15 Reasons Why your Baby is Crying & What to do about it

Crying is pretty much the first response of a baby who has just entered your world. They use crying for expressing all kinds of needs like hunger, or if they need a diaper change, or if their stomach is hurting. As your baby grows and so does your experience. So when your baby cries, you will most probably pin the cause on to these 3 reasons. But what if your baby is crying and doesn’t seem to be hungry, sleepy, bad diaper or even colic? What do you do then??

Here are some reasons you must know about why your baby is crying!

Life Stage of the Baby

There are various reasons why babies cry. The reasons for crying varies on their different developmental
stages and needs, namely
1.Newborn stage
2. Infant stage
3. Toddler stage

Based on the stage that your baby is in, it may get easier to identify the cause of their crying.

A. Newborn stage

The Newborn stage starts from the birth of babies up to 3 months of age. This is a very delicate stage.
This is the time when babies are learning to get adjusted to the environment outside of the womb.

#1: Adjustment to the outer world

It takes some time for them to settle down, being one of the reasons behind their crying. To help them from stop crying, comforting them works best. What they need is lots of cuddles and love. Skin to skin touch of their parents to comforts them. That is one of the reasons why they also want to be held upright and be strolled around in the house.

#2: Colic and/or Acid Reflux

Colic and acid reflux is another common reason for babies to get cranky. Doctors often recommend medicines to comfort a highly colicky baby. Age old techniques of applying asafoetida mixed with water on the baby’s belly also work wonders. However, medicines should be given only after consulting your pediatrician.

#3: Gas & Constipation

Gas, which usually results in constipation is the reason one has to look out for. With babies, the “normal” frequency of pooping can vary majorly. While pooping 2-3 times a day is normal, pooping once in 4 days is also normal. Identify the pattern that your baby has been following in order to understand what is bothering them and if it is constipation. Get your baby checked by your pediatrician.

#4: Uncomfortable Clothing

Clothing for newborn babies should always be soft and comfortable. Always dress them in cotton made airy and loose clothes. Clothes that are not appropriate for the weather, or are too fancy with bows and frills, it may cause a crying spell that just wouldn’t end. Also, look out for the temperature of the room. Children need the same kind of hot or cold that we like for our room.

#5. Unusual Fatigue

If the baby is very tired or sleepy, or have overstimulation to noise, crowd or any activity, it can make the baby irritable and cranky. If they have also missed their nap or feed time, it could add on to the crying.

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B. Infant Stage

The infant stage is considered from 3 months to 1 year of age. Other than the above reasons, sometimes we do not clearly understand why the baby is crying. This makes it very painful to watch them, as they can cry inconsolably at this stage.

Here are some reasons you should look for in a crying baby, in the Infant stage:

#6: The Need for Entertainment

It may sound awkward, but you might be surprised to know that these little human beings also get bored! They can be quite demanding when it comes to their means of entertainment. By this age, they can see & register information in their brains. They can recognize faces, colors, Screen times, games, activities, and even audio-visual entertainment channels, and want others to play with them. In case you aren’t then they can howl and behave very cranky – simply out of being bored.

#7: A sudden Growth Spurt

We all know that growth happens by a little bit every day, but sometimes growth happens overnight. That is called a growth spurt. A growth spurt is one of the reasons babies feel cranky, become clingy and cry at this stage.

#8: Teething

Baby teething can start as early as 4 months of age, but the first tooth erupts only at 7-8 months of age. In between these months, teething can give your little ones a really hard time. Their gums hurt, they get cold and sore throat all the time. Sadly, the little one has only one thing to show that, by crying.

#9. Stress

Every parent has noticed, that the day their mood is awful, the baby is extremely cranky too. Thes tiny human beings can feel it all. They can sense if their parents are stressed out and tend to imbibe the stressful vibe. It
can be seen in their behavior too.

#10: Parents’ Attention

Babies need a lot of your time and attention. Sometimes, parents may forget to give that individual attention, those extra cuddles, hugs, and love. They need our quality time more than anything and know all the right tools to get it if they don’t get it. Now you know why your crying baby keeps quiet when you pick them.

#11: Inappropriate Communication

As soon as 6 months of age, babies can communicate about things with their parents. But can you imagine the agony when you are telling someone you don’t want food but you are feeling like scratching your back, and they fail to understand? That is when babies get frustrated. They cry and they want you to be able to interpret that in the least number of guesses. Unfair, I know!!

#12: Poor Health

In pain and sickness, babies tend to become cranky due to body aches, headaches, and other major discomforts.

#13: Stranger Anxiety

This is very common in this stage. After a certain point in time, babies get used to their surroundings and recognize it well. If you encourage them to be friendly to newer faces or move to a new location, babies may end up having many crying spells. They are still new to the outer world and are trying to overcome their fears.

C. Toddler Stage

The Toddler stage is the stage between infancy and childhood. Babies between 1 to 2 years are
considered as toddlers. This stage is characterized by marked growth, sensitivity, mood swings, and
strong reactions.

#14: Meltdowns

This is the stage where a baby is learning to communicate. A stage where a baby is
learning about her emotions but doesn’t know how to express it as yet. So there is a lot that is going on in that tiny brain that is still developing. Hence you come across this extreme outburst of tears and anger or frustration, called a meltdown. At this stage, you just need to listen to them and handle those meltdowns with lots of love and hugs.

#15: Tantrums

This too is a part of the growing stage. Try to understand what is the reason behind all those
tantrums, listen to them and explain. They are still too young to always understand the reason, but it is a good time to instill a foundation of trying to see through their behavior and making alterations.

Crying is the easiest and the most comfortable way for babies to express themselves and communicate. Babies send signals through their crying as they are still building upon language. How they cry is often different for different reasons and with the time you will earn to identify that.

But it is also important to know when you should see your pediatrician.

Here are some reasons when you should stop working on your child’s crying at home and consult an expert:

1)If a baby is crying inconsolably, nothing is working to soothe her, it’s time you should definitely see
your pediatrician. Inconsolable and rigid strong cries mean that there may be a need for medical intervention.

2)Every human being is different and has got a different personality. Same applies in the case of babies. Some
babies respond out loud and demand their needs. On the other hand, some choose to be quiet and nondemanding. If a baby is unusually not responding to you or the environment, you need to rush to the doctor.

3)If you observe anything that is different from normal or any sensory issues.
These are some of the reasons why babies cry. As a parent, you know what is best for your baby. If
you are not able to figure out why your baby is crying, always do check it with your pediatrician.

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