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Bouncing and Swaying Baby
Why Do Babies Love Rhythmic Movement?
By Shannon McKelden
While there is no surefire way or secret technique to settling a baby with movement, Baker suggests a slow, rhythmic, linear movement might be the most calming. She adds that swaddling or holding can enhance the calming effect of movement.
"Some parents find that putting an infant in a sling and walking around provides enough movement and containment to be soothing for many hours during the day," Baker says. "For some infants, vertical movement is more calming. This is especially true for infants who have gastroesophageal reflux (GER) because gravity helps keep stomach juices down."
Not every kind of movement is productive, though. The wrong kinds of bouncing, jiggling and rocking can actually have the opposite effect than what you're going for.
"Some babies are very sensitive to motion and can only take small doses," Dr. Rackner says. "Even babies who love motion might not be in the mood for it because they're too tired or over-stimulated."
Babies who are oversensitive may not respond well to bouncing or rocking, becoming more distressed instead of less. "These infants may need slower movement, or they may need you to adjust other sensory input, such as turning down lights, lowering your voice and avoiding eye contact while rocking them," Baker says. She also warns that rapid changes in head position (such as putting your baby down too quickly on the changing table) can be very distressing to sensitive infants.
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