The fine art of baby soothing
Fortunately, there are as many ways to calm a crying baby as there are, well, crying babies. Some infants will only quiet down with a drive in the car, an hour in the baby swing, or after being tightly swaddled. Others prefer dimmed lights, relaxing music, or being stripped down to a diaper. You just have to experiment to figure out what works. Though it may seem counterintuitive, adding even more noise to a wailing baby's environment may help calm her -- so try running the vacuum cleaner or hair dryer. And, needless to say, don't overlook the obvious: Make sure your baby is dry, fed, and burped.
Always be prepared
"For a stay-at-home dad, I don't stay home very much. I have one of those rolling backpacks with lots of quick-draw pockets. It's big enough for bottles and all the usual stuff, plus a first-aid kit, a cold pack, and a three-section folding foam pad, in case we can't find a changing table. If we were stuck in the woods for a week, we'd be set. Plus, the bag's so big, it's great for scooting people out of the way in crowds."
-- Shannon Frye, Chesapeake, Virginia
"I stock my backpack with toys that make noise and toys that don't make noise. So we're covered wherever we go -- playing in the park or waiting on line at the bank."
-- Caleb Cohen, Ann Arbor, Michigan
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