Soothing & crying
Gentle ways to calm a crying baby — reading cues, the witching hour, colic and PURPLE crying, and soothing techniques that respect both of you.
All soothing & crying guides
Baby crying in sleep: why it happens and when to go in
Why babies and toddlers whimper, cry or scream in their sleep, how long to pause before going in, and which cries mean hunger, pain or illness.
Baby gas at night: easing wind, evening fussing and red flags
Why wind and fussing often seem worse in the evening, how feeding, burping, massage and leg movements can help at night, and which tummy signs need a doctor.
Baby hiccups: why they happen, what helps and when to worry
Why newborns and babies hiccup, how to ease hiccups during feeds, which remedies to skip, how they link to reflux, and when to get medical help.
Baby massage: how to do it, benefits, oils and when to avoid it
How to massage your baby step by step, what the evidence says about benefits, which oils to use or avoid, reading your baby's cues and when not to massage.
Cluster feeding: why babies feed constantly and how to cope
What cluster feeding is, when it usually happens, why it's rarely a sign of low supply, how to get through long evenings, and when frequent feeding needs a check.
Colic and PURPLE crying: what's normal and how to cope
What colic and the Period of PURPLE Crying are, when crying peaks and eases, a coping plan, remedies that don't help, and red flags that need urgent care.
Colic remedies: what works, what doesn't and what to avoid
An honest evidence check on gripe water, colic drops, probiotics, lactase, formula and diet changes, chiropractic, massage and herbal teas for colic.
Contact napping: why newborns nap on you and how to stay safe
Why newborns often only nap on a parent, why it isn't a bad habit, how to keep contact naps and babywearing safe, and how to move a sleeping baby to the cot.
Drowsy but awake: what it means and how to practise it gently
What "put your baby down drowsy but awake" means, what the advice is based on, how to practise it gently at each age, and why it's fine if it doesn't work yet.
Dummies for babies: SIDS, safe use and when to stop
What the evidence says about dummies and SIDS, when to start if you're breastfeeding, how to use one safely for sleep, and how and when to wean off it.
How to burp a baby: 3 positions, when to burp, and wind pain
Three burping positions step by step, when and how often to burp breastfed and bottle-fed babies, what to do if nothing comes up, and easing wind.
Is it OK to feed or rock your baby to sleep?
Why feeding, rocking and holding babies to sleep is normal, what sleep associations really mean, how to do it safely and gentle ways to change it if you want to.
Newborn won't sleep unless held: why, and safe ways through it
Why newborns want to be held to sleep, how to make contact naps, transfers, swaddling, dummies and slings safer, and what to do if you might fall asleep.
Night weaning: gentle step-by-step plans for breast and bottle
Step-by-step ways to cut night feeds gradually — shortening feeds, stretching the gap, partner resettling — plus what to expect and when to pause.
Overtired baby: signs by age and how to help them settle
How to tell an overtired baby or toddler from a tired one, why overtiredness makes settling harder, how to calm them, and how to stop it happening.
Pick up, put down method: steps, ages and does it work?
How the pick-up-put-down settling method works, where it comes from, the ages it's used at, step-by-step instructions and what the evidence does and doesn't show.
Responsive settling by age: gentle ways to help your baby sleep
How responsive settling works from newborn to toddler, from settling in arms to hands-on and comfort settling, and how it differs from sleep training.
Short baby naps: why catnapping happens and what helps
Why many babies wake after one sleep cycle, how long naps usually last by age, what to try when short naps leave your baby tired, and when it's fine.
Shush-pat settling: how to do it safely, step by step
How to settle your baby with shushing and rhythmic patting in the cot or in your arms, which ages it suits, what the evidence says and the safety rules.
Sleep training methods compared: ages, crying and evidence
Compare every popular baby sleep and settling method side by side, with the ages sources give, how much crying each plans for, and what research shows.
Swaddling a baby: how to wrap safely and when to stop
How to swaddle or wrap your baby safely for sleep, which wraps to use, hip-healthy technique, and when and how to stop once rolling begins.
The 5 S's for soothing a baby: how to do each step safely
How to use Dr Harvey Karp's 5 S's (swaddle, side hold, shush, swing, suck) to calm a crying baby, with the safety rules for each step.
The Possums sleep approach (NDC): what it is and what research shows
A neutral look at the Australian Possums approach to baby sleep, also called Neuroprotective Developmental Care, its main ideas and what studies have found.
White noise for babies: does it help, and how loud is safe?
What white noise is, what the research says about babies' sleep, the hearing concerns about sleep machines, and how to set one up and wean off it.
Why is my baby crying? A calm checklist and soothing ideas
Why babies cry, a step-by-step checklist, soothing techniques that help, how much crying is normal, which cries need urgent help, and coping when it's too much.
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