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You are here : home > Newborn Care > All About Crying > Why do Babies Cry

Why do Babies Cry


Why do Babies Cry
Babies communicate their needs by crying. They may cry due to hunger, indigestion, fatigue etc. Read on to know the different reasons why babies cry.

Crying as a means of communication

Crying is the first form of baby talk. It is your baby's only way of communicating to you, whether she is hungry, lonely, tired, wet, uncomfortable, too hot, too cold, or just generally frustrated. Though it may seem impossible initially, you will learn to a certain extent to differentiate between your baby's different cries and decipher what it is she wants. In time, your baby will become more self-reliant and a better communicator and you will become more proficient at interpreting her cries. She will cry less often and for shorter periods and be more easily comforted.

Crying from hunger

Most of the time that the baby is crying, it is because of hunger. Some parents begin to recognize the cry of hunger at a very early age. It has been observed that the feeling of a full stomach gives a baby the most comfort. It is not the act of feeding, swallowing or being held.

Crying because of fatigue

Babies often cry themselves to sleep because of fatigue. Parents need not be concerned, as babies will eventually outgrow this habit. Attempting to soothe the baby by picking her up or trying to pacify her with a dummy is not advisable. This will make it more difficult for her to learn to fall asleep on her own. A regular bedtime routine and adequate rest during the day should help.

Crying because of indigestion

Babies also often cry because of colic pain. This does not mean that the baby is colicky. When babies cry with a genuine colic pain, it means that they have some form of indigestion in their system.

If the baby is on formula milk and if you have just introduced this brand, it is possible that this particular brand of formula milk is not suiting her. But before you make the hasty decision of switching brands, see if this pattern continues for a couple more days. If she is exclusively on breastmilk, some people believe it could be as a result of something heavy (difficult to digest) that the mother has eaten. If the baby has already been introduced to solids, it may be helpful to analyze the baby's food intake throughout the day and try to identify some food/foods that could be the cause of this indigestion.

In order to relieve this pain, many Indian mothers prefer to give their babies. Although the medical benefits of gripe are not clear, (i) it may help the mother feel better that she has tried to soothe the baby; and (ii) it may also help in distracting the baby a little, since gripe water has a nice sweet taste

Crying because she needs to be burped

Babies often feel uncomfortable because they have swallowed air. Parents can take a few precautionary measures to prevent this happening. Babies will swallow less air if you keep them upright as much as possible during feeding and burping. The right-size teat hole on a bottle will also reduce air intake. Burp the baby regularly during feeds in order to expel swallowed air. Applying light pressure to the baby's abdomen (by laying her across your lap, tummy down, or upright against your shoulder) while patting or rubbing her back has also been known to be effective.

Crying for apparently no reason at all

Sometimes though you have taken care of all your baby's basic needs, she just will not stop crying. Some studies indicate that four out of five babies have daily crying sessions lasting from 15 minutes to an hour for no apparent reason. These crying jags usually occur in the evening that tends to be the busiest time of the day. There may be a lot of noise and activity as the rest of the family returns home and prepares to settle down for the evening. Babies often cannot tolerate this heightened hustle and bustle. For the baby it could be the end of a tiring day, taking in new sights, sounds and smells. After the sensory overload, the baby would like to relax by having a good cry.




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Pragati
Pragati.12 years ago
I was uncomfortable with letting my son cry for even a minute or two. I was so against it that I ended up co-sleeping with him just to keep him happy. He is now 4 months old & went for his check up last week & I asked the doctor how I can get him to sleep in his crib. I had tried the method where you pick him up every time he cries, I tried comforting him without picking him up. Neither accomplished anything, except I was exhausted & very frustrated. The doctor said to just leave him for every nap & at bedtime. Let him cry & check on him every 20 mins to make sure he is ok. I spent the whole first day crying just as much as he did. BUT, that first night, he went to sleep after whining for about 20 mins & slept for 9 1/2 hours! He has been sleeping in his crib for naps & at night for the past 6 nights with less fussing each time. Your baby needs to learn how to soothe himself after a few months. As long as his needs are met, he will be fine. Do what you are comfortable with & what works
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Mcdume
Mcdume.14 years ago
Good overall article. Babies do cry for all kinds of reasons. It would be so much easier if they could just tell us what's wrong... if anything. Sometimes a baby (just like an adult) needs a good cry.
 
 
 
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Sonal
Sonal.14 years ago
my baby is 6 months old. sometimes it really becomes very difficult for me to understand the reason as to why she cries.
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r sahu
r sahu.14 years ago
very informative article.
 
 
 
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Venthan Bosco
Venthan Bosco.14 years ago
i found this site very informative. my own exp. with my baby is babies often fry due to stomach upsets and gripe water does help. all babies are intelligent creatures and also cry to get attention. there is a recent experiment called "controlled crying". let the baby cry for some time, then go and pacify her for some time and leave her alone. slowly increase the time before u go to pacify her. within a month most babies bouts of crying stop.
venthan bosco
toronto
 
 
 
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luomba opiyo petet
luomba opiyo petet.14 years ago
very nice article.
as a young man who is expecting to be a parent in 6 months time .i find this very interesting,all men parent shuold all come up, and understand what our babies need at what time,if all men does this there will be understanding of each other in the house,not shouting at your beloved woman to pick up the baby,but you does'nt know why she/he is crying and why the mother has left her/he to cry.thank for this article i am learning a lot it won't take me with surprise when god will give as our first daughter,i will know what to do.
 
 
 
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donna
donna.14 years ago
i would jut leave her to cry for a litle while
 
 
 
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