Pay Attention To Your Babys Signals
The whole world comes to your baby through their senses, and every baby has different sensory needs, which is why one baby might love to be held and another doesnt or one baby will cry because of a wet diaper and another will ignore it and continue to play happily.
Get to know your babys preferences by engaging all of your senses as you try to figure out what your baby needs. Try being especially attentive to:
Changes in mood. Do your babys mood changes seem to coincide with environment changes, the time of day, or in relation to food or naps? For example, if your baby is cranky in the late morning, watch to see if they are sending signals that youre missinglike an isolated yawn or eye rubbing.
Reactions to different situations and environments. Babies often send signals that we as adults just dont notice. Your baby might get overstimulated if too many people are around or become especially upset about schedule changes.
Differences in your babys cries. At first all cries will sound the same, but, gradually, you will hear how the Im hungry cry is very different from the Im tired cry. Notice noise level, pitch and intensity of the cry, as well as your babys body language and facial expressions. An arched back, a scrunched-up face, eyes tightly closed to shut out the light, fists curled up, rubbing eyes, hyperactive or frenetic movementall of these signs communicate something specific about your babys emotional and physical state.
Does Baby Need To Burp
Many newborns will cry, fuss, pick off the breast. If they want to burp then, try to burp within breasts and after a feeding, but dont worry if the newborn doesnt burp and is content. Breastfed newborns overall dont get in as much air during feeding as bottle-fed babies do. So dont need to burp them as often. If your newborn has been crying and screaming before the nurses or is so starved that they nurses frantically, or if mom has a quick let-down, the baby could be bringing in more air and may want to burp more often.
Burping is usually only required during the first few months, though it may continue longer. Once your newborn is moving more freely and easily, they will be able to reduce the gastric gas themselves. This method usually will happen between the 4th and 6th months but maybe less in some babies and increased in others.
What To Do If Youre Feeling Frustrated By Your Babys Crying
No one can take endless tears, especially if youre operating on too-little sleep due to middle-of-the-night feedings. Feeling frustrated by crying is normal, so ease the load by passing baby to your partner, mother, friend or sitter and then taking time for yourself.
And no matter how frustrated you are, never, ever shake your baby. Vigorous shaking, such as that done in frustration, can result in abusive head trauma , commonly known as shaken baby syndrome , even if it’s brief. Violent shaking in children of any age can cause severe brain damage or death, but infants and young toddlers are particularly susceptible.
If you ever sense that youre at a breaking point, put your baby in her crib and rest quietly in another room until you feel calm. Other strategies that may help, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics , include taking a breath and counting to 10, calling a friend for emotional support or listening to calming music.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed and you think you need to talk with a professional about your feelings, call a crisis hotline, mental health organization or your healthcare provider right away.
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How Do I Know If Its Colic Or Temperament
This brings me to my next, very important, point. You may not like this, and theres a chance Im wrong, but Ive seen this over and over again over the past 5 years.
In my experience, babies that are:
- Very fussy right from birth, and
- Fuss, cry or scream throughout the entire day and night
tend to be that way because of their temperament.
This is not ALWAYS the case. However Ive seen it happen enough times that I can say with great confidence that it is OFTEN the case.
Now is the time to take a deep breath.
Things will NOT always be like they are now. Just because your baby has a sensitive temperament does NOT mean your life is over. It doesnt even mean your life will always be difficult. It just may be a bitdifferent than you expected.
Summary: What To Expect By Age
Birth 3 Weeks
If your baby is simply colicky, the first 2-3 weeks should be relatively calm. Your baby will likely sleep and feed much of the time, and be relatively content when awake.
If your baby cries/screams frequently starting right at birth, he may be doing this because of his sensitive temperament.*
*You will want to consult with your physician to be sure theres not something physiological going on, such as reflux or an allergy.
3 Weeks 4 Months
If your baby has colic, youll start to notice an improvement in fussiness and crying around 3-4 months of age. The fussiness may gradually decrease, or it may end suddenly.
If your baby is high need, the crying and fussiness will also likely begin to improve around 3-4 months of age. The fussiness will likely not disappear entirely, however the all-day inconsolable crying should end. You may notice that your baby simply needs a lot of attention, movement, and carrying in order to keep from fussing. Youll also begin to notice how much fun your baby can be when shes happyher smile and laugh light up the room, and stranger may comment on how charming and happy she is .
4 Months 1 Year
If your baby had colic, he has very likely outgrown the crying and fussiness. He may still struggle with post-colic sleep issues babies that are used to being carried, rocked or held while they fall asleep may need to learn to self-soothe at this point.
1 Year 3 Years
3 Years +
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What Doesnt Work For Colic
Giving rice cereal does not help solve colic.
Studies have shown that Simethicone and lactase do not help colic.
Sedatives, antihistamines, and motion-sickness medications, like dicyclomine are NOT safe or effective in treating colic in babies.
Please remember that just because something is natural, it is not necessarily safe. Remember to check with your baby’s doctor before trying any remedies for your baby.
Does My Baby Have Colic
Colic is when an otherwise healthy baby cries more than three hours a day, for more than three days a week, between ages three weeks and three months. The crying usually starts suddenly at about the same time each day. Some experts have estimated as many as half of all babies have colic. No one is really sure what causes colic, but suspected causes include intestinal gas or an immature nervous system. Colic is perfectly normal, and does not mean there is anything wrong with either the baby or their parents. It does not have any lasting effects on the child in later life. Colic usually starts to improve at about 6 weeks of age, and is generally gone by the time your baby is 12 weeks old.
