Crying
Why Do Babies Cry?
In the early days it’s very difficult to work out why your baby is crying. It could be:
- tired
- hungry
- full nappy
- needs winding
- constipated
- too hot
- too cold
- colic
All babies cry. It is their sole form of communication. Crying, even for long periods of time, isn’t harmful to your baby.
What Is Colic?
Colic is generally defined as excessive crying. It often starts at two weeks, peaks at six weeks and is over by three months. It tends to occur during the afternoon and early evening and is characterised by long bouts of crying and screaming that start and stop randomly. It sometimes seems that nothing will stop a colicky baby from crying. If your baby cries for three hours a day, three days a week for three or more weeks in a row, then your baby has colic.
It is possible that some babies with colic are reacting to something in their diet. They often pull their legs up to their tummies while they are crying. If your baby is being breastfed it might be worth chatting to you health visitor to make sure they are getting enough hind milk.
What Can I Do To Stop My Baby Crying?
- wrap your baby in a warm blanket, arms down by her sides
- shush in her ear as loudly as she is crying. Reduce the volume as she reduces her volume
- rock the baby in tiny motions, just a few centimetres each way is plenty
How Long Should I Leave My Baby To Cry?
Five minutes at first and then you can start to leave longer gaps. Controlled crying allows a baby cry to themselves for a short while at night so they learn to settle themselves. Some encourage this behaviour, others do not feel it’s a good idea. It is not recommended in babies under the age of one year. It may take a few nights or a few weeks to work.
How Will I Know If My Baby Is Ill?
The cry sounds different. It may be at the opposite end of scale to her usual cry. Ill cries may be high pitched, low moans, noisy or whimpering. Also look for signs of illness, temperature, blocked nose, vomiting and so on,
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