Hold Them To Soothe The Crying
In societies where babies are routinely slung around the body of a parent or sibling or grandparent all the time, babies hardly ever cry and certainly not for long. It may be that the diet in such cultures is different and goes towards such a difference. It may be the close contact, or a combination of those and other factors. Whatever, we do know that babies who are carried from birth until they are ready to strike out exploring the world cry less. Weve got out of the habit in our society of carrying small babies, so maybe now is the time to get back to using a sling and get into the habit of wearing your baby.
So Youre Coping With A Difficult Baby And Its Really Stressful What Now
The scientific evidenceand common sensesuggest that parents need to take their stress seriously. And so do the people around them.
Maternal depressionwhatever the causeis linked with poorer outcomes for everyone, baby included.
And, as I note in my opens in a new window overview of colic, excessive, unsoothable crying can be a trigger for baby shaking, which can cause head trauma and brain damage.
So if youre coping with the stress of an irritable, fussy, or colicky baby, take these recommendations to heart.
Talk to your pediatrician. opens in a new windowMake sure your baby is screened for medical problems.
Dont get isolated. The research is pretty clear on this point: Parents are more likely to get depressed when they lack social support. In many Western countries, parents of young babiesespecially mothersspend long hours in isolation with their infants. Anthropologically speaking, thats pretty weird. In most small-scale societies, mothers are virtually never left alone with their young infants.
Realize that negative feelings after childbirth are normal.Check out this opens in a new windowevidence-based guide to postpartum stress.
If you think you are depressed, get help. Talk to your doctor or check out these listings for help from opens in a new windowPostpartum Support International.
Reject advice that assumes all babies are the same. Its unlikely that the same tactic will have the same effect on all babies.
Should I Pick Up My Baby Every Time She Cries
Yes its not good to pick up a baby every time he or she cries or as they wake up from nap.As long as they are well fed and not wet with pee or dirty with poop its ok for them to cry a little bit. Crying exercises babys lungs. And babies knows whenever the parents keep picking up they expect it to happen all the time.
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How Do I Look After Myself When My Baby Is Crying
Parenting can feel like a marathon rather than a sprint and its important to look after your own needs. This means eating regular, healthy meals, staying well hydrated, getting as much rest and sleep as possible and knowing when to ask for help. Accept all reasonable offers of support from the people closest to you.
Try to stay calm, even though your baby is upset. Practice some mindfulness exercises and deep breathing.
Understand that sometimes you wont know what your baby wants. Try not to view their crying as something you need to ‘fix’, but instead see it as their primary means of communication.
Signs Of Colic In Babies
Dr. Lester says the colic symptom checklist includes the sudden onset of a high-pitched, screechy “pain cry” and inconsolability. Other signs include an enlarged stomach, passing more gas than usual, and extending/pulling up the legs.
What’s the difference between normal crying and colic? With normal crying, the wails are usually related to a need , and come in no particular pattern throughout the day and night. Fussy babies tend to calm down with cuddling, being held, or being rocked. Colicky babies, on the other hand, suffer from unprovoked crying spells that dont stop after soothing.
Colic is not the same kind of cry you’d get with ‘I’m hungry,’ or ‘I’m dirty,’ or ‘I’m tired,'” says Parents advisor Jennifer Shu, M.D., coauthor of Heading Home With Your Newborn. “With a hunger cry, babies feel better when you feed them. With colic, you don’t know what your baby wants.
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What To Do If Baby Is Crying Continuously
To soothe a crying baby: First, make sure your baby doesnt have a fever. Make sure your baby isnt hungry and has a clean diaper. Rock or walk with the baby. Sing or talk to your baby. Offer the baby a pacifier. Take the baby for a ride in a stroller. Hold your baby close against your body and take calm, slow breaths.
Questions Doctors Will Ask If Your Baby Is Crying Inconsolably
When you speak with your doctor, shell likely ask the following questions to figure out if your child just has colic, or something more serious:
- Is your baby growing well?
- Is your child normal in all other ways?
- Is your baby content and alert for long periods of the day?
If you answered no to any of these questions, your doctor will then ask how your baby acts when he isnt crying. Shes checking for the following symptoms:
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Cries From Annoyance Or Discomfort
Sounds Like: Forced and whiny has a pattern of short repetitions, like “uh-UH, uh-UH.”
Other clues: He may bat with his hands or scrunch up his face.
Solution: Look for causes, whether its a scratchy hat or irritating noise, and remedy the situation. Also consider that your infant might be cold, even if shes indoors. Your best defense is to dress her in layers. “If her head or face doesn’t feel warm, then put a hat on your baby,” suggests Andersen-Tennant.
Sounds Like: Piercing and grating.
Other Clues: She may arch her back or thrash. With gas pain, an infant brings her knees up to her chest or grunts.
Solution: The sucking reflex calms a baby, so consider giving her a pacifier or letting her breastfeed. Andersen-Tennant swears that pacifiers help babies pass gas through their systems, but she notes that bottle-fed babies take to them better. If you’re going to be in a situation you know will cause your baby painsuch as getting a vaccine or a heel-prickthen give the pacifier during the procedure. Concerned your baby’s cries indicate something more serious? Ultimately, go with your gut, and visit a doctor if you think its necessary.
What Causes Colic In Babies
Colic isn’t a sign that your baby is sick, although things such as reflux, food allergies, and exposure to cigarette smoke can cause further aggravation and tears. Nor is it a sign that your baby has belly pain, although the way she grimaces, clenches her body, arches her back, pulls her legs up, and screams till she’s purple can make it seem so.
