How to Quiet a Baby in Church

While you might be able to convince a preschooler or even a toddler to settle down and stay quiet during church, a baby isn't concerned with manners, respect or even the glaring parishioner sitting next to you. Fortunately, your baby̵7;s wails don̵7;t have to drown out the entire service. You can utilize a few simple measures to keep your baby calm before he begins to get fussy or help him to settle down once the whining or crying has begun.

Things You'll Need

  • Formula or breast milk
  • Pacifier
  • Receiving blanket
  • Security blanket or soft-bodied doll

Instructions

    • 1

      Look for signs that your baby is hungry. For example, if it has been several hours since her last feeding, you've recently changed a full diaper or she's just awoken from a nap, her fussing and quiet whimpers are likely warning signs that her stomach is making demands. If you anticipate that your breastfed or formula-fed baby will be hungry within the first 30 to 45 minutes of the church service, prepare a bottle of formula or expressed breast milk ahead of time to help satisfy her hunger. Keep in mind that formula and breast milk left at room temperature must be disposed of after an hour, advises KidsHealth. If your baby is eating solid foods, take a few snacks that won̵7;t make a mess.

    • 2

      Give your baby a pacifier to calm fussiness and soothe whimpers. If your baby doesn't use a pacifier, offer him a clean teething ring or teething toy to suck on instead.

    • 3

      Swaddle a newborn baby to mimic the warm, close quarters she experienced during your pregnancy. Wrap her upper body in a receiving blanket to swaddle, but do not wrap the blanket tightly around her lower body. Make sure you can slide a hand in between the blanket and your baby's chest to ensure the blanket does not restrict her airway. Hold your baby close and sway from side to side gently to calm her further.

    • 4

      Provide a little distraction without too much stimulation. Teach your child from infancy that a church service is a time for worship, not play. Instead of taking a bag full of toys to keep your older baby entertained throughout the service, take an item he uses for comfort to keep him calm, such as a security blanket or a soft-bodied doll.

    • 5

      Take your baby into the lobby to settle her down if she is inconsolable in the church service and you are uncomfortable or would prefer not to disturb other churchgoers. The motion of movement might help to calm an infant; a change of scenery might serve to distract an older baby.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • How to Get a Baby to Stop Fussing
      While it’s normal for newborns to fuss at times, babies get upset for different reasons. Crying is a baby’s way of getting what he needs. Knowing how to respond depends on whether your infant is fussing because he’s uncomfortable, s
    • How to Strip Detergent From Cloth Diapers
      Using cloth diapers saves you money and keeps the waste of disposable diapers out of landfills. However, detergent and bodily fluids can build up on your diapers, leaving them stinky and crusty. To make diapers fresh again, strip them of buildup when
    • How to Give Woodward's Gripe Water
      Trying to decipher the reason behind your fussy baby can be a challenge. It may be down to trapped wind and gripping pains in your babys stomach. Woodwards Gripe Water was originally formulated by William Woodward in 1851 to help ease the problem. Al