Are your sleepless nights running together because you have a fussy baby? You feel like you’ve tried everything and he still won’t stop crying and you’re completely exhausted? 

  Wouldn’t it be nice if motherhood came with a manual and a checklist of all the sure fire ways to calm a cranky baby? This mama of six has been there where you are now, at your wits end wondering how to stop those tears. Try these 9 Ways to Calm a Cranky Baby:

1. Is he teething? Try freezing a wet baby sock, then letting him suck on it. The stiff frozen fabric works wonders on swollen, painful gums.
2. Congested? Try steaming up your bathroom with the hot shower water running and letting him breathe in the warm, humid air. It’s great for breaking up any mucous. Keep using the saline spray in the nostrils andsuction out any mucous.
3. Gassy? Keep a food diary of what you eat during the day and you might be amazed at what causes gas. Slow cooked ham caused one of ours to have the worst, painful gas! In the meantime, try moving his legs in a bicycle peddling motion and then gently pressing his knees to his chest to force out any extra air. 
4. Ear infection? This was a tricky one for me to diagnose at home especially for the non-ear tuggers but Now Ear Oil Relief worked like a charm. Also try rolling up a towel and sticking under the mattress so he is propped up and the fluids can drain down and not get clogged up in the ears.
5. Check the lighting. Is it too bright or too dark? We have had babies who needed a nightlight because they were terrified of the dark and other babies who needed complete darkness to fall asleep.
6. Don’t underestimate the power of the Shhhh. For whatever reason, it has worked miracles on many a baby and hopefully yours too! Hold that baby close and whisper in his ear, “Sh, Sh, Sh, Sh, Sh.” It works so well that another parent even created the Shush app so when your lips get tired of shushing, your smart phone can pick up where you left off.
7. Sing. Sing softly in his ear until he relaxes against you and softly falls asleep. This is one of the best ways to soothe your child until he is in kindergarten and says, “Mama, you don’t sound pretty when you sing.” 
8. Play some music. Invest in a CD player for your baby’s room and make it a habit to put them to sleep with lullaby or praise and worship CDs. Something about soft music goes a long way toward soothing a baby.
9. Relax. Babies can tell when we are tense so take a deep breath and let it out. Lavender oil is great to diffuse for a tense mama and a tired baby. Just be sure to buy a your oils from a reputable company.

If all else fails and you’re still exhausted and the baby isn’t sleeping, call a trusted friend to come over and take care of the baby so you can get some much-needed rest. After all, if mama ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!