Hello, friend! I hope you are doing well and keeping safe. I am okay, all things considering. I guess there's really nothing left to do now except to wait the pandemic out, all the while hoping to elect better leaders and not die. 

Aside from buying little treats every now and then to distract me from the everyday reality that I am in the Philippines, I am also immersing myself into new hobbies, one of which is rollerskating that I also blogged about previously. 

My precious quarantine quads have arrived, and it really is so pretty!

Chaser Whip Roller Skates

I also got a bunch of accessories as well as safety gear so I can hopefully learn how to skate unscathed. I have a helmet, pads for my wrists, elbows, and knees, a skate leash, toe caps, and other stuff to prettify my skates with. 

Adorable!

I am at that stage in my life when peers in my age group are starting their own families. While I am happy for them and am even reduced to tears of happiness whenever a friend breaks news that they are pregnant, I myself do not want kids of my own. I think I will be content to becoming a cat mom someday.

Look at that sweet face! He's one of the stray cats my family takes care of

We also have plans to get a turtle. We have a name and everything, and we have arranged the layout of this place to accommodate him when he arrives. The only thing left to do is purchase him.

Anyway, if you're the parent of a newborn, you've probably been there - that moment when your baby is fussy and they won't or can't sleep. So, what do you do? If this has been happening for more than an hour, it's time to take action! This blog post will discuss different hacks that may help soothe your fussing infant.

Swinging Them To Imitate the Womb

This one is for the parents who are sitting on a chair, and their infant starts fussing. You can swing them in your arms to imitate being back in the womb or dangle them off of you like they're going down a slide. 

Seek Help From Professional Medical Providers

Suppose you feel that your baby may have an ear infection. In that case, they're not producing enough wet diapers or are sick with another illness and seek help from a professional medical provider.

To increase your baby's comfort while sleeping, you can look up Baby Pillows And Safe Sleep Recommendations from the internet or previous mothers.

Warm Bath

A warm, calm bath may be just what your baby needs to go back to sleep. Add a few drops of lavender oil or other calming oils if you have them on hand. It can make the water even more relaxing for both of you! 

Play Tunes or White Noise

If your infant is fussy, you can play tunes or turn on a fan with static; this will help soothe them and block out other noises around the house that may be bothering them - it's much easier for babies to sleep when it's quiet! 

Keep Them Warm

Babies are sensitive to the cold and may not sleep well if it's too cool in their room. So be sure that they have enough layers for warmth and block out any light or noise from outside sources like street lamps. 

Delegate House Chores to Others

If you're the parent of a newborn who loves their house and independence, the chances are high that you'll try to do every chore. But it's okay to ask for help! Delegate tasks like cleaning and cooking to other adults in your household who may be eager to lend assistance--they'll likely feel better about it too.

Never Shake Them 

Shaking your baby can lead to traumatic brain injury, so be sure not to. However, if they're fussing and you need help calming them down quickly, try one of the methods in this blog post!

Do not use any of these hacks if your infant is unresponsive or their breathing becomes irregular - this could indicate a severe illness. Instead, seek professional medical advice immediately.

Shushing

When they're sitting in your arms and fussing, place one finger over their lips and cover your finger with the other hand. This gentle shushing sound will soothe your infant because it sounds like what they hear in utero when you're talking to them!

Many parents find that gently patting or stroking a baby's back can help calm an upset infant; this is called "the stroller method.

Swaddling

Place the baby on their back and wrap them tightly in a light blanket, securing it with safety pins at chest level. This position immobilizes your infant's body to help calm them by reducing sensory input like vision or sound that can be overstimulating for an upset child.

Babywearing

Wearing your baby in a carrier or wrap allows them to feel the warmth and security of your own body, which can help calm an upset infant. If you are wearing them on your chest, this will also provide a gentle rocking motion that may have calming effects.

Bouncing

Sitting with your back straight, hold the baby in your arms and gently bounce up and down.

Pressing Fingers to Nose and Gently Rubbing Them Together

Doing this calms babies by reminding them of their smell from inside the womb; this is a perfect technique to use if you have a colicky or congested newborn.

Massaging

Massage your baby with gentle strokes, starting at the head and continuing down his body.

Nuzzling

Hold your newborn close to you and nuzzle their nose with yours. At the same time, gently rub the baby on the back or tummy.

Letting the Baby Crawl Around

Give your little one a safe space to crawl around. For example, you can use a blanket or towel on the floor and make sure there are no sharp objects in their path. The crawling motion triggers your baby's instinct to explore, which is great for cognitive development!

Conclusion

Soothe your fussing infant with these baby hacks that are sure to take their cries down a notch.  

One of the great blessings brought about by my new job is that I became excited for weekends again. There was a long period before when weekends didn't matter to me because it's all the same anyway, I would still spend most of the day in front of my laptop, working. The only difference is that there would be no meetings. Don't get me wrong, I don't begrudge my workmates nor my immediate superior, but I have to admit it was very easy to be jaded and get burnt out. 


I remember dreading Sunday evenings because it would be Monday in a few hours and the cycle would start all over again.

Happy to report that I no longer dread Sunday evenings anymore. In fact, I am excited to start my work-week, now that the weekend really gave me time to recharge and refresh.

This weekend, my friends and I, led by J's sister C, formed a skater girl gang.

Yep! New hobby alert! This time next week, I would have already tried to skate again (after soooo many years since trying it out as a pre-teen), with hopefully little to no scars.

Look at this beautiful thing that will arrive in the mail in the next few days:

My quarantine quads! Ugh. So cute! It comes with pink shoe laces, too! Teal and pink, my favorite color combination!

I am so excited I cannot sit still. I bought a helmet, toe guards, colorful shoe laces, protective gear, and even cute thingamajigs to jazz my new skates with!

Now I only need to look for cute outfits to skate in, but that's another shopping list for another pay day.

How are you? I hope you are taking care of yourself and are keeping safe!