It must be a secret strategy that's passed among newborns in the maternity ward: "Hey, you over there…the one-hour-old, all swaddled up. Remember: The more you whine, the more hugs you get!" A new Italian study confirmed that babies who cry more at 2 weeks of age are held more when they're 5 weeks old. In other words, it seems like they're born knowing what they want and how to get it. "All infants love to be held. When you hold your child, you stimulate pressure receptors that help his body relax," says Tiffany Field, Ph.D., director of the Touch Research Institute at the University of Miami Medical School. But cuddling your baby every time he cries isn't exactly realistic (hey, you've got to shower!). Use the tips below to give your little guy what he needs without going crazy.

Soothing Swaps

Hold him in a sling or carrier.
Do you pine to do thrilling two-handed chores like opening the mail? Get your arms back with one of these.

Try a cradle or infant swing.
"The motion reminds babies of being held," says Field.

Accept help.
Few can resist holding a baby!

Don't feel guilty about it.
Say, "Mom always comes back" then put him down and finish what you need to. Who knows, he may even learn to soothe himself.

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