Different Reasons A Baby Cries

Crying is the baby’s first form of communication; it is very difficult initially to know why a baby is crying, but you would slowly become proficient in interpreting the babies cry. With time the baby will cry less and for shorter intervals.

Some reasons that babies cry are:

• One of the basic needs for a baby is milk; babies cry when they are hungry. Many parents learn to recognize the hunger cry of their babies, with babies feel most comfortable with a full stomach.

• Babies cry when they have to be burp having swallowed air; there are various precautions that need to be taken to avoid it. The baby will swallow less air with the right size of the teat hole on a bottle as well as holding the baby upright while feeding. It is also advisable to burp the baby after each feed to expel swallowed air; this could be done by applying light pressure on the abdomen with the baby lying across your lap tummy down. It would also help to keep the baby upright against your shoulder and then rub or pat his/her back. 

• Many babies cry because they are tired; they cry themselves to sleep. Attempting to soothe the baby by picking him/her up or trying to pacify the baby is not advisable; the baby will not learn to sleep all by himself/herself. It is however to be recognized that the baby will soon outgrow the habit; it would be helpful if the baby has a regular bedtime routine and adequate rest during the day.   

• Babies often cry due to colic pain; colic pain indicates some sort of indigestion in the system. One of the reasons could be that you have introduced a new brand of formula milk; if the pattern continues for a few days you could be sure. If you are breastfeeding your baby the colic pain could be because you eat something heavy or what is not desirable for the baby. In babies that eat solid food, colic pain could also be due to the introduction of some new solid food that does not agree with the baby; watch out for a few days before you decide. Many Indian mothers evince satisfaction in giving their babies gripe water; it does soothe the baby due to its sweet taste, though its medical benefits are not clear.

• Studies indicate that most babies cry 15 minutes to an hour daily for no apparent reason; they may cry mostly in the evenings even though their basic needs are met. This crying may be because the babies cannot tolerate the heightened hustle and bustle or it could be due to the baby being tired taking in new smells, sights and sounds. Crying also tends to relax them.

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