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This imbalance, the theory goes, naturally resolves when babies start making melatonin, which relaxes intestinal muscles. Babies get ample melatonin from Mom in utero, but levels drop after birth until the baby starts producing it on her own at 3 to 4 monthsinterestingly, around the same time that colic typically disappears. “This hypothesis should reassure mothers that they didn’t cause colic,” Dr. Weissbluth says. “It takes away the guilt that you’re doing something wrong and aren’t able to soothe your baby.”
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When Does Colic Start And End
Colic starts around 2 to 3 weeks of age. A baby with colic will often go through his crying spells between 6:00 p.m. and midnight. Of course, that’s just when you as a parent are also feeling worn out. While the incessant screaming might make you want to pull your hair out, just remember that this phase won’t last forever. Colic usually peaks around 6 to 8 weeks and then slowly dissipates, disappearing completely around 3 to 4 months of age.
Your Child Is Overtired
When your child is having a meltdown because you gave them the wrong color bowl or you asked them to put on their shoes, too little sleep could be the true cause of their tears.
One of the most frequent reasons kids cry is because theyre overtired. Being unrested can lead to tantrums and other outbursts of seemingly irrational behavior.
You cant prevent a childs tantrum-inducing fatigue 100% of the time, but you can minimize it by keeping them on a routine sleep schedule.
Start by setting an age-appropriate bedtime, then factor in daytime naps. You’ll want to plan on two naps a day until your child is 15 to 18 months, then one nap a day until your child is about 3 or 4 years old.
An appropriate bedtime will depend on your child’s age and what time they typically wake up in the morning. Most kids do well going to bed between 7 and 9 p.m.
Throughout the day, and especially if you notice them starting to get teary-eyed, look for the tell-tale signs of tiredness, such as rubbing their eyes, yawning, or looking a little glazed over in the eyes.
Depending on the time of day, if your child is on the brink of a tantrum but looks sleepy, it might be appropriate to put them down for a nap to help them regain control.
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Building A Strong Foundation
Love doesn’t spoil children. It doesn’t make them demanding or selfish or arrogant. On the contrary, a child given plenty of love learns not only to accept it, and become secure and safe and confident in the knowledge of being accepted and acceptable, she also becomes good at giving love. When children develop secure attachments to their carers, their self esteem and confidence, their ability to feel and show sympathy, experience empathy and demonstrate affection, all grow. And all of those increase a childs ability to learn and to develop.
My Baby Cries A Lot Is This Normal
All babies cry, and some babies cry a lot. Almost every parent loses sleep over a child that wont seem to stop crying, particularly late at night. In these situations, you might experience a range of emotions, from anger and distress to self-doubt and confusion. You might feel overwhelmed and begin to question your parenting abilities, or feel frustrated at not being able to understand why your baby is crying. You might fear losing your cool, or worry if your baby is sick.
Crying is certainly normal, even essential. It is a newborns first and initially only way of communicating its needs to others, ranging from Im hungry and Please change my diaper to I want you to hold me and I dont know what I want. In fact, you have likely noticed by now that a crying baby is both distressing and difficult to ignore, even if it is someone elses baby five rows down from you on a crowded airplane. Attending to a babys cries is rooted in our biology, and releases the hormone in our bodies that is responsible for social bonding and caregiving: oxytocin. Indeed, crying is every babys naturally powerful way of grabbing our attention, using what they have to get what they need!
No matter how tough it gets, remember to never shake your baby. Shaken Baby Syndrome occurs when a baby is shaken, causing the blood vessels in a babys head to break. It most commonly occurs when caregivers become frustrated at being unable to stop a baby from crying, and is entirely preventable.
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How To Calm A Crying Baby
The best way to soothe a crying baby is to first have an idea of why is baby crying, so you can quickly address their needs. Without knowing whats causing those tears, parents often try a bunch of different calming techniques, but in doing so they often miss the window of opportunity to solve the real problem, and the baby crying escalates. If you still have a crying baby on your hands after checking for all the common culprits mentioned above, try the Five Ssgeneral soothing techniques pediatrician Harvey Karp, MD, outlines in his book Happiest Baby on the Block. Heres a breakdown of how to make baby stop crying using these helpful tips and tricks:
Swaddle. Babies love to be swaddled. It provides them with a sense of security and reminds them of their days in the womb. The first step to soothing your crying baby is to wrap them in a snug swaddle with babys arms at their side.
Side or stomach position. Hold baby on their side or on their tummy over your arm. Both positions are comforting for baby and can help resolve gas and other tummy issues.
Shush. Make a gentle shushing sound directly into babys ear, which is similar to the noises they heard in the womb. Dont be afraid to amp up the volume a bit for a crying baby.
Swing. Try swinging or gently jiggling baby to get them to calm down . Babies are used to these types of motions from their time in utero and can be startled by stillness shortly after birth.
If You Have Migraine Headaches Monitor Your Baby
Some cases of colic may also be the earliest symptom of migraine, a heritable neurological disorder that makes the brain hypersensitive and is best known for causing painful headaches.
Dr. Amy Gelfand, M.D., a child neurologist at the University of California San Francisco, discovered that mothers with migraine were 2.5 times more likely to have a colicky baby than mothers without the disorder. Other research groups have reported additional links between being a colicky baby and having migraine headaches as an adolescent.
While colicky babies probably dont have headaches, they may be more sensitive to their environment. For fussy infants who have a family history of migraine, it may be that by the end of a long day of new and varied stimulation, they have just had it and are expressing that through inconsolable crying, said Dr. Gelfand. If this is the case, then doing some of the things that we would do to help a child with migraine could potentially also help a baby with colic, such as bringing the baby into a quiet, dimly lit room. She also counsels that parents with migraine and a colicky baby may want to keep an eye out for headaches later on, which should prompt a visit to a doctor.
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