When Daniel Eisenman posted a video on Facebook with his crying newborn baby held to his chest, it went viral within days.
Parents across the globe looked on in awe as the infant was lulled to sleep by the soothing sound of her father chanting “om”.
The Californian motivational speaker said he used the chant when his daughter was in the womb.
“Friends would come over and we would chant to the belly. She was born in the living room. Even during the birthing we were playing Thai Buddhist Monk chanting,” he told Today.
The post garnered more than 40 million views, and desperate, sleep-deprived folks reported back that the technique worked.
“Making baby sleep shouldn’t be the primary goal; instead, it’s about helping baby to feel content, and meeting their inherent need for security,” says midwife and parenting expert Sister Lilian.
But once you’ve gone through the checklist: Is he hungry? Is he wet? Is he too hot or too cold? and the wailing continues, then it’s time to consult the oracle - Google. And, let’s be honest, when it comes to calming a fussy baby, there is no one-size-fits-all.
Hillary Frank, the creator of The Longest Shortest Time podcast, gets to the heart of issues you won’t find in parenting books. Her latest is Weird Parenting Wins: Bathtub dining, family screams, and other hacks from the parenting trenches.
In it, she asked more than 800 parents for their real-life tricks on how to soothe a crying infant. Some of the methods parents swore by:
Grab the toothbrush
“In a moment of desperation, my husband grabbed his electric toothbrush and turned it on. He started waving the toothbrush around And what do you know the baby stopped crying! In a state of sleep-deprived euphoria, we took the head off the toothbrush and nestled the contraption next to our swaddled newborn. She - and we - drifted off to sleep.” - Sarah
Play it back
“When my sons were babies, I would record them fussing and crying on my phone and let them listen to it. They were fascinated by the sound of a crying baby.” - Jullian
White noise
Nontando Mposo uses white noise apps that replicate the gentle sounds of the womb. White noise is best used to calm crying, getting ready for bed and during sleep, says happiestbaby.com. It can be helpful to play in the car or during feeds.
The H-Hold
Paediatrician Dr Robert Hamilton revealed his secret weapon years ago - the H-Hold. It works like this: Fold and secure your baby’s arms across the chest with one hand while supporting their bottom with the other. Gently rock them up and down. “The hold is helpful during the first two to three months. After that, the baby becomes too heavy, advised ”Hamilton.