Newborn babies cry for the same reason that any child cries – they want attention and they want it fast. Crying is the only form of communication at the disposal of a newborn baby. As baby learns that the crying will illicit the appropriate response from the caregivers, you can rest assured that baby will use it to their full advantage.
However persistent crying should not be taken lightly. It may be an indication that the infant is in distress, possibly due to a serious medical condition.
What causes a newborn baby to cry?
It is difficult to isolate the exact reason for the crying at the outset. Parents and caregivers are only able to identify the cause after they have corrected a problem. In some cases, no amount of cuddling, attention or pacifying will stop a baby from crying and this may indicate more serious causes.
The common reasons for crying include :
- Hunger and thirst.
- Damp or soiled diaper.
- Indigestion due to intestinal gas with a need to break wind (burp).
- Colic.
- Uncomfortable setting – too hot, cold, loud sounds or bright lights.
- Poorly fitting and itchy clothing.
- Loneliness or neglect.
- Habitual crying.
- Nappy rash.
Less frequently, certain triggers will cause baby to cry incessantly. This can be frustrating for the parents although they have attended to all of baby’s obvious and immediate needs.
- Fatigue and being unable to fall asleep due to tiredness.
- Certain foods eaten by breastfeeding mothers may irritate the baby.
- Emotional stress within the household, especially if it is affecting the mother, may be sensed by the baby.
- Change in environment.
- Difficulty breathing either due to nasal congestion or airway and lung disease.
- Eczema and other itchy skin conditions.
- Illness which may include a number of possibilities ranging from a flu and cold to more serious infections like meningitis or chronic conditions that will affect the child for a lifetime.
- Constipation or urine retention.
There are numerous possibilities but every parent should be weary of any other signs and symptoms that may help a pediatrician identify the problem. If your baby is crying constantly, showing any signs of dificulty breathing, fever, lack of appetite, abnormal bowel movements, or uncharacateristic sleep patterns for a newborn, then you need to seek medical attention. In the event of a serious medical condition, the persistent crying of a newborn may suddenly be followed by the appearance of a dull and listless baby. This is usually not a good sign and indicates that the underlying disease has progressed significantly. Rather be cautious from the outset and give a crying newborn baby all the attention that is needed.
How to stop a newborn baby from crying?
If you have ensured that your baby’s diaper is clean, they are well fed and that the surroundings are peaceful, then you may just need to hold baby a little. Many parents are cautious about responding to a crying baby in the belief that this will encourage a baby to cry often. This is untrue and borders on child neglect. This is not modern parenting despite what many so called ‘gurus’ tell you.
A newborn baby is a helpless and afraid of being in a strange world now that they are disconnected from their mother. Leaving your newborn baby alone in a nursery all night or ignoring their cries is not emotionally healthy for your child. This type of disciplining and conditioning can only be administered later in a child’s life when they are aware of their surroundings.
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