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If you’re a first-time mom, you might be wondering how on earth you’re ever going to get anything done. You try to put the baby down to play so you can wash dishes or fold laundry, but you have to scoop her right back up again because she falls to pieces whenever she isn’t held. Yes, you can use a baby carrier part of the time (we have one!), but some things just need to be done without your little one attached to you. As with our first baby, we’ve taught our five-month-old to play happily on the floor, instead of screaming to be picked up. We can even walk in and out of the room without sparking a meltdown (unless she needs a diaper change). A couple of weeks ago, she would cry to be picked up. Not anymore! 
Hold Her When She’s Happy!
Here’s the basic idea: Do whatever chores you need to do while the baby fusses. When she stops fussing and is happy, scoop her up and play with her. If we pick up our babies every time they cry, they will learn to cry to be held. We teach our little ones that when they are happy, that’s when they get what they want.Do you want a happy baby, too?
How To:
- Make sure baby is fed, burped and has a clean diaper on.
- Put baby in a safe place (on a blanket on the floor, or in a play pen).
- Put toys within baby’s reach.
- Stay close to baby (within a couple of feet) while you fold laundry or do some other chore.
- When baby fusses, concentrate on your chore.
- As soon as baby quits fussing, scoop him up and play. Sing songs, snuggle, etc.
- After several minutes, put baby back down and start again, repeating until baby does not fuss when put down.
Next Steps:
- Once baby is comfortable with playing while you are next to him, move across the room and repeat the above steps.
- When baby plays happily while you are across the room, begin leaving the room for a few seconds and returning quickly. Hold and play with baby when he stays happy.
- Stretch out the time you leave the room (please be sure baby can’t hurt himself while you are gone!!!) and always reward happiness and ignore crying.
Before you know it, baby will entertain himself when he’s on the floor and stop crying for attention. Please be sure to hold your happy baby often, playing with him and loving on him!
*Linked up at Better Mom Mondays!
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Excellent advice! And I’m the 1st time mom who you’re talking about above. LOL But, I enjoyed holding her…now she is too busy to let me!
I’ll try this!
Thanks, Stacy! One of my favorite things about this is that both my girls learned to grin and coo when they wanted to be held. It’s a much nicer greeting than the screams that were happening!