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Ways To Soothe Without Overfeeding Your Baby
Try these tips to soothe your baby:
- Reduce stimulation. Turn or move baby away from a busy environment, like a room with older kids playing. In public, take your baby to a quieter spot, and sing to or rock them.
- Play with them. Try making eye contact and talking to them, showing them black-and-white or brightly colored pictures or toys, shaking a rattle or showing baby their reflection in the mirror.
- Use repetitive motion with soft sounds. Think rocking, bouncing, rubbing their back, speaking or singing softly, over and over.
- Find a routine that works for your baby. For example, some babies like to play, sleep, eat and repeat.
- Try a pacifier. Babies are born to suck, so pacifiers are often soothing.
- Help them sleep. Babies can only stay up for a few hours at a time they might be irritable because they need help falling asleep. Try the tips above to help baby nod off without a fuss.
Sometimes babies cry, even after youve done everything you can to console them. Many babies have a fussy time of day. Or your baby might be gassy or sick.
Why Is My Baby Fussy At Night
The following might be causes your baby is suddenly fussy in the evening:
- Growth spurt hunger. As your baby goes through phases of intense growth , they may be hungry and want to cluster feed.
- Slower milk letdown. While many moms assume a fussy baby isnt getting enough to eat, that may not always be the case. Still, your milk composition changes at night, and you may experience a slower milk flow. The change in milk volume might make for a cranky baby.
- Gas. If your baby is feeling gassy, and they cant seem to pass it out of their tiny digestive system, they may feel very uncomfortable!
- Overtired baby. Its a common misconception that keeping a baby awake longer will make them sleep longer. By the end of the day, if your little one has gone too long without a good nap theyll be very tired. An overtired baby will have a hard time settling down.
- Overstimulated baby. A babys underdeveloped nervous system is more sensitive to bright lights, sounds, and changes in their environment. For instance, you may notice the light of the TV in a dark room, or maybe the volume alone, makes your baby cry.
- Colic. While all babies cry, if you find that your baby is crying for three hours or more, for three days a week, for three or more weeks, its time to see the doctor! Your pediatrician should do a thorough exam to rule out other conditions.
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Attachment Milestone : Attention And Regulation
Attention and regulation go hand-in-hand, because a baby who cant calm down wont be able to pay attention and interact with you.
Your baby has periods when they are calm , attentive , and shows interest in faces, but doesnt necessarily engage with you at this point.
You follow your babys lead. When your baby pays attention to you, you respond with gentle touch, soothing tone of voice, and playful facial expressions. When your baby looks away, you do the same.
Why Is My Baby So Fussy All Of A Sudden And What I Can Do About It
By | Fact checked by Jenny Lord | Updated on June 15, 2021
A mothers job is never done, and this includes when her baby cries. There are many reasons for the fussiness of a newborn some babies cry because theyre hungry or need to be changed, others may have colic, while still others might just be fussy from being tired. In this blog post, I will discuss why is your baby so fussy and what you can do about it.
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Why Newborn Babies Are Fussy In The Evening
If your baby is an angel during the day, but suddenly becomes incredibly fussy at night , you might be experiencing whats commonly known as the witching hour.
It might start right around dinnertime, and it might seem as though theres no cause. It can often feel as though nothing helps your baby calm down. Pacifiers wont hold in the fussiness and the feedings dont seem to provide any relief.
Its important to remember that nearly all babies go through this stage of getting fussy during the evening. It will typically happen after they are a couple of weeks old and might last until they are about three months old.
Why does my infant get fussy at night?
There are several reasons why your baby might be getting fussy right around the same time each evening.
Colic
Colic is often defined as crying or fussiness that occurs more than three weeks in a row, happens at least three times per week, and will usually last more than three hours.
Colic will only happen for early infants. Itll start right around your infants two-week birthday can is heightened when he is about six weeks old. Luckily it will pass when he is around 3 or 5 months old.
Though no one knows the official cause of colic, some studies indicate that it is a developmental stage.
Overstimulation
Sometimes the crying and issues getting to sleep might be because your baby is overstimulated.
Once your baby starts to feel cranky and starts on the road to a meltdown, it can be difficult for him to calm down.
Overtired
Why Are Newborns Fussier In The Evening Before Bedtime
Its evening, and time for bed, your baby starts crying inconsolably for no apparent reason.
You start stressing as you dont know what is happening to them or how to soothe them, in fact, the more you fret the worse things become.
Dont worry, in the majority of cases its really nothing serious and evening fussiness usually tails off after the first few weeks.
Here are some reasons why it can happen.
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Fussy Baby While Nursing Heres Whats Really Going On
Hi Mamas! So, Ive been getting a lot of questions about babies crying during feeding times, and I thought I should make a post about that. After all, I remember quite well the exhaustion I felt with both of my daughters.
It is so frustrating when the baby is screaming at your breast. Is it you? Is something wrong? Not to worry because this is all quite normal. Let me jump right in with these questions since there were some good ones, and the answers will all shed light on why you have a fussy baby while breastfeeding.
Table of Content
- Baby might be exhausted
Why Is My Baby Pulling Away And Crying During Breastfeeding
Dont take it personal if the baby pulls away and cries while breastfeeding. Most of the time, this can be attributed to proper latch and milk flow. You can change your position and see if that helps. But if youre sure thats not the cause, the baby might have gas and need to be burped.
Additionally, its not a bad idea to check for a cold. Sometimes when those little noses get stuffed up, it makes it harder for the baby to breathe, and she will get frustrated by this.
Dont rule out teething either if your baby is getting a little bigger. Those first teeth are a nuisance and a half!
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