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THE FUSSY BABY


The fussy baby is known to have some or all of the following characteristics:

Supersensitive:  to their environment.  They are easily startled and find it difficult to settle.  They are often very anxious about strangers or new situations.  They are easily upset.

Intense:  all their actions are done with a lot of energy.  They protest quickly and with great intensity when things are not to their liking.  They form strong attachment bonds to their     parents and protest strongly when separated from them.

Demanding:  everything is urgent with these babies.  They are not easily distracted.

Needs lots of physical contact:  they want to be held all the time as well as wanting to be on the move.  They are very active babies.

Often un-cuddly:  while some babies like lots of contact, some often fight being cuddled by arching their back and stiffening their arms and legs.  These babies are usually supersensitive and prefer being held at a distance or facing away from you.

Unsatisfied and unpredictable:  what works one day may not work the next with these     babies.

Feeds frequently:  these babies seem to need long periods of non-nutritive sucking for    comfort.

Has trouble sleeping:  these babies do not go to sleep easily, are unable to be left to cry themselves to sleep and often only sleep for short periods.

Has poor self-soothing abilities:  a hard to soothe baby has trouble stopping themselves crying, will often scream for hours getting more and more upset until they make themselves sick or fall asleep from exhaustion.

Parents of fussy babies often find them very draining, they take up all their energy for what seems little result.  Parents of a fussy baby often feel negative about the whole experience.  Having a fussy baby is difficult but there are ways of helping your baby and yourself through this period.  Parents who have learnt to accept their fussy babies as just that and not blame themselves have found it easier to read their babies cries and after only a short time describe their baby as being challenging, interesting and bright.


What you can do to soothe your baby.

· Rhythmic movement, rocking, swaying, dancing.

· A baby sling is a good investment.  Your baby gets to move with you and has the close contact some babies need.

· A rocking chair is often soothing to both parent and baby.

· A swing or baby hammock can be effective.

· A ride in the car or a walk in the pram can help both of you;  things always seem better if you can get out.


You as a parent will know just how much movement or motion your baby wants or needs, some babies really enjoy movement whilst others become very upset with it.   These babies may have a strong fear of falling which causes them to be very jumpy and grasp at things after every change in direction.  These babies need almost complete stillness with slower movements until they mature a bit more.  Don't give up, try gentle movement every now and then.  Parents have said things that move rhythmically or have a constant monotonous sound often soothe a fussy baby e.g. a ceiling fan, a clock ticking, washing      machine or dryer, fish tank with a pump or the vacuum cleaner.



Management Tips


Sleep & the fussy baby

Fussy babies often have what is known as an immature stimulus barrier. This means their sensory threshold is lower.  When it comes to sleep this means fussy babies are awakened more easily by hunger, discomfort, cold and loneliness. They are constantly aware of their  environment. Fussy babies also take longer to develop sleep maturity, which means they seem to have longer and more frequent periods of light sleep, and therefore they tend to be more restless.

Fussy babies are seldom able to be put down and settle themselves to sleep. These babies need help to unwind    and "shut down".  Here are some ideas to help them settle.

¬ a quite darkened room

¬ rock and walk with your baby

¬ swaddle your baby

¬ listen out for any noises that may come and go such as ducted heating as this may awaken your baby

¬ soft music in the background may work for some but not others

¬ establish bedtime rituals

¬ some ultra sensitive babies need to be nursed to sleep, as they need physical contact to go into a deep sleep

¬ some parents find it easiest on everybody if their baby sleeps with them, but this does not  suit everyone. Do what feels right for you and your family



For babies who like physical contact

You could try:

¬ a deep relaxation bath

¬ a baby massage

¬ baby lying on dad's tummy with their ear firmly over his heartbeat.  Combine this with a firm rhythmic patting on the babys back

¬ rolling baby over a beach ball will help a tense baby relax, bicycling their legs may also help

¬ a tape of the womb sounds and heartbeat can help in the first few months

¬ relaxation tapes of water running, the ocean, birds etc.

Feeding problems & the fussy baby

Often fussy babies are fussy feeders, they do not settle for a feed, often crying hungrily before a feed then refusing to feed.  There are many reasons for this sort of behaviour and you should seek professional advice if you are having feeding problems.  Your Maternal & Child Health Nurse, the Nursing Mothers Association of Australia and the La Leche Lege will be able to offer you support and advice (see "Helpful Addresses" under parent survival tips in this kit  for contact numbers)





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