Newborns routinely cry one to four hours a day. All babies cry, often without any apparent cause. She's not crying because you're a bad parent or because she doesn't like you. It's important to share this information on crying with anyone else who cares for your baby, including your spouse, partner, or babysitter.Ībove all, don't take your newborn's crying personally. Shaking an infant hard can cause blindness, brain damage, or even death. No matter how impatient or angry you feel, do not shake or hit the baby. This will give you needed relief, and a new face can sometimes calm your baby. If you start to feel you can't handle the situation, set the baby down in a safe location and get help from a family member or friend. Hearing a wailing newborn can be agonizing, but letting your frustration turn to anger or panic will only intensify your infant's screams. Even very young babies are sensitive to tension and react to it by crying. The more relaxed you remain, the easier it will be to console your child. If you take it rectally and it is 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit (38 degrees Celsius) or higher, she could have an infection. If your baby is inconsolable, she may be sick. You can look into more non-medication options such as tweaks to your diet, slow feeding, and appropriate burping to help. Colic drops are expensive, and studies suggest that they're not effective. In breastfeeding babies, sometimes colic is a sign of sensitivity to a food in the mother's diet. Most often, colic means simply that the child is unusually sensitive to stimulation or can't yet console herself. As your baby matures, this inability to self-console-marked by constant crying-will improve. If the crying does not stop, but gets more intense and continues throughout the day or night, it may be caused by colic. The crying shouldn't last long if the child is truly tired. Many babies cannot fall asleep without crying and will fall asleep quicker if left to cry. Sometimes, if all else fails, the best approach is simply to leave the baby alone in a safe location such as a crib. Warm baths (most babies like this, but not all) Walking her in your arms, a stroller, or a carriageīurping her to relieve any trapped gas bubbles Safe swaddling (wrapping her snugly in a receiving blanket) Gently stroking her head or patting her back or chest Rocking, either in a rocking chair or in your arms as you sway from side to side Find the ones that work best for your baby: If she's warm, dry, and well fed but the crying won't stop, try the following consoling techniques. Perhaps a strand of hair is caught around a finger or toe. If there's a shrieking or panicked quality to the cry, consider if a piece of clothing or something else is making her uncomfortable. If she's cold and hungry and her diaper is wet, warm her up, change her diaper, and then feed her. When responding to your child's cries, try to meet her most pressing need first. You cannot spoil a young baby with attention, and if you answer her calls for help, she'll cry less overall. The best way to handle crying is to respond promptly during her first few months. They'll also begin to vary more, as if to convey different needs and desires. As your baby matures, her cries will become stronger, louder, and more insistent. If you're not quick to respond, your baby's hunger cry may turn to a wail of rage. Newborns generally wake up hungry and crying for food. Sometimes different types of cries overlap. Is she hungry? Angry? Distressed or in pain? Sleepy? Each baby will use her voice differently. This kind of fussy crying seems to help babies get rid of excess energy to allow for a more contented state.Īs you get to know your infant's crying patterns, you may feel as if you can identify specific needs by the way she cries. Right after these spells, she may seem more alert than before, and then may sleep more deeply than usual. At times it may seem like nothing can console her. You may notice your baby has fussy periods, even when she's not hungry, uncomfortable, or tired. It shuts out sights, sounds, and other sensations too intense to suit her. It allows her to call for help when she's hungry or uncomfortable. Crying serves several useful purposes for your baby.
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