When Your Baby Cries

Notes from Babywise chapter 8


Clearly, the cry is a multi-functional tool for a baby to get what she needs. Besides crying when hungry, baby plays the blues when she is tired, wet, sick, bored, frustrated, out of routine, fed to often or sometimes simply because that is what normal, healthy babies do.

All babies cry, often without any apparent reason. Newborns cry a total of 1-4 hours a day. No mother can console her child every time she cries, so don’t expect to be a miracle worker with your baby. Pay close attention to your baby’s different cries and you’ll soon be able to tell when she needs to be picked up, consoled, or tended to, and when she is better off left alone.

Thing of crying as a signal, not a statement against your parenting.

In early infancy, crying is the intuitive way of communication both need and pleasure

Parents are most affected by a baby’s cry. We can assure you of this truth: you will not take pleasure in hearing that sound, especially if you are a first-time parent.

Will blocking baby’s cry be good for her? No.

What mom needs to respond to is why of the cry. Learn to assess the why behind baby’s cry. Only then your response be rational and purposeful instead of emotive.

A baby’s security is tied to her developing relationships with mom and dad, not simply the proximity of mom.

A marked change in your baby’s crying pattern may be a warning of illness. Look for a sudden increase in the frequency and duration of crying or a weak, mousy cry.

You can be certain the cry is not hunger-and-thrist cry if your baby is satisfied after feeding.

Babies who routinely cry and act hungry after and hour and a half are probably not getting enough food.

Another cry that needs investigation is when your baby wakes up in the middle of her nap with a loud, piercing cry. This could be caused by gas. Your baby may also be reacting to something in your breast milk as a result of what you ate earlier in the day. If this cry persists, physically check your baby. One mom reported that a strand of her long hair was wrapped tightly around her son’s toe. Once the hair was removed, the crying stopped immediately.

ANSWERING YOUR BABY’S CRY

How long should I let my baby cry? The timing of your baby’s cry is the first clue to understanding how you should respond.

Abnormal cry times include the following:

1. During feedings- Crying during feeding- Might be because baby is not getting enough food or isn’t taking in food fast enough

2. Immediately after feedings Crying Immediately after feeding or 30 minutes after, and the cry sounds like a pain cry rather than sleepiness cry, it may be caused one of these factors: trapped gas, your diet, milk quality problem.

3. At times when baby wakes early out of a sound nap- Waking early out a sound nap. If your babe wakes out of a sound sleep with a strong cry, it may be combination of the three factors mentioned above.

Crying during any one of these periods requires attention. Don’t wait for crying to subside. Investigate it, looking for the root cause.

Normal Crying Periods:

1. Just before feeding- Under normal circumstances, any cry that happens just before feeding should be limited, since the next event for the baby is mealtime.

2. When baby is put down for a nap- Many babies cannot fall asleep without crying and will go to sleep more quickly if left to cry for awhile. The crying shouldn’t last long if the child is truly tired. It is not unusual for the baby to occasionally begin whimpering or crying softly in the middle of nap. Sometimes you may think your baby is waking up when she’s actually going through a phase of very light slumber. She could be squirming, startling, fussing or even crying-and still be asleep. Don’t make the mistake of trying to comfort her during these moments; you’ll only awaken her further and delay her going back to sleep. Instead, if you let her fuss and even cry for a few moments, she’ll learn to get herself to sleep without relying on you. Some babies actually need to let off energy by crying in order to settle into sleep or rouse themselves out of it. As much as 15-20 minutes of fussing won’t do your child any harm. Just be sure she’s not crying out of hunger or pain or because her diaper is wet.

3. During late afternoon/early evening nap- Most babies have a personal fussy time. If a child is not comforted by the baby swing, an infant seat, siblings or grandma, consider the crib. At least there she has the chance to fall asleep. If you have a baby who becomes exceptionally and continuously fussy, consider the possibility that she is hungry.

WHAT SHOULD I DO WHEN MY BABY CRIES?

1. Listen for the type of cry. You’ll begin to distinguish the different tones and patterns. Your baby is working hard to spell out her needs. Get to know your baby by decoding baby’s cries.

2. Think about where you baby is in her routine. Is it naptime, mealtime?

3. Take action based on what you have heard and reasonable concluded.Just remember, sometimes the best action is no action.

4. Take a note of how long your baby cries. Moms are surprised to find that most crying lasts between 5-10 minutes.

WHEN SHOULD I HOLD AND COMFORT MY BABY?

Parents should offer comfort when comfort is needed and determine what type of comfort is needed.

A baby can receive comfort in many different ways and different people.

The good news for the baby is that mom’s breasts are not the only source of comfort.

Remember, as baby grows her patterns of crying may change.