8 unusual but strangely effective ways to stop your baby from crying

We were wowed earlier this week when a dad named Daniel Eisenman calmed his crying babe through the use of the spiritual “om” chant. Seriously, the wailing young one is soothed almost immediately when her father begins the meditative practice, eventually closing her eyes to rest. Once we picked our jaws off the floor, we got to thinking—what are some other ways we can get our babies to stop crying? Every baby is different, so you won't know what works till you try, but here are some other ways clever parents have soothed their wailing infants.

Try “The Hold” Back in 2015, pediatrician Robert Hamilton blew the minds of parents everywhere when he taught us all “The Hold”—a secret weapon he’s used on crying babies for the past 30 years. The simple yet effective hold consists of folding and securing your baby’s arms with one hand and supporting their bottom with the other. Proceed to give them a little booty shake and bounce, and be amazed by how silent they become. It’s magic!

Play some rockin’ jams This mom knows just what her little girl wants when she’s screaming up a storm: more rock n’ roll! As soon as mom puts on the legendary David Bowie’s “Heroes,” this babe chills right out, instantly falling asleep. So, next time your rock n’ roller acts like it’s encore time at your local concert hall, be your own hero and turn up the tunes!

Enlist the help of the family dog If you’ve also spent hours YouTubing cute videos of babies and dogs, you know about the strong bond between children and their pets. Use this bond to your advantage and have your pup talk some sense into your hysterical little one, like Sophie the husky in this adorable video, whose howling stops the baby-tears from flowing. Man’s best friend indeed.

While you’re at it, grab your cat Don’t worry cat people, your feline can help out too! Let’s not pretend we all don’t secretly know our cats are mystical creatures, wiser than us all, probably plotting world domination… But sometimes, they use their powers for good, like this furry friend who, with a touch of his paw, tames the wildest of creatures.

Get baby to look in mirror Mirror, mirror on the wall, who’s the happiest baby of them all? Your baby (once you’ve put her in front of a mirror)! Teach your kids self-reliance young and let them entertain themselves, like this giggly girl who only stops crying when staring at her own reflection. Now that’s what you call self-love!

Turn on the vacuum Talk about multi-tasking! Need to get on that spring cleaning, but your baby’s throwing a stink? White noise—like the noise of a vacuum—can help soothe an upset baby. Take this little guy for example. Vacuum off, crying baby. Vacuum on, quiet baby! Vacuum off…and on, and on it goes.

Find Obama When all else fails, find the former P.O.T.U.S. He’ll know just what to do.

So, go forth and conquer those crippling cries! It's not easy out there, being a parent, and what works for one baby may not work for another. But we wish you luck in finding the magic thing that soothes your little one in a pinch.

Read more:
Fussy baby: Nightly infant crying Why do babies cry? Baby talk: What your baby is trying to tell you