Ah, the one thing babies master right from the moment they are born!
Crying! I always wonder why babies don't laugh or hum when they need
something, but we have to face the truth...babies cry and they will keep
doing it for several months! Just bear with it and work from the
beginning of the list to the bottom, eventually you'll figure out why
your precious one is crying.
Here
are the seven things your baby might be communicating to your when they
cry:
Give me a fresh diaper - NOW!
Some babies (like mine) will let you know right away when they need to
be changed while others don't mind when their diapers are soiled
because it's warm and comfortable believe it or not! Checking &
changing my baby's diaper when he first wakes up (and is in tears) is
the first thing I do. Once on the changing, he knows what's going to
happen and immediately stops crying and begins to talk to me!
I'm hungry
This is the most common reason a baby is crying, she's hungry. Babies
often develop cries for different needs so you can differentiate between
cries. When she's hungry she'll also look around for your nipple once
you pick her up or she might make suckling sounds or lick her lower lip.
Once I roll mine over onto his side, he knows what's going on and he'll
open his mouth wide open ready for my nipple.
I'm too cold or hot
Newborns like to be bundled up and kept warm. As a rule, they need to be
wearing one more layer than you need to be comfortable. So when your
baby feels cold, like when you change her, she'll let you know that
she's not happy by crying. You can drape a thin blanket over her top
half to help her stay warm and eventually you'll learn how to quickly
change a diaper and wrap your baby back up to calm her. Also, don't
overdress her, since she's less likely to complain about being too warm
than about being too cold and won't cry about it as vigorously.
I want to be held
Babies need a lot of cuddling with their parents. They like to see their
parents' faces, hear their voices, listen to their hearts, and can even
detect their unique scent. After being fed, burped, and changed, many
babies simply want to be held a bit to fall asleep. I hold mine after
eating to help the milk settle in his tummy to reduce spit-up because he
often falls asleep while feeding so I can't burp him (rule-of-thumb is
about 15 minutes, the set your baby down). You may wonder if you'll
"spoil" your child by holding her so much, but infants don't realize the
need for you holding them until about 3 months. Infants can be picky
about what position they like to be held in as well. Mine likes over the
shoulder and never craddled in my arms!
Leave me ALONE!
While newborns seem to thrive on a lot of attention, they can easily
become overly-stimulated and have
a "melt-down." You may find that your baby cries longer than usual after
spending a holiday with your family members or has periods at the end of
each day when she seems to cry for no reason. Newborns have difficulty
filtering out all the stimulation they receive (flashy lights, noise,
being passed like a hot potato) and can become overwhelmed by too much
activity. Crying is their way of saying "I've had enough." This usually
happens when your baby is tiredso just take her somewhere calm and quiet
and help her fall asleep.
I don't feel good
If you've just fed your baby and checked that she's comfortable (it can
be something as subtle as a hair wrapped around her toe or a clothing
tag that's poking her), but she's still crying, consider checking her
temperature to make sure she isn't sick. She may have an ear infection
or a fever that's not easily identifiable. She may even cry a little
differently, so listen carefully. Babies will often have a temperature
after getting shots so if she has a temperature, cool her down by not
covering her up with blankets.
None of the above
If all else fails, just take her to a warm and quiet room to calm her
down & do the following.
I can't figure out the reason. What should I do?
Wrap her up and hold her close
Newborns like to feel as warm and secure as they did in the womb, so try
swaddling your baby in a blanket or holding her up against your
shoulder. Some newborns don't like swaddling and will like a little more
room so it's up to you to figure out what she likes the best.
Let her hear the rhythm
Babies are used to the sound of your heartbeat; that's another reason
they love to be held close. Also try playing soft music, singing a
lullaby, or expose her to some white noise (a blowing fan, a heater,
etc).
Movement
Sometimes just walking her around the house will calm her or a gentle
ride in the car.
Change of Scenery
Walk her around wide windows or different rooms so she has something new
to look at.
Let her suck on something
Sucking on a pacifier or your finger will help her calm down.
Take it Easy
A crying baby can be very stressful for anyone, so if your feel as
though you can't take it anymore just set your baby down somewhere safe,
take a few deep breaths and sit down in a different room. You can also
give your baby to your partner, family member or her sibling and call a
friend to calm yourself down.
