Crying is part and parcel of being a baby, but it can be stressful for parents as you try to decipher the reasons for it.
Naturally there are a whole host of reasons why younger babies cry. (I’m really talking here about the littlest ones). They just can’t tell you what the problem is, so it’s up to us to use the power of deduction to rule reasons out.
Crying will happen any time – day and night – but as your little ones start to fall into a routine by day, it will get easier to work out the reasons behind the various cries. They can range from simply being uncomfortable -itchy tags on clothes, waistbands too tight, in the same position for two long – to full-on pain from wind and even being too hot or too cold. If you suspect it’s more than this and perhaps something medical, it’s a good idea to have them checked over by your GP if they seem to be fussing more than normal. But, once pain is ruled out, you will probably find that their main reasons for crying would come down to hunger and tiredness.
A baby who is in a good daytime routine will be less likely to cry for food if they are being fed at regular intervals. Keep a bit of structure (and I don’t mean military precision) on their day so they’ve a good sense of what’s happening next, reducing the element of surprise
The same applies to tiredness. Once little ones become overtired, they find it harder to cope (even with being put down for a rest when in fact what they need is to be asleep!). If the baby has been fed, changed and had a little bit of a playtime they will soon be tired, so watch out for these cues: sudden crying, rubbing eyes, losing focus easily.
Some crying isn’t really crying at all
Often you will hear young babies make moaning sounds at bedtime or when they are trying to fall asleep. Often these grizzling sounds are simply the baby trying to nod off and to block out other sounds around them – they are getting into the zone, so to speak. Have you ever gone to settle your little one while they do this only to realise that you have unsettled them further? Chances are, you have interrupted this grizzling, assuming it to be crying and disrupted your baby just as they were going to nod off. You end up berating yourself and thinking “Darn! I should have left her be! She was almost asleep!” This is one of the reasons, particularly at bedtime, I advise parents to really tune in to the types of cries. It takes time to get used to their little ways of communicating.
You’ll find that there is in fact almost always a reason why little ones are crying. I say “almost” because actually it’s really quite possible that sometimes, babies just cry. It doesn’t always mean trauma or drama. They’re just being vocal. In my opinion a good old cry isn’t always a bad thing.
Look after yourself too
Don’t take it personally. If it seems relentless and you are struggling, ask for help for an hour or two. If you’re on your own, put the baby down in a safe place, walk around the garden and take a number of deep breaths. Things often seem better when you catch a moment. And remember, this too shall pass!
Niamh O’Reilly is a sleep coach. She’s also a baby and childcare guru, a ‘parent nanny’ and the answer to many a weary parent’s woes. When it comes to baby and child issues, Niamh is your woman. Always on hand to offer a no-nonsense solution, in an approachable way. A regular in the Irish media, (most recently as TV3’s Late Lunch Show’s ‘parent nanny’) over the next while at HerFamily.ie, Niamh will share some of her experiences, helping you attain that ‘holy grail’ – nights of uninterrupted sleep for all of the family.
Niamh’s book, No Fuss Baby & Toddler Sleep, is now available to buy from all good book stores or online from Amazon.co.uk.
