Newborn Care Tips

It's hard and frustrating sometimes taking care of a newborn baby. You're overwhelmed and there's always something that needs to be done. Wash his bottles, change her diaper or throwing away those already dirty diapers. On top of all that you and/or your partner are probably sleep deprived. So when that bundle of precious joy starts to scream and holler and the normal checks (check if he's hungry, see if she's wet, is it too warm or too cold for her?) aren't soothing and comforting her, here are a few ways that may help calm your infant:

Shushing:  Shushing may be rude in polite society but to an infant the noise actually calms her. The trick is to shush louder than the baby's crying so that it overwhelms her and she soothes herself. Try shushing and bouncing her at the same time, soft bouncing and loud shushing can prove to be a helpful combination to quiet your little one.
Swaddling: This is a technique I learned in the hospital the second day after delivery. My newborn was screaming bloody murder and I called one of the nurses in to help. She began wrapping up my little one like a burrito and although she fussed for a few moments she began to fall asleep more peacefully. This was the only night in the hospital where she slept so peacefully and consistently without being in my arms. The swaddling acts as a protectant comfort holding her arms and legs in place so that the fussiness she usually exhibits is cut off and all she can focus on is sleeping. The technique is simple.
You take a square or rectangular blanket (square works better because it folds evenly), fold one of the corners down so that the blanket is at a point at the bottom and the creased fold is at the top and her head is placed above the creased fold as you lie her down on it.
You softly pin down her right arm (can start with the left or right) and fold the right corner over her arm/body, then tuck the corner under her left side (you can gently roll her to make sure the tuck is tightly over her).
Tuck the bottom of the blanket, which should be at a point, into the right side of the fold. Then proceed to do the same thing with the left side corner being folded and tucked under her right side.
She should be comfortably situated in a tight burrito, if you notice any discomfort, tryagain. It takes time to get it right. (Will post photos of finished swaddling :D)

Sucking: Babies have the infinite need to suck. It's one of their first natural instincts. My newborn sucked at everything. My neck when I burped her, my arm when I coddled her and of course the nipple (bottle or your own). Allowing your baby to suck will of course soothe him because it's something he does every few hours when he feeds. There's a huge debate over pacifiers being used by newborns but I opted for the use because she seemed so determined. I usually put it in her mouth when I change her diaper, put her down for a nap when she's only in her REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep just to settle her down. You can also use the nipple from a bottle if you have to step away for a second to grab a diaper or bottle. Or just letting him suck when he feels the need, this helps him reach his own level of comfort and relaxation.

I hope one of these works for you! They've all proven helpful to me in the frenzy of beinga new mom.