Helping Your Baby Stop Crying

Another of your major parenting responsibilities is to comfort your baby when he/she cries. Crying is especially distressing to new parents, who assume something must be dreadfully wrong. However, it is perfectly normal for babies to cry. It gives them a certain amount of exercise, and it is, after all, their only way of letting you know they need something. In this section, you can read about the causes of your baby's crying and some ways to provide comfort.

The Causes of a Baby's Crying

The difficulty is to figure out what those needs are. In a newborn, a cry signifies only a few needs if the baby is not ill or in pain: hunger, the need for a diaper change (within a few weeks, the baby becomes used to the feeling of wetness and a wet diaper will not bother him), and the need to be held and comforted. Infants have a characteristic fussy-sounding cry that often seems to reach a peak when they are about six weeks old and tapers off at about three months.

Different cries for different reasons. Babies are individuals. Each tells you in special ways what he/she needs from you. Many mothers can tell the reasons for their babies' crying, saying, for example, the hunger cry is rhythmic and repetitive, the pain cry is loud and shrill, and the ill cry is continuous, whiny, and nasal. As the baby grows, he will find more reasons to complain by means of crying: boredom, frustration, loneliness, fear, overstimulation, and, sometimes, the overtiredness that prevents sleep. As you get to know your own child better, you learn to interpret the reasons for crying.

Pain, illness, and gas. Occasionally, a baby cries because he is in pain. One traditional cause for pain is the prick of an open safety pin, a problem largely avoided now by the use of specially designed diaper pins and eliminated completely by the use of disposable diapers that need no pins. Another cause for pain is a raveled thread from the baby's clothes wrapped tightly enough around a finger or toe to cut off circulation.

A baby who cries because of sickness usually has other symptoms of illness, such as a fever, diarrhea, or a runny nose. The baby may indicate an earache by pulling on, or attempting to pull on, his ear. A baby may also cry because of gas, especially if he has not been burped sufficiently. Generally, a healthy baby has a strong, loud cry. If your baby's cry becomes abnormally weak, consult your doctor right away.

Crying cycles. Sometimes, especially if postpartum depression has you in its grip, you and your baby can get into a joint crying cycle. When the baby cries, you get anxious and nervous. The more the baby cries, the worse you feel, and nothing you do seems to help quiet the baby. The baby senses your feelings, your anxiety in turn makes the baby anxious and uncomfortable, and the child expresses these feelings by crying even more. You dissolve into tears yourself, and neither of you can seem to stop.

One way to help both of you calm down is to take a warm bath together. The skin contact and the warm, liquid environment are soothing and may be all you need. However, if you find yourself getting into these cycles with any regularity, talk with an experienced parent or your doctor.

Comforting a Crying Baby

You'll find that some of the steps you can take to help your baby stop crying are the same as those you use to help him go to sleep. Most of these are based on warmth, rhythmic sound, and gentle, repetitive motion. You can combine these three great comforts when you cuddle your baby closely as you sing softly to him and you rock together in a cozy, padded rocking chair.

This also soothes and rests you, and you will probably find it a more reasonable solution than letting your baby cry it out, as some will likely advise you to do to teach him who is in charge. Picking up your infant when he cries does not spoil the baby, whatever you may hear from others. Remember, too, to let your baby know that crying is not the only way to get you to show your concern and love. Pick up and cuddle your baby sometimes when he is awake and not crying.

When your baby starts crying, first ask yourself the obvious questions: does he/she need to be changed or fed? Is he/she tired? If none of these appears to be the cause of his crying, and he/she doesn't have any symptoms of illness, then there may not be a quick fix solution. Instead, try comforting your baby by rocking, cuddling, and singing to him/her. You may also try distracting him/her with something you know he/she enjoys, like a favorite toy or a bath. Keep reading for bathtime tips and procedures.

Next, we'll cover a task that is much more enjoyable than trying to get your baby to stop crying: bathing your baby.

This information is solely for informational purposes. IT IS NOT INTENDED TO PROVIDE MEDICAL ADVICE. Neither the Editors of Consumer Guide (R), Publications International, Ltd., the author nor publisher take responsibility for any possible consequences from any treatment, procedure, exercise, dietary modification, action or application of medication which results from reading or following the information contained in this information. The publication of this information does not constitute the practice of medicine, and this information does not replace the advice of your physician or other health care provider. Before undertaking any course of treatment, the reader must seek the advice of their physician or other health care provider.