Your baby cries because they're uncomfortable, hungry or needs something else from you. It is their way to communicating with you their needs before they learn how to speak. Parents of newborn babies will often find themselves waking up in the middle of the night hearing the high pitched sounds of a screaming infant. Whether they're hungry, tired or feeling wet they will always find a loud way to let you know.
At the early stages of your baby's life they will be fully dependent on you. You provide them with warmth, love and affection; not to mention other necessities such as food and shelter! As they grow older they will learn other ways of communicating their needs with you, for example, they may express more prominent facial expressions and eye contact.
In the meantime however, we have prepared a list of 5 reasons why your baby may start crying and how to soothe them.
Newborns need lots of physical affection and reassurance to comfort them. Your baby may simply be crying because they just want your company.
Hold your baby in your arms and you may see them calm down. Gentle swaying and singing may aid in giving them additional comfort.
Your baby will be comforted in your arms by the warmth of your body and the gentle rocking in your arms. Your baby may also be soothed by your heartbeat and your natural scent.
Newborns are always very hungry and need food at regular intervals throughout the day. Your baby may simply be crying because they have a craving for some milk!
Because your baby's stomach can only hold a small amount of food at any one time, it will require regular feeding in order to keep it replenished.
Babies are often very popular and draw people in from all over town. They're usually basked in attention from visitors and well-wishers and because of this they may find it hard to get some rest throughout the day.
You'll probably find that your baby may find it hard to get to sleep if they're over-tired. They may increase the frequency of their crying and start behaving differently. Try to take your baby to a quiet room away from visitors before your baby's designated sleep times to calm them down before sleep time.
There's nothing more uncomfortable than sitting in a soiled nappy. While some babies may not seem to notice, others will make it known that they need their nappies changed, pronto!
You may find your baby may struggle and wriggle around during their routine nappy change. This may be because of the cold air flowing around while their nappies are off, or simply due to the odd sensation of the nappy coming off. A good way to get past this is to distract your baby with some toys or some songs during their nappy changing time. But as always, practice makes perfect!
Check your baby's temperature by feeling their tummy, head and/or neck. The temperature on their hands or feet will generally be misleading as they are commonly on the colder side in comparison to the rest of their body.
Check for any draughts in your baby's room, and add or remove blankets from your baby's cot as necessary to ensure comfort throughout the day and night.
Also be sure to dress your baby in comfortable and warm clothes as your baby will likely wriggle out of some of the blankets you use while they are sleeping.
* Please note that all information and commentary provided within this article is for informational purposes only, and shall not be taken as medical advice. If readers require any medical attention or specific advice they should contact a doctor or other appropriately qualified medical professional. The information contained within this article is based on the author's own experience only, and no warranty is given for its accuracy in any way. There is no assurance that any statement contained within this article is accurate, up-to-date or precise and readers shall contact a medical professional before acting upon any information provided. The author is not a medical professional and the information provided herein is, at best, of a general nature, and it shall not substitute the advice or guidance of a medical professional. The Little Baby Shop and its authors shall not take any responsibility for the results or consequences of any attempt to use or adopt any of the information presented within this article.
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