Nurses Being Dubbed as "Baby Whisperers"
Photo: William "Bill" Nelson, RN, "Baby Whisperer". Source: AOL.com
Babies tend to cry a lot, but it is totally normal. Crying is one of the main ways that babies communicate. However, it cannot be denied that constant crying of the baby causes worry and frustration to parents. It may even come to a point wherein parents blame themselves for not being able to soothe their babies from crying.
It is imperative that parents need to be guided in dealing with a crying baby, in order to avoid some stress and sleepless nights. It is a fact that most people are not equipped with the knowledge, training, and expertise required to meet the demands of caring for their babies.
What is important is that these parents must be educated with adequate steps and explanations for them to fully understand why their babies tend to behave in a certain manner, so as not to destroy their egos in parenting in case they could not find an immediate solution for the problem.
With this, seeking the help and assistance of medically qualified health professionals such as nurses is important. Nurses have the proper knowledge, training, and background to deal with this situation. They even go the extra mile with their services in dealing with infant care and come to a point where they are called baby whisperers.
Reasons why babies cry a lot
Research reveals that the baby’s crying is actually a developmental pattern. It usually increases at 2 or 3 weeks of age. Meanwhile, it peaks between 6 and 8 weeks and gradually slows down after this period.
Infants crying could be triggered by a lot of reasons. Due to their inability to speak what they want and feel, they usually burst into tears as a means to convey to a person what exactly they need.
Here are some of the main reasons why babies cry a lot:
- Hunger
Infants cry when they are hungry. The younger the baby, the more likely they cry for hunger because of the size of their stomach. They have a small stomach; thus, they can only be filled for a short period of time.
- Tired and needs to rest
Babies need a lot of time to rest. They cry when they are very tired and when their surroundings are not conducive for relaxation and sleep.
- Feels too hot or too cold
When the babies are not comfortable with the environment’s temperature, they will be able to convey but only through crying. The baby’s temperature must be checked in order to know if he or she is feeling hot or cold.
- Sick
When the baby is sick, constant crying can be expected because of the pain or discomfort that they feel.
- Needs to be held
Babies seek a lot of physical contact as a way of comforting them.
These are just the most common reasons why babies cry, and there are still a lot of other reasons that can stimulate crying. In addition, there are certain cases wherein babies uncontrollably cry, which could not be attributed to any of the above-mentioned reasons.
According to experts, babies who cry uncontrollably have colic. It is not claimed to be a disease and does not pose any long-term harm except that it is a difficult situation for both the parents and the child to go through.
Coping with a crying baby
Parents having babies, especially for first-time parents, deal mainly on how to cope with their baby’s crying. It entails a lot of patience and self-restraint because not all babies calm down when their parents want them to. This could then lead to frustrations and stress.
Although coping is part of the adjustments that new parents need to do in raising a baby, it is not an easy task. It is a gradual process because understanding a baby’s need is not simple and connotes a lot of tolerance.
Ways have been advised and instructed by experts for parents to cope with the difficulty of dealing with a crying baby. Some of these are the following:
- Walking, talking, and comforting the baby by getting fresh air and walking outside. Giving more space and air to both the parents and the baby could help and give comfort to both of them.
- Talking to other parents, neighbors, or relatives, and getting their ideas and thoughts about the situation you are going through would be useful.
- Taking a break and taking some time out of the baby is also helpful. It helps clear the clouds of the mind and the mixed emotions the parents feel.
Along with these tips, it is emphasized to never shake, hit, or harm the baby as it can cause serious damage to the development of the child and could even result in serious issues. Also, it is important for parents to remember that dealing with crying infants is just a phase in a child’s development, and it will just pass eventually.
The Baby Whisperers
The term baby whisperer emerged as a description to medical professionals who have the knowledge, experience, and skill in dealing with difficult situations involving infants. They have this ability to calm the babies down from crying and bring smiles to their faces.
William Nelson, Advocate Children’s Hospital 2017 winner of The Advocate Nurse Award, is known as “the baby whisperer.” He is a nurse in the pediatric unit for 20 years already and tends to the youngest of patients. When asked for tips, he shared 5 ways to help soothe a crying baby:
- Swaddling: Wrapping the baby into three sides creates a safe, warm, and calming environment for the baby.
- Swinging: It recreates the swinging environment of the baby in the womb.
- Shushing: It mimics the sound of the mother’s blood circulating, which is usually heard by the fetus. It must not be too quick nor too slow. Aim for an adult heart-rate speed of 60 to 70 times a minute.
- Patting: Pat the baby’s chest or bottom at the same pace as shushing.
- Suckle: Give the baby a binkie.
Nelson has achieved what he is known for because of the fact that he earned a bachelor’s degree in nursing, became a registered nurse, and acquired experience in handling little ones in his 20 years of service in the pediatric unit. Moreover, nurses have the ability to relate well to their respective patients and establish trust and rapport by providing constant care and proper health teachings to their patients.
Baby Whisperer Industry
Also known as sleep consultants, in the baby whisperers industry, they offer advice to parents on how to make their babies sleep better. Although the sleep consultants are called baby whisperers, they do not have the same reputation William Nelson has. They are not medical professionals; therefore, they do not have the knowledge, skills, and experience to be able to give good advice and judgment.
Recently, there have been issues relative to the regulation of the baby whisperer industry. Apparently, there were no standards set in order to become a baby whisperer or a sleep consultant.
Issues have been raised as to the competency and the reliability of these baby whisperers because there are reports that many consultants are giving unhealthy advice. Moreover, it was also said that most of their pieces of advice are not based on evidence and could actually cause damage or harm to the babies.
Conclusion
Baby care is a very serious and complex matter. It involves the complicity of determining issues that are not put into words. Issues that may only be conveyed through cries, wails, or shouts.
More importantly, it involves development and human life. Therefore, it cannot be denied that expertise on the matter is of utmost importance in dealing with these complicities.
Health professionals are the ones expected to help and impart what they have acquired in knowledge and skills. To be more specific, nurses, with specialized training in infant health, are deemed ideal in the baby whisperer’s industry. Moreover, they meet and care for different people every day, which improves their adaptability level in understanding different kinds of individuals.
Finally, nurses are physically hands-on in providing care to the patients. This creates an actual bond, which makes their patients feel important, secured, and loved, and in the long run, this would likely lead to a positive result.
