My baby won’t stop crying! What should I do?

If you made sure all of their needs are met (clean diaper, fed, attempted a nap), you might check the temperature to make sure the baby doesn’t have a fever. You can also check to make sure the baby doesn’t have any hair or string caught around small body parts (fingers, toes, or penis; these are called “hair tourniquets”). If you’ve done all of this and haven’t found anything out of the ordinary, try swaddling the baby, rocking her or walking with her, offering a pacifier or her thumb/finger to suck, or turning on soothing sounds (soft music or white noise, like a fan). If you’ve tried all of these things and she is still upset, it is okay to put the baby in a safe place and take a break, especially if you feel yourself getting frustrated. Give it ten to fifteen minutes (or longer if you still feel upset), then try soothing measures again. If crying persists no matter what you do, it might be time to call the doctor’s office.