Decoding Your Baby’s Crying
In this Article
“Grandma, why does the baby keep crying?” asked little Naveen. “She’s a little baby, my child. She can’t talk yet. Babies make a lot of different sounds to communicate different things. However, the most common way for them to communicate is by crying. She’s simply trying to talk to you, Naveen!” replied Grandma.
“Grandma, how do you know what she’s trying to say when she’s crying? Every time she cries, it sounds the same to me. She cries when she wakes up, she cries when she’s sleeping, and sometimes she cries for no reason!” argued little Naveen.
“Although you are right when you say that all she does is cry, you are not right about her not communicating. It can be tricky to understand, but if you listen closely, you can observe that there is a difference between the different cries.” smiled Grandma.
“Please tell me about them! I want to be able to understand my little sister better so that I can help out whenever possible!” exclaimed Naveen.
And so, Grandma took her time over the next few days to help Naveen decode his baby sister’s different cries. Here are the different reasons why babies cry:
1. The baby is uncomfortable
This can happen anytime, especially with slightly older babies. They may not want to be where they are or may want to be held by someone else, or be in discomfort physically. The baby may continue crying until they get what they want. They may wriggle a lot and cry hysterically.
What you should do
If the baby is with someone and is crying, try switching and cuddling the baby to see if it soothes them. If not, lay the baby down in their crib or carrier and speak to them in a gentle and soothing tone.
2. The baby is tired
A baby may cry to show that they are tired and want to sleep. This can be accompanied by yawns, eyes closing, rubbing their eyes, or the sucking of thumbs. The crying can be high-pitched and often begin as short whimpers that increase in intensity until their needs are met.
What you should do
The best thing to do in this case is to initiate sleep time before your baby gets tired. For this, you’ll have to first observe your baby’s sleeping patterns.
3. The baby is colicky
Colic is a baby’s excessive crying and fussy behaviour due to unknown reasons. Sometimes, it could be due to gas or digestive issues. Colic crying is described as long periods of crying with intense wails or screams.
What you should do
Comforting a colicky baby is not easy. Here are some things you can do:
Swaddle – This gives your child a sense of security and comfort.
Gripe Water– Woodwards Gripe Water is packed with Dill seed oil and Sarjikakshara that provides symptomatic relief to colicky babies.
Backrub – A light backrub or massage can help soothe your colicky baby,
Walk or Rock – Rhythmic movement helps relieve some of the discomforts.
White noise – This can help calm your little one down and perhaps lull them into a slumber.
4. The baby is hungry
In babies, the hunger cries may sound like fussy crying at first, after which the cries become more frantic and louder. This type of cry often sounds like a siren.
What you should do
The only solution here is to feed them. In fact, this sort of crying can help you track your little one’s feeds better, helping create a routine.
5. The baby has a dirty nappy
This is one of the most common reasons why your baby may be crying. No one wants to wear a full diaper as it is uncomfortable. Your baby will let you know if their diaper is full by crying. This kind of crying can be whiny, nasal, and persistent. A short cry is often followed by a longer one.
What you should do
The first thing you should do is check the diaper. If it’s soiled, clean the diaper area well and leave it open for a little while. Excess moisture can lead to diaper rashes, and we don’t want that! If it is clean and your baby has just eaten, and starts crying, it is most likely a burp looking for an escape. Burp them and see if it gets better.
6. The baby is overstimulated
Too many lights, sounds, or experiences happening together can overstimulate your baby to a point where they start crying. In this case, the crying may sound like an intense rise and fall in pitch.
What you should do
You need to change your baby’s environment. Take them to a dimly-lit room and put on a white noise machine or soothing music. Also ensure that the temperature in the room is pleasant, neither too warm nor too cold.
7. The baby is bored
Sometimes babies just want some attention. If fussiness doesn’t help them get your attention, it can quickly progress to crying which alternates with whimpers. The crying pattern is similar to that of an overstimulated baby.
What you should do
Your first instinct would be to grab a toy or something else that your baby likes. Depending on what you deem fit in the moment, you could allow the baby to self-soothe or you could pick them up to comfort them.
8. The baby is sick
Along with crying, you need to look out for other symptoms like lethargy, a runny nose, or a fever. This type of crying is constant and can take a while to subside.
What you should do
Try to soothe your baby but watch out for more serious symptoms such as fever or vomiting. Seek professional help if you think your baby might be sick.
Over time, a parent or caregiver learns to distinguish between different cries. Just like little Naveen did. Every time his little sister cries due to colic, Naveen runs up to his grandma with a bottle of Gripe Water! Isn’t she the luckiest little baby sister?
