Why does a baby cry?

A crying baby, especially if the crying continues for a long period of time, can be stressful on the parents or caregivers. In order to understand how to soothe a crying baby, we must first understand why babies cry. Here are a few common things that could be causing your baby to cry:

Hunger

Dirty diaper

Illness/Colic

Lonely

Tired/Cranky

Bored

It is important for babies to cry as this is how they express their feelings or their needs. Babies have different cries to represent their different needs.

Eventually, new parents will be able to identify what is wrong with the baby by the sound of the cry. Until you can identify what you baby needs, you will have to rely on trial and error. The first thing you should do is pick the baby up. Babies need to be held and cuddled. Don't worry about spoiling your baby: holding and nurturing will not spoil a child. Babies that are repeatedly left crying may begin to feel neglected or insecure.

If holding your baby doesn't stop him from crying, go down the list of possible problems. Try changing his diaper, feeding him or talking to him. He may just be bored or lonely and need to hear your voice.

Prolonged crying may indicate that something is wrong. If your baby displays any signs of illness such as fever, vomiting, diarrhea, or any other abnormal symptom, contact your doctor for an evaluation. Sometimes babies that don't normally cry much will cry a lot when they are ill.

Some effective steps in soothing your baby include:

Rocking or swinging

Many babies enjoy the motion involved in rocking or swinging. You can rock your baby in your lap in a rocking chair or swing in a porch swing with your baby in your lap or you may invest in a baby swing. Many parents have sworn by their infant swing. Never leave an infant alone or unattended in an infant swing.

Wrapping the baby in a snug blanket (swaddling)

Wrapping the baby snugly in a receiving blanket may help him feel safe and secure. Some parents have stated that swaddling was the most effective method of soothing their infants, ages newborn to six weeks. Be sure you do not wrap the blanket too tightly and never put a baby to sleep while wrapped in swaddled blankets.

Singing, talking, or humming

Taking a walk