Our mothers might swear by clothes dryers and vacuum cleaners, but I found that my yoga ball was a great tool to soothe my crying baby.
Sit on it, holding swaddled baby, and bounce to a consistent rhythm.
If you don’t have a yoga ball, sit on the edge of your bed and bounce while you hold the baby. If someone is visiting and wants to help soothe the baby, show them this trick and then go get yourself a hot shower so that you don’t eavesdrop.
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And, if your baby refuses to go to sleep nursing, strolling, riding in car seat, rocking, or walking, and you throw out your back bouncing your baby to sleep several times a day, you might consider putting a nursing pillow under your swaddled baby so that you can support all of their weight on your lap instead of using your back.
I’m just saying.
My husband had great luck bouncing Nick on the yoga ball in those early months. We did keep it around a long time, and Nick liked pushing it around as he got bigger. Needless to say, not one crunch was ever performed on it, despite my best intentions!
Excellent tip! I have one of those balls laying around loosing air somewhere 😉
Ours loves that yoga ball. I support Kate on getting something.like a nursing under your swaddle baby. Works like a charm.
I lived on my yoga ball with my first!! Luckily #2 doesn’t seem to need it, but the yoga ball was also the BEST most comfortable place for me to labor. Now I hold the big green ball in a special place in my heart.
Yoga ball PLUS sling/wrap/Ergo/carrier of choice equals the ability to bounce baby while playing on the internet (carefully balanced laptop on the edge of the couch required) or reading a magazine. I do NOT recommend drinking from a cup while employing this technique.