baby item that my little ones seemed to love and which I can’t live without is a swing. These hands free infant swings provide a gentle, lulling motion that will soon cease your infants cries.
4. Car rides are also a great source of comfort if you have a little one who is having a bout of fussiness. I can’t tell you how many late nights I spent loading my babies into our family car and drove around our neighborhood to get some relief for all of us. The smooth, consistent motion of the car will calm your baby and more often than not, the rhythmic motion will put them fast to sleep!
5. Swaddling didn’t come onto my radar until after the birth of my second child but I noticed rather quickly how quickly crying ceased once properly swaddled in a hospital blanket. I asked one of my post-delivery nurses to show me the steps a few times and I swear this simple technique helped save my life during many days/nights when my second born was up late with a case of the fussies.

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