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Other survival
tip areas:
• Breastfeeding
• Sleep
and Settling Strategies
• Biting
• Toddler
Behaviour
• Toddler Nutrition
• Tips
for Introducing Solids (PDF)
•
Toilet Training
• Postnatal
Depression
• Wrapping
your Baby
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When
your baby (Under 4 months) cries:
For ease of
reading the female gender has been used throughout this article.
The following information provides a brief guide to some of the reasons
that babies may cry and gives you some suggestions for solving the problems
you might be experiencing. For further information and support please
consult your Early Childhood Nurse, General Practitioner or Karitane Careline
on (02) 9794 1852 or 1800 677 961 outside the Sydney metropolitan area.
When a baby cries it is her way of communicating with you, but it can be overwhelming when you have difficulty determining what she wants. Offers of advice come from everywhere and it is often less than helpful for example ‘let her cry’, ‘don’t spoil the child’, ‘don’t pick her up, a good cry will do her good’.
Listed below are some things you might need to consider if you are not sure why your baby is crying.
- Newborn babies may cry up to 2 hours each
day. Some reasons for crying include having a wet nappy or pain, being
hot, tired, cold, wanting to be fed, cuddled or wrapped, wanting some
quiet time or being tired and needing to go to sleep. When you are thinking
what to do next consider what you have already done in your baby’s
routine.
- On average a newborn will wake for approximately
1 hour and sleep for 2-3 hours. In this awake time you need to have
finished your baby’s feed, had some time talking to or playing
with her, and had some quiet time during which she can wind down, ready
for sleep.
- A breast fed baby may be hungry every
2-3 hours, bottle fed babies every 3-4 hours.
- Newborns may have 6-8 wet nappies each
day and they may soil their nappies 3-4 times per day. Whether you change
your baby’s nappy before or after a feed is your choice –
there is no evidence to suggest that either procedure is better.
- Some babies swallow air when they feed.
This is often relieved by supporting them in an upright position perhaps
sitting on your knee or leaning over your shoulder.
- Many newborns like the feeling of security
when they are wrapped. Newborns have a reflex called ‘the startle
reflex’. A sudden noise or movement may cause them to throw their
arms out in fright or waken them from sleep, then cry. Wrapping
minimises this effect.
- Your newborn may like to suck between
feeds. A common cause of crying in babies is that the dummy/pacifier
has fallen out of her mouth during deep sleep. When she rouses to light
sleep she will want to suck again.
- In the hotter part of the year or if
you/your infant are overdressed, she may easily become overheated. Using
a light cotton, muslin (available from Karitane on (02) 9794 1800) or
cheesecloth wrap will help prevent overheating. No other bedding may
be necessary.
- In cooler weather a cotton sheet or blanket
may be needed and can be used to tuck your baby in. Once babies become
more mobile around 4-5 months they may no longer like to be wrapped.
- Dress your baby according to the weather – she will need to be dressed similarly to you.
- If you have considered all of the above possibilities but you still can not settle your baby and feel that you may harm your baby, put her safely in her cot then go and telephone your partner, a friend or other family member and ask for help.
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Last modified: Tuesday, 17 June 2003