The best baby holds

Carrying your baby helps her feel safe and comforted. A few tried-and-true methods:

The cradle-carry: With both elbows bent about 45 degrees, rest your baby's head in the crook of one arm, supporting her with both of your forearms along the length of her back. Rock or bounce her gently while patting her bottom. She may find this position especially soothing, since she can see your face.

The sit-and-rock cradle: This a great way to let your baby see her world and distract her when she's fussy. While standing, hold her against your chest, facing away from you. Place one hand under her bottom to create a "seat" and wrap the other arm around her chest (and under her arms) for support. Sway from side to side or walk around to find a view she likes.

The football hold: Because this method puts pressure on your baby's tummy, it can help relieve gassiness. Place your baby facedown along one forearm, using the crook of your arm to support her neck. Place your other arm between her legs to support her lower body. Once you get the hang of it, you can even use one hand to prepare a bottle.

The over-the-shoulder hold: Like the football hold, this one's good for gassiness. Hold your baby's stomach against your shoulder and let her head and neck drape over it. Support her head with your hand until she's able to control it herself.

The heart-to-heart: In this position, your baby will feel extra close to you as she gets in tune with your rhythms. Hold your baby vertically, with her head resting on your chest, near your heart. Sway from side to side.

Decoding the wails

It's not easy to figure out what your baby's various cries mean. But keep these general guidelines in mind:

• Newborns have a very distinct, high-pitched wail - and contrary to what you may think, this often doesn't indicate pain. They simply take in short, rapid breaths and let out a short crying sound each time they exhale. Older babies begin to breathe in deeper when crying, so each cry is longer.
• When he's hungry, a baby will quietly fuss and squirm. If he isn't fed, the cry will escalate. (Unless he's a newborn, and then the big wails are likely to start right away.)
• If he's in pain - from gas, teething, or illness - your baby will probably have a piercing cry and a pained look on his face. He'll also be especially difficult to console.

3 strategies to avoid

Popping in a pacifier right away. Yes, it might quiet her, but you won't get to figure out what's really wrong.

Rushing to feed. If you stick a bottle or your breast in your baby's mouth every time she cries and before you're sure she's hungry, you could be showing her that eating is a way to comfort herself. And that can eventually lead to overeating.

Trying too many different ways of soothing at once. It takes a while for soothing techniques to work. If you quickly change positions, or swaddle and then unswaddle immediately, your baby will probably become more agitated.

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