The Neuroscience Guide to Calming a Baby

Lisa Franchi April 30, 2013

If only they knew how to say it, they wouldn’t cry at all. Infants express discomfort by means of crying. It’s their way of saying “Mum, I need you! Please be here with me.” Although a cry may sound irritating to the ears of a tired mum who has just arrived from an exhausting day at the office, she would do anything to find a way to comfort her child and make him or her smile again. That’s because mums are hardwired to sooth their babies.

The Mother-and-Child Connection

It doesn’t matter whether you are a first-time mum – you don’t need prior knowledge to learn how to take care of your baby. Research has shown that soothing a baby is hardwired to all mums. When their babies cry, a hormone called prolactin is released in their brain, which urges mums to carry their babies and comfort them. In a new study published this year in the journal Current Biology, scientists found that just as mums are hardwired to pick their babies up when they cry, babies are also hardwired to calm down when they are carried by their mothers. This automatic calming reaction is innate to all children, whether mouse pups or human babies.

Being held up in the arms of their mothers is the safest place for babies. The study was the first to show that the natural calming response of a baby is a coordinated set of central, motor and cardiac mechanisms between mother and infant interaction. This, according to the researchers, is a product of human evolution which is centred on survival.

Calming Response of Infants

The research team, headed by Kumi Kuroda and colleagues at the RIKEN Brain Science Institute in Saitama, Japan, found that the calming response of babies is triggered by the parasympathetic nervous system and the cerebellum (also called the little brain). Kuroda also observed the same automatic response in mice. When she was cleaning the cage of her lab mice, she picked the pups at the back skin softly and swiftly like their mums would. And as if they were carried by their mums, the mouse immediately stopped moving and became compact. The pups appeared so relaxed, a response similar to the soothing effects in human babies.

Soothing Strategies to Calm a Child

Sometimes, carrying the baby is not enough to calm him or her down. The key is to experiment on what strategies work best for babies, depending on their mood. Other than feeling hungry or in pain, infants cry because they miss their amniotic environment. So it would be a great idea to make the child feel as if he or she is in the womb again. This strategy can be done by wrapping the child in a blanket, with his or her arms down, holding the baby while he or she’s on the side or stomach rather than his or her back. Other ways to make a baby feel as if he or she is the womb again is by making shushing sounds or creating mild noise (e.g. turning on a hair dryer or fan), giving the baby something to stuck on (such as pacifier), and rocking him or her gently.

Another very powerful soothing technique for a crying infant is the mother’s touch. Caressing the baby’s stomach, cheeks and back using long, gentle strokes provides more soothing effects than short and brisk ones. Talking to the baby also provides a calming effect. But mums should speak gently so her baby doesn’t get overwhelmed. Other than talking, singing a lullaby will likely calm the baby.

Conclusion

Mothers know best, as they say. The basic instinct of mums makes them the best caregivers in the world. Even without anyone telling them what to do, mums know how to care for their babies. Babies, on the other hand, have an automatic calming response when they are being carried, hugged and caressed by their mums. It is in their mother’s arms that they find peace and comfort. Understanding this mum-and-child relationship would help new parents deal with the frustration they may have in taking care of their children. Also, employing simple strategies to calm a baby – from mimicking his or her amniotic environment to singing lullabies are some of the best and least stressful ways to respond to a crying infant.

Dear Readers,

What other tips and advice can you give to first-time mums who are having issues trying to calm a fussing baby?

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