Nice sound heard from birth: baby's crying. It is his only means of expression before a certain age: when should we worry? Why does he cry?
Discover with us the reasons for his crying and how to calm your little one.
Why does my baby cry?
Your baby cries from time to time (or more): it is normal! We quickly feel helpless, not knowing what to do, doubting, feeling powerless, normal too! We all go through these emotions.
You should know that an infant cries on average 2 hours a day, even in excellent health. And it is the first 3 months of life when baby cries the most. Some babies cry a lot because they're more sensitive than others and may cry longer. So why does he cry?
He is hungry / thirsty
Most obvious reason, baby is hungry or thirsty and expresses it to you. Solution? We breastfeed or give the bottle!
You have just done it and he continues to cry? Maybe he is still hungry :)
You carry in a sling / baby carrier? Discover how to breastfeed easily! !
He is tired
When baby is tired, two situations:
- he falls asleep directly (the one we prefer)
- he cries (oh no..)
To help him fall asleep, carrying him in a baby wrap or a baby carrier can be a great help! The rocking against you will soothe him for a peaceful sleep.
He has pain somewhere
Fever, toothache (from 6 months), stomach ache... He expresses himself with his cries.
He is hot/cold
Check his neck to see if he's too hot or too cold and dress (or undress) him accordingly.
Discover:
He needs to be changed
Not very pleasant to have a full diaper... Hop hop hop we check and change it.
He is bored
A baby needs stimulation during his day, talk to him or play with him :)
He wants his pacifier
Sucking is a real need for infants, even a survival reflex. Simply give him his pacifier to satisfy his need.
Crying for relief
Cries and tears so that baby can evacuate the fatigue and all the emotions of the day. We relax and reassure him by carrying him in our arms while cuddling him.
He has digestion problems
After breastfeeding or bottle-feeding, baby can regurgitate his milk, be constipated, have diarrhea... In short, all these uncomfortable sensations can make him cry.
Infant colic
Clenched fists, bent legs, uncontrollable crying... Unfortunate characteristics of infant colic. These abdominal pains can be relieved by soft massages on the belly but also thanks to the carrying! Your warmth, rocking and massages (without even knowing it) will relieve and reassure him.
To learn more:OUR TIPS FOR INFANT COLIC
Let baby cry? No, no, no!
Your entourage often tells you: "Let him cry, don't answer to his whims", "It won't kill him... let him calm down alone!” In short, they advise you not to respond to all his cries at once.
However, his cries make you anxious and make you want to take him in your arms to reassure him. Do it, you know your baby!
A baby doesn't have a sense of time until he's 6-9 months old. Five minutes is much more than that for him: it's an eternity! And they don't have a chance to throw tantrums until they are 18 months old. So if your baby cries, it's simply because he needs you.
By responding to your baby's needs, you are letting him know that you take his needs seriously and he feels safe. You won't turn him into a fussy baby ;)
From the age of 2, more autonomous, baby will be able to throw tantrums and test you. It will be up to you to understand if it is a caprice or if it is due to tiredness, a disruption of his habits, etc. It's up to you to set the limits!
How do you calm his crying?
There are lots of things you can do and you've probably already tried hundreds of them (even the craziest ones). Here are some of them:
Check that he is not hungry / thirsty or needs to be changed
Well, the first reflex is quite logical and easy.
Reassure baby with your voice
Speak quietly, sing a lullaby, or play music to soothe him to comfort your baby.
Hold him in your arms
Directly in your arms or in a sling. Holding your baby against you will really reassure him and give him a sense of security.
The baby wrap or baby carrier is the solution to relieve your arms and your back while keeping your child against you.
Go for a walk
Babies love to move, so put them in the sling or a carrier and go for a walk. Your walk will lull him to sleep.
There is also the method of the car ride well known to parents :)
Caress baby
Patting the head, stroking the temples, gentle massages, your touch can calm baby.
Distract his attention
Stuffed animals, rattle, reading...any way you can to distract baby's attention and make him forget his grief.
Lay baby on your forearm
Laying flat on your forearm, head towards your elbow, buttocks towards your hand, rock baby gently.
Practice skin-to-skin
If you are at home, you can remove your clothes and baby's clothes and place him against you, heart to heart.
The exchange of warmth and your scent will relax your little one.
Learn more about: Skin to skin
Many other gestures are possible, test what works!
SOS, I can't take it anymore!
Fatigue, stress, baby's crying, I can't take it anymore! Don't blame yourself, don't feel guilty, it happens to absolutely EVERYONE. But what to do in this case?
- We breathe and we move away for a few minutes by securing baby in his bed for example (baby feels your anger and your anguish)
- We pass the baton to our partner or to a relative who will take care of him
- We wait until we are calm before taking baby back in our arms :)
Anger can lead to sudden and unwanted movements. Shaking your baby too hard can cause permanent damage to his or her tiny brain. This is called Shaken Baby Syndrome. So take a breath, don't SHAKE BABY, trust each other and everything will be fine!
To avoid any risk, you can put him in the baby wrap or the baby carrier and walk quietly. Baby is calmed without you having to rock him in your arms. No unwanted movement possible!
And if you have any doubts, you can ask for help and call your doctor.