Soothing babies

[beansnrice]

If you had a fussy infant in a bug out situation what would be good to soothe the baby? I know a lavender scent helps but how can I get that without buying expensive baby lotions? Also, how can you soothe a baby who is teething?

[Canadian]

Breast feeding. It also soothes cranky full grown men.

[flylow]

Check out your local "natural foods" or vitamin store. They should have small bottles of essential oils that will dispense a drop at a time. If lavender is what works for the baby in question, a single drop on a cotton ball (no essential oils directly on the skin!) near the infant should do the trick. Oils can stain clothing and other fabrics, too.

Our kiddo responded well to the vacuum cleaner running on the other side of the room. Sounds ridiculous, but it's true...YMMV in a bug-out situation

You might also try an MP3 player with soothing music or "ocean waves" type white noise. Low sound levels for delicate ears is a good idea.

Gentle massage can work wonders, too. If you can, talk to a D.O. who does manipulative therapy for babies with colic.

-phil

[The_Blob]

without knowing why the baby is 'fussy' any advice we offer is pretty much a shot in the dark

Licorice root isn't so common in most places but babies will keep quiet while cewing it, also mild willow bark decoctions to ween a baby off breast milk were used by the Cree 'Indians'.

[NaeKid]

Originally Posted by beansnrice

If you had a fussy infant in a bug out situation what would be good to soothe the baby? I know a lavender scent helps but how can I get that without buying expensive baby lotions? Also, how can you soothe a baby who is teething?

Would love to know the age of the fussing infant.

Pre-teething - food or diaper change usually works well
Teething - Rye-n-kool-aid works wonders (not to get drunk - just to feel good - a teaspoon is more than enough)
3 years and up - time-out works well enough.

[The_Blob]

... also, I know it's not politically correct & it is a pain in the arse when dealing with it day in & day out, but sometimes... babies just need to cry.

[Dean]

The S's always work. Swaddling, swaying, shushing, sideline ..

[saintsfanbrian]

Originally Posted by Dean

The S's always work. Swaddling, swaying, shushing, sideline ..

And here I was thinking why would an infant need to sh!t, Shower and Shave?


It does depend on the age of the child. An infant can be swaddled and carried with a rhythmic motion to calm down. A teether needs something to chew on.

[dyermaker]

YMMV? I'm afraid I don't know the meaning of that abbreviation...?

I have found that gentle massaging of the neck, back, tummy, legs helps well.

Fussy babies will almost always calm down with a good massage.

And it's true, sometimes babies just cry and need to cry. If your baby cries for more than 15 minutes continuously than something serious is wrong such as illness, pain, etc.

[flylow]

YMMV - Your Mileage May Vary

With any luck, you'll know what the fussin' sounds like for each of the possibilities and the appropriate action to take.

As for teething, we also found some small mesh bags that look something like a pacifier. You put an ice cube (if you have one in a bug out) or even cold or frozen fruit inside and let the little one chew away. We got the best results when we pre-wet the mesh before handing it over. Keep a burp cloth or towel handy, though.

Others are available, but here's an example of ones we've liked. For what that's worth.

My mom used to give me a teaspoon of brandy with a butterscotch hard candy melted into it. Sort of explains a lot.

-phil