Why Babies Cry: Colic
It must be heart-wrenching for you to hear your baby cry. This is a natural feeling as nothing can be more perplexing than when a baby cries inconsolably. Sometimes you may even feel at your wit’s end and completely hopeless. Am I a failure as a mother? You may find asking yourself. Hang in there because babies under 3 months usually cry a lot, more often than not the reasons are nothing to be concerned about.
Crying Peaks till 6 Weeks
Babies cry to communicate their needs. In the early weeks of life, they have frequent needs and this is why they cry to let you know if something is wrong. It may be that your little one is hungry, hot or cold, sleepy, having digestive troubles, or just in need of warm cuddles. It has been found through studies that it is normal for newborns to cry a lot in the first few weeks after birth and this crying peaks up till 6 weeks before slowly subsiding or becoming less and less frequent.
Colic Lasts till 12-14 Weeks
Colic is one of the primary reasons babies cry in a high pitch tone and almost non-stop for an hour or more. This occurs as the baby catches air in their digestive tracts, which causes pain in their abdomen. Babies usually become very stiff and comfortable when suffering from colic. Many believe that burping helps relieve the gas. Yet others use gripe water to calm an irritated the baby. However, most doctors agree that considering colic as the norm and waiting till 12-14 weeks is a better option as colic is a very common phenomenon in babies under 3 months of age.
Crying Patterns
In a week or two you will learn your little one’s crying pattern. The baby may be crying more often at night, before bedtime, or in the early morning. Or may be crying more when there are too many people around or when the room gets stuffy. There could be a multitude of factors and this may be found out through observation. As a pattern develops you can better equip yourself to tackle the crying by finishing your daily chores before that time, or saving that time just for your baby.
Soothing a Crying Baby
Wrap that little one in your arms, get up and sway your baby. If you are breastfeeding, offer the breast often and liberally. Sucking on the breast often helps calm a crying baby. Change the diaper or give your baby a warm sponge bath. Take the baby outside or to a better lit room. You can try to calm the little one in several different ways, but know that the baby’s crying needs to run its own course and will end in due time.
Managing Your Own Emotions
Let’s face it, it can be really frustrating when your baby cries. This can take a toll on you especially if you are the mother and suffering from postpartum depression. Both parents need to support each other during these tough times; the partner can take over while the new mom rests. Do not be ashamed to seek help or take some time off from taking care of the baby. It must be heart-wrenching for you to hear your baby cry. This is a natural feeling as nothing can be more perplexing than when a baby cries inconsolably. Sometimes you may even feel at your wit’s end and completely hopeless. Am I a failure as a mother? You may find asking yourself. Hang in there because babies under 3 months usually cry a lot, more often than not the reasons are nothing to be concerned about.
Crying Peaks till 6 Weeks
Babies cry to communicate their needs. In the early weeks of life, they have frequent needs and this is why they cry to let you know if something is wrong. It may be that your little one is hungry, hot or cold, sleepy, having digestive troubles, or just in need of warm cuddles. It has been found through studies that it is normal for newborns to cry a lot in the first few weeks after birth and this crying peaks up till 6 weeks before slowly subsiding or becoming less and less frequent.
Colic Lasts till 12-14 Weeks
Colic is one of the primary reasons babies cry in a high pitch tone and almost non-stop for an hour or more. This occurs as the baby catches air in their digestive tracts, which causes pain in their abdomen. Babies usually become very stiff and comfortable when suffering from colic. Many believe that burping helps relieve the gas. Yet others use gripe water to calm an irritated the baby. However, most doctors agree that considering colic as the norm and waiting till 12-14 weeks is a better option as colic is a very common phenomenon in babies under 3 months of age.
Crying Patterns
In a week or two you will learn your little one’s crying pattern. The baby may be crying more often at night, before bedtime, or in the early morning. Or may be crying more when there are too many people around or when the room gets stuffy. There could be a multitude of factors and this may be found out through observation. As a pattern develops you can better equip yourself to tackle the crying by finishing your daily chores before that time, or saving that time just for your baby.
Soothing a Crying Baby
Wrap that little one in your arms, get up and sway your baby. If you are breastfeeding, offer the breast often and liberally. Sucking on the breast often helps calm a crying baby. Change the diaper or give your baby a warm sponge bath. Take the baby outside or to a better lit room. You can try to calm the little one in several different ways, but know that the baby’s crying needs to run its own course and will end in due time.
Managing Your Own Emotions
Let’s face it, it can be really frustrating when your baby cries. This can take a toll on you especially if you are the mother and suffering from postpartum depression. Both parents need to support each other during these tough times; the partner can take over while the new mom rests. Do not be ashamed to seek help or take some time off from taking care of the baby.
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