Five Reasons a Baby Will Cry
Knowing why your baby is crying is a learned skill. The only way that a baby can communicate in the first several months is by crying. You may already notice that your baby will have a variety of cries. Some are high pitched screams while others are more of a whimper. Here are five reasons that your baby may be crying…
One…
Soiled or wet. A baby with a soiled or wet diaper is going to cry. They feel uncomfortable. They will cry like something is wrong, like they are upset. Infants can develop a diaper rash quickly when they are wet or soiled. A baby with a diaper rash will really cry because it HURTS! If baby has a rash he or she will cry as if they are in pain. Check your child’s diaper often and change him or her regularly. This will prevent a diaper rash from occurring, and keep baby comfortable.
Two…
Hunger. A hungry baby will cry. This will be a fussy cry, persistently getting louder and more determined. Your baby may also put his or her hands to their mouth. This is a surefire sign of a hungry baby. If you think your baby may be hungry, offer a bottle or baby food. If they don’t take it, or push it away then you’ll know that this is not the reason your baby is crying.
Three…
If something hurts. Baby will cry if something is hurting. A painful cry is easy to recognize. It is high pitched, loud as can be, and consistent. The thing with a baby is that they can’t tell you where it hurts. You need to learn to look for the signs in baby’s body language. Does he or she have their knees pulled up tight to their chest? This indicates a belly ache. Is baby biting down hard on your fingers, or his own, or on toys? This indicates teething pain. Is baby pulling at one of his or her ears? This could indicate an earache.
Four…
Sometimes your baby will cry if he or she is overstimulated. This is especially true in the very first month of baby’s life. If baby begins to cry suddenly, and there is a lot going on around him or her, then maybe baby has had enough of the action. Baby’s like calm, quiet surroundings for the most part. Just as a baby will cry if over stimulated, a baby will also cry if they are under stimulated. This type of crying is more like a whimper. Baby is bored. Baby wants to play or cuddle.
Five…
Baby is tired. A tired baby will have a whiny cry. An overtired baby may lay their head down as they are crying, indicating a need for sleep. If it’s been a while since baby’s last nap, or it’s getting close to bedtime, and baby is crying, then most likely baby is simply tired. Have a brief cuddling session with baby, then lay him or her down. Chances are baby will fall right asleep.
These are the five most common reasons why baby may be crying. However, always contact you doctor if you can’t figure out why baby is crying, or if you can’t get baby to stop crying. 🙂
