Misophonia

Misophonia is an auditory sensitivity where one has a decreased tolerance to specific sounds and things that are related to said sound. In our general daily lives, it can be easy to manage things that make us overwhelmed and uncomfortable but when it is your child that is the source of it, walking away is not always an option. Of course, if you feel like you are about to snap and hurt your child then absolutely leave them on a mat on the floor, a playpen or a crib while you regroup but on average, a typical newborn cries up to four hours per day in the first 6-10 weeks. Babies who are deemed ‘colicky’ cry essentially most of the time they are awake. And then there’s purple crying which is also known as ‘witching hours’ where a baby is especially fussy during the same time of day, every day for the first few months. All this to say, babies cry, and depending on the temperament and physiology of your little baby, their range of crying can be normal. But, that doesn’t mean it is easy on parents.

One of my top must haves for postpartum are noise cancelling earbuds or headphones, or things like Loop earplugs that can dampen the level of baby cries and just noise in general. The reason for this recommendation is that baby cries often connect to a primal instinct that we have (especially for the birthing parent) to respond and soothe but there will be occasions that your baby will not be soothed even when you try every trick in the book. When you consider the overstimulation from a crying baby on top of sleep deprivation or postpartum anxiety, it can be extremely challenging to continue offering comfort or even being in the same room as your child.

Sometimes in parenthood, the best thing you can do is ensure your well-being first so that you may be present and responsive to your child and there aren’t many solutions to combat misophonia beyond dampening the noise as much as possible. If the pricier options listed above are not an option for you, wax earplugs from the drugstore can do the trick, too.