- Introduction
- Different types of cries
- How to survive the crying spells?
- Conclusion
Being a new parent is exciting and the journey is filled with happiness. Every new parent is overwhelmed when they hold their newborn for the first time. However, there are great responsibilities that come along with the new baby. Understanding the baby’s need and meeting them on time is the first priority of every parent. Their cries are what are the key.
As the new babies are not able to talk, their only way of communication is through their cries. As we all know babies have the ability to cry. They cry because that’s how they communicate with their parents for some time. Your baby would not be able to tell you what she needs exactly. But she is dependent on cries, screams and whimpers to grab your attention.
Your baby would cry to tell you things like she is hungry, she has wet bottom, cold feet, need to be held or feeling tired. In the initial days, your newborn’s cry may sound like alien language. But with time, you will be able to get a hold of it. The type of the cry can give you hints about what your baby wants to say.
Different types of cries
Babies cry differently to express their needs and emotions. We have mentioned some of types of cries here to help the new parents.
For hunger
When babies cry out of hunger, their cries are low-pitched, repetitive and rhythmic. You can observe other signals as well like sucking motion with the tongue, rooting for breasts, putting fingers into the mouth or lip smacking.
You should respond to the hunger cries as soon as possible so that the baby doesn’t have to work up for too long. When a baby is upset, she tends to gulp air with her milk and that may trap gas. This will lead to vomiting and more crying.
Uncomfortable or tired (most common type of cries)
When you can hear a nasal whiny and continuous cry you should understand that your baby is tired and wants to go to sleep now. This type of cry usually increases in intensity and are accompanied by ear-tugs, eye-rubs and yawns.
Alternatively, some of the times, this cry can mean that the baby is uncomfortable. Maybe the she needs a diaper change or is not able to adjust herself in the car seat. When you hear your baby crying this way, check the diaper and help her out to achieve a good sleep. Newborn babies usually sleep for more than 16 hours a day.
Irritated
When the baby comes to the world, the whole environment is new for her. At times, she might get irritated or annoyed by the surrounding and she would express that with a whiny and fussy cry. You would also observe that she is trying to turn her body or head away from the excessive sounds or sights that she is not able to tolerate.
When you are able to recognise this type of cry, try to move your baby away from the movement, visual simulator or noise that is bothering her. Preferably, take him/her to a calm environment. The sound of nature, ocean waves, chirping of birds or white noise of a fan can serve as a stress buster.
Colic problem
Babies can experience colic pain at any given time. However you may notice it occurring during the evening or later afternoons. Colic starts generally when the baby is around 6 months of age and it carries on until she is 3-4 months old. When your baby undergoes colic pain, you will find her screaming or wailing on top of her voice.
If the pain is intense, you would find fidgeting movements as well. It is difficult to soothe a colicky baby, but you can try several comforting positions like rubbing her back by supporting her head or laying her on her tummy. You can even put her down and push her knees to her stomach for few seconds. This will help to release the gas that caused the colic.
Boredom
A newborn baby performs several actions when she is awake. However, at times, she might feel bored. This happens when she craves for attention, tries to get a good interaction with her parents, or needs to be cuddled. In such situations, you will find her turning fussy and bursting out into indignant crying.
When you are able to recognise the cry, simply pick up your baby and hold her in your arms. Play with her, talk to her and give her all the attention she needs. You should find effective ways of calming her and make her smile.
Sickness (make sure you tend to these cries A.S.A.P)
When your baby is sick and feels uneasy, she would express them with soft whimpers. Those whimpers would be nasal sounding, low pitches and weak. A sick baby does not have any energy left to cry out loudly, as she is overtired or in pain. If you think your baby is sick, look out for other symptoms like rashes, vomiting, constipation, fever or diarrhea.
If you find anything that seems exceptional for your baby, you should call the doctor immediately. This type of cry makes the parents sad and stressed. The fact is that babies tend to fall sick at times and there is nothing to be too much worried. As parents you should have faith on your instincts and if required do not hesitate to call the baby’s doctor immediately.
How to survive the crying spells?
- You should tell yourself that the crying would not last forever. Take a deep breath and try to resolve the issue that motivated your baby to wail and cry.
- Take a break by taking help from your partner or any trusted family member. When you take help from others, you can spend some time on yourself and relax.
- Keep yourself healthy by eating nutritious food, getting quality sleep and exercising every day. Only when you are healthy, you can take care of your baby efficiently.
- Do not over panic and lose control on yourself. If you are worried about your baby crying, just take her to a quiet environment, calm yourself down and then make efforts to soothe her.
At times, babies cry when they feel overwhelmed by the sights and sounds of the world or without any reason. In such cases, you should understand that babies cry to shut out stimuli when they feel overloaded. When you are not able to understand the crying patterns of your baby, do not panic and give it some time.
Gradually your baby will learn to become an effective communicator and you would excel in understanding her well. At that point, she will cry less and whenever she cries, it would be for shorter duration. When you are aware of the tactics to comfort her, she would not be seen crying for hours.
Always stick to the routine that you have set up for the baby. When you feed, change or make her sleep at the same time, she would get accustomed to it and will have fewer reasons to cry.
Recognising and learning the crying patters of your baby would help to strengthen your bond with the baby.
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