“What a precious little angel!” your mother-in-law will exclaim. “Life is all sunshine and rainbows once you have this sweet creature in your life.” The truth of the matter is, you have been trying not to pull your hair out every night. While sweet and adorable to everyone else, babies are a major challenge for the people who actually live with them: the parents. The constant crying, fussing, and neediness all point to one simple fact. Babies have to have their needs met right away. No sooner have they quieted and settled, than the fussing begins all over again. What is a parent to do?

Though it seems nearly impossible at times, do your best to be patient. It is hard being a new parent, but it is equally hard being a baby new to the world, and it will not last forever. The more in tune you can be with him or her, the more quickly you can soothe the crying. Take careful note of the way your baby cries; different sounds for hunger, sleepiness, wetness, and other needs will alert you as to how to calm your baby. This may not be as easy as it sounds, particularly for those with their first baby. Make careful note of your baby’s style of cry, along with what remedy worked to quiet him or her. Get out those receiving blankets, and if they help your baby relax, remember the type of cry that was satisfied by this method.

Learning what baby needs to calm down is something that mothers tend to excel at. All sexism aside, mothers do seem to have a special intuition with their babies. That is the beauty of having two parents! Once you can interpret your baby’s cries, Mothers, you should share this valuable knowledge with your husbands. When you have figured out some effective ways to stop your little one’s crying, make sure to share your findings with your husband so he can gain confidence with him or her. And above all, remember that age-old calming trick, special baby blankets for your little one. Then maybe the next time your mother-in-law exclaims, “What a little darling!” you can exchange a knowing glance with your husband as you happily agree.