New parents are often at a loss when, after they bring the baby home, it starts to cry. Do you let the baby cry or pick it up every time? Advice from well-intentioned relatives and friends seems to be conflicting. Even for infants, Dr. Maria Montessori advised us to “follow the child.” In this case, it is important to spend time with your baby, learning what they are saying with each cry.

Parents often think that babies cry because they are hungry or in pain. There are many reasons for babies to cry, however. They might be worried, scared, hot, cold, lonely, bored, or even having bad memories or dreams. It may take some time to learn to differentiate the cries, but here are a few guidelines.

• First, speak gently and soothingly to the baby, reassuring them that you are present. Often this is all that is required to soothe them.
• If this doesn’t work, try making eye contact or lightly laying a hand on them.
• If the above two don’t work, then check for physical discomfort: a wet diaper, wrinkled bedding, or the need to be in a different position, for example.

Using Montessori Methodology to Soothe A Crying Baby

In The Joyful Child, Michael Olaf states that very rarely does a crying infant require food. In fact, he wonders if we tried harder to comfort our babies with means other than food or pacifiers, if we would raise children who are more in tune with their needs, thus alleviating the obesity problems we face today. It is the attentive parent (and Montessori teacher) who understands that crying is communication and is part of the work of infancy. It is our job to attend to the infant’s cries and learn what they mean so that we might better understand.

This is just one of the issues covered in NAMC’s Infant/Toddler Montessori curriculum manuals, which can be purchased individually or in full sets. These manuals are also part of NAMC’s seven-month Montessori Teacher Training diploma program.