Understanding different infant cries can help you soothe your crying baby
Before you have a baby, you may think that all babies’ cries sound alike. Once you have your own bundle of joy, understanding different infant cries will help you help your baby. A crying baby is attempting to communicate with you. It’s really their only means of telling you how they feel in their first few weeks of life. Your baby will cry a lot during the first three months. In fact, crying for two to three hours every day is perfectly normal for an infant. Our Plano pediatricians have the experience to help you understand your baby’s language.
Why do infants cry?
In the first few weeks of your baby’s life, you will begin to understand what your baby’s cries mean. Here are some hints to help with understanding different infant cries.
- Hunger – Short, rhythmic, low-pitched repeated cries usually mean, “I’m hungry.”
- Sleepy – A continuous, whiny kind of sound that gets more intense may mean your baby is sleepy. Often, the baby also yawns, or tugs or rubs their ears.
- Discomfort – A dirty diaper, a tag rubbing on skin, or an uncomfortable position can also cause whiny, continuous cries that get louder and louder.
- Wanting attention or feeling bored – When happy babies start to fuss, followed by loud cries or whimpers, they may want to interact with you.
- Overstimulation – Sometimes, too many people or too much noise overwhelms babies. When this happens, they may begin to fuss and cry, attempting to turn or move away from the stimulation.
Coping with colic and a crying baby
Some healthy babies develop colic when they are between two and five weeks old. The intense, high-pitched cries can last until a baby is three or four months old. Babies with colic scream and cry for three or more hours a day, and it’s difficult to console them. They may get stiff, arching their backs, pulling in their legs or making tiny fists.
With colicky babies, understanding different infant cries is even more important. If your baby cries loudly for no reason for a prolonged period each day, for three or more days each week, it may be due to colic. Consult our Plano pediatricians if you suspect your baby has colic or other health issues.
It can be hard to cope with a crying baby. Talk to our physicians, or go to All Babies Cry for support and tips on how to cope.
Understanding different infant cries with the help of our Plano pediatricians
Our experienced and compassionate pediatricians can help you learn to manage a crying baby and learn why understanding different infant cries is helpful. Contact us for an appointment.
