You’ve welcomed a new member into your family. Congratulations! Parenthood is a wonderful and exhausting experience all at the same time. Babies can be fussy, and it can take time to learn how to soothe them so parents and babies can both get much needed rest and safe sleep.
Why Do Babies Cry?
A baby can only communicate by crying, and all babies will cry in the first six months of life. During this period babies can cry for 45 to 120 minutes every day. They will usually cry to have their needs met such as when they are hungry, sleepy, or need to have their diaper changed.
Some babies will experience colic. Colic is an excessive amount of crying, usually for more than three hours every day and most often in the evening. The cause of colic is unknown, but it typically peaks between the ages of 6-8 weeks. Having a baby cry for hours at a time can be stressful. The good news is that colic will improve on its own!
Ideas for Soothing Your Baby
If your child is fussy, you may have to try a few different techniques to find one that works.
Check to see if your baby’s needs are met. Babies like to be dressed warmly but not overheated, they like a dry diaper, and should be fed.
Some babies like to be swaddled in a large, thin blanket to help them feel secure. You can ask your doctor how to swaddle your baby or review directions here.
Consider trying a pacifier. Some babies can learn to comfort themselves by sucking and pacifier use may also help to protect against SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome).
Try soothing your child with touch or massage. Use a slow motion to stroke your baby’s head with each breath you take in. This can help to calm your breathing and as you relax your baby may start to calm as well.
Using white noise like a fan, a ticking clock, or soft music can help soothe a baby. You can also make a “shh” sound while helping soothe them.
Some babies will calm with a slow gentle motion like being held either in your arms or an infant carrier and rocked or going for stroller ride. If a baby falls asleep outside of their crib, they should be gently moved to a crib and placed alone on their back.
Remember the baby should be alone, on his or her back, and in a crib with no bumpers, blankets, or toys.
Ideas to Calm Yourself
If you feel tired or frustrated, it’s time to ask for help.
If you are alone, make sure your baby is fed and dry, then leave your baby alone in the empty crib on their back while you step away to another room for 10 to 15 minutes.
It is okay if your baby keeps crying when you step away; take some time to calm yourself down before picking the baby back up.
Never shake your baby to calm them, this is dangerous and could damage their brain. To learn more about abusive head trauma (AHT, formerly called Shaken Baby Syndrome) in babies, click here.
If you are worried that your baby is crying because of illness you should call your child’s pediatrician. Signs your baby maybe ill or it is time to call your doctor:
Constant crying for more than three hours
Your baby’s cry sounds different or painful to you
Your baby has vomiting, diarrhea or is not feeding well
Your baby has a fever of 100.4F or more
You feel tired, scared, or overwhelmed
If you believe you may be suffering from postpartum depression, contact a health care provider immediately.
Other resources:
Click here for directions on how to swaddle your baby.
org, a resource from the American Academy of Pediatrics, has some other helpful tips. Information on understanding more about why babies cry can be found here.
Healthy Families America offers home visitation by nurses for pregnant people and new parents (within the first 3 months of the baby’s life) to support child wellbeing through family-focused and empathic support provided in the home or community.
Positive Parenting Program or Triple P offers one-on-one parenting strategies and support and workshops on dealing with common parenting issues for children 0 to 12 years old. Triple P is available in person at the link above, as well online
Kristin Crichton, DO, MPH, is a child abuse pediatrician at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio. She is board-certified in general pediatrics and child abuse pediatrics. Her clinical interests include child sexual abuse, child physical abuse and caring for children in foster care; her research interests include increasing early detection of physical abuse and improving medical education around child maltreatment
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700 Children’s® features the most current pediatric health care information and research from our pediatric experts – physicians and specialists who have seen it all. Many of them are parents and bring a special understanding to what our patients and families experience. If you have a child – or care for a child – 700 Children’s was created especially for you.
