New mothers are especially confounded when their babies start wailing. They usually have no idea what’s going on and what causes their baby to cry. Hungry baby? Sick baby? Tired baby? Or what?? Below are 5 main reasons why babies cry:
1. Physical condition: hungry, wet nappies, too cold or too warm
Is it feeding time? Is the nappy wet? Do your baby’s hands and legs feel cold – if yes, put on more clothes or adjust room temperature. Is the baby sweating on the neck and head – if yes remove some clothes or adjust temperature of the room.
2. Sickness: stomachache, flu, itchy skin, rashes, teething, etc
Check temperature and any visible symptoms e.g. rashes and infections. If baby cries every time you try to feed, it means they have no appetite and probably needs medical attention. Pat their back lightly or give them a light massage, this will soothe the baby’s discomfort. If baby is teething, give it some cold teething toy. It helps.
3. Tiredness: sleepy, exhausted from over-playing, too much stimulation
Bring your baby back to his/her bedroom, away from people and noise. Speak softly and calm them down. Prepare your baby for sleep. Either feed your baby with some water or breast milk (if breastfeeding), this will calm the baby down quickly.
4. Insecurity: mother is out of sight, sudden noise, strange environment, fell down
Give the baby a big hug to calm them down before leaving them alone in the room next time. Keep talking to the baby on the way out to let it know that mummy is not far away. Distract his attention by giving him a small toy or some food. Take your baby out more regularly to accustom them to strange environments. Put a child-safe teddy bear or blanket next to the baby in its bed for some comfort.
5. Bored: lonely, no attention, cannot express his/her thoughts
If the baby likes to be carried all the time, when she cries, don’t carry her immediately. Instead talk and pat her lightly to console her. Give them a new toy to distract their attention. Play some baby music CDs or VCDs to distract their attention. Change the environment by putting it in a pram and taking them out to see new surroundings and new faces.
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