Why Is My Baby Crying? Possible Reasons for Crying
You will slowly start to recognize your baby's different crying patterns. As you get to know him/her more, you will develop the capability of predicting your baby’s needs.
As a first-time parent, it can sometimes be hard to work out what your baby is trying to tell you; are they hungry, cold, thirsty, bored, or looking for a cuddle?
Here is a page with the different baby cries and how to identify each.
In the early days, when you have not yet learned to work out what your baby desires, a crying baby may be upsetting, but you will slowly start to recognize your baby's different crying patterns. As you get to know them more, you will develop the capability of predicting your baby’s needs.
Reasons Why Babies Cry
1. Your baby might be ill. Buy a baby thermometer and keep it handy.
Look for some of these signs and symptoms that might indicate that your baby's crying is the result of a 'real' problem:
- Fever, cough, and runny nose.
- Crying after feedings.
- Spitting up a lot (vomiting baby).
- Having gas or diarrhea.
- Weight loss.
- Bloody stools in nappy.
- Losing interest in food.
- Baby is not sleeping.
2. Babies cry when they have a nappy rash. Get some special nappy rash cream for your baby.
3. Your baby is hungry.
Learn more about hunger cues.
4. Your baby is getting too hot or too cold. Are their clothes suitable for the weather?
5. Your baby has a dirty diaper. Check to see if it is time to change them.
6. Baby is tired. Sometimes it’s difficult for a baby to wind down for sleep due to all the attention and overstimulation during the day. Try giving your baby a nice, warm bath and massage.
Massage is an excellent way to relieve colic too.
7. Baby is plain irritable. Your little one may also have mood swings! Sometimes a cranky baby needs to comfort feed. Skin-to-skin contact can help calm them.
8. Infant colic symptoms: Colic remedies may include colic drops, gripe water, and special preparations, like Infacol.
First, try burping your baby during and after every feeding for colic relief. Some colicky babies need a little more burping than others.
Does your baby clench their fists a lot? This is the first sign of colic. If your baby is formula feeding, you can change to another brand, or if you breastfeed, you can start watching the foods you eat. It is not very common, but occasionally, the foods a mother eats can cause gassiness in her baby.
Signs of a food allergy may include:
- Drawing of the knees up to the chest.
- Baby's stomach may be swollen and feel hard.
9. Your baby's crying could be due to boredom. Play with your baby and give them plenty of attention.
10. Your baby may be teething.
Teething remedies are discussed here.
11. Baby wants some affection and wants to be held. A warm cuddle will calm your baby.
12. Your baby feels your mood: Those mothers, who are depressed, anxious, angry, or exhausted, tend to have children who cry more often.
13. Your baby could have an earache: If your baby is grabbing or pulling at the ears a lot, it could indicate an ear infection.
14. Baby cries for no reason: If there seems to be no specific reason for your baby's crying, it could just be part of infant development. As Dr. Marc Weissbluth, pediatrician and author, states: “birds fly, and babies cry."
15. Baby is being pinched: Your baby might have some skin irritated by a label, a zipper, a car seatbelt, or stroller straps.
16. Baby feels insecure: Between the age of six and nine months, your baby will learn that they are separate from you; he may cry when you leave the room because they are scared you will not come back.
17. Baby is stressed out: Too much noise, movement, bright light, or any overstimulation can make the baby cry more.
18. Your baby may be going through a growth spurt period.
19. Acid reflux could cause your baby to be fussy and spit up a lot.
20. An overactive or underactive letdown reflex can cause babies to become frustrated while breastfeeding.
The Tushbaby Hip Carrier
With its ergonomic design and comfortable waistband, Tushbaby provides optimal support for you and your baby. Say goodbye to shoulder and back pain from traditional carriers, as Tushbaby evenly distributes your baby's weight, relieving strain and promoting better posture.
Tips to Get Your Baby to Stop Crying
- Baby massage.
- Swaddling (wrapping your baby in a blanket).
- Holding and cuddling, Baby. Some babies like to be held and walked around with; instead of sitting in one position while breastfeeding, you could wear your baby.
- A rocking motion can be very soothing to a baby.
- Sing and talk softly.
- White noise can also calm babies, like a vacuum or running water.
- Use the cuddle cure by Dr. Harvey. Watch the video here.
When You Start to Feel Overwhelmed
- Take deep breaths to calm yourself.
- Call a friend or family member and ask them to come over. Get them to take over for a while.
- Do not blame yourself for your baby's crying; remember that crying will not hurt your baby. (It is part of every baby's normal development)
- If it gets too much, put your baby somewhere safe for a little while. Let your baby cry it out for a while; put your headphones on if you have to.
The Amber Teething Necklace
An amber teething necklace might be the answer to the most tumultuous time in an infant’s growing-up years.
Teething troubles can range from minor pain, swelling, and discomfort to diaper rash and even a straightforward refusal of food, much to a mother’s horror!
When using an amber necklace, teething pain can be effectively handled through the healing properties of amber, from which the beads are made. These are designed to be worn around the neck or as a bracelet by babies in the teething stage.
It is believed that when using an amber necklace, teething and related problems are duly addressed. The beads are said to stimulate the thyroid gland to control drooling and help the baby’s immune system reduce inflammation in the ears, stomach, and throat. Interestingly, the amazing beads of the necklace are also claimed to have an energizing effect on your baby.
As increasingly used by mothers worldwide, amber teething necklaces for babies can considerably reduce the pain and irritability that comes with teething. Amber works best when placed directly on the skin. The amber necklace for teething is the most natural and cost-effective way to handle your child’s teething troubles.
When your child wears an amber necklace, the beads release a trace amount of a specific oil into the skin as the beads warm up, owing to the body heat. The oil released through these amber teething beads contains succinic acid, which is known to have a series of benefits. Owing to this acid, these amber beads for teething can help reduce the swelling causing the pain. This amazing amber will have a calming effect on your baby, act as a pain killer, and help control cough and fever.
As if that weren't enough, an original Baltic amber teething necklace promotes tissue regeneration and aids the body's detoxification process. The healing effect of the Baltic amber necklaces is said to be even stronger than those of the Dominican amber teething accessories.
Interestingly, the original Baltic amber necklaces for teething are a traditional European remedy. The natives depended heavily on the natural analgesic properties of the beads.
Moreover, contrary to the known myth of amber for teething issues, the necklace does not pose a choking hazard for tiny babies. Each of the beads on the Baltic amber teething accessory is attached to the necklace string. This implies that even if the string breaks off, the beads won’t come off and thus will not be available to the child for chewing. Hence, you can look for a genuine and well-designed amber teething necklace in Canada and other places to ensure maximum child safety.
Many moms feel they want to give up on breastfeeding due to the many different difficulties they might be experiencing during breastfeeding. I encourage you to read our page on the benefits of breastfeeding.