Why Babies Cry & How To Pacify Them?
Babies basically cry in order to communicate. Following are some of the matters your baby is probably trying to tell you and what you can do about it:
If your baby cries on suddenly waking up after hours of sleep or you detect some lip-smacking or fussing, your newborn is probably hungry and trying to tell you that.
Your take – Prompt feeding will bring that smile back.
If you find your child yawning, rubbing her eyes or losing interest in people around her and subsequently crying, she is very sleepy.
Your take – Tuck her up in her cozy little bed and that whining will stop in no time!
Babies are extremely sensitive and any kind of discomfort namely being too warm or too cold or soiled diapers will naturally make them cry as they can’t express it in any other way.
Your take – Try to find out the source of discomfort. Wrap her up if she is too cold or unbutton her clothes if she is too warm. Make sure to check and change soiled diapers at regular intervals.
If your baby is crying in a weak, moaning way she has probably fallen sick.
Your take – Look for signs of sickness, check her temperature and call your doctor immediately.
If your baby starts turning away from the house full of noisy relatives and rattling toys, closing her eyes and crying, she probably needs some peace.
Your take – Take her away from the noise to a quiet room where she can enjoy some peaceful cuddles.
Your baby typically doesn’t trust anyone but her parents. Hence going to new people scares her and she starts crying.
Your take – Let her be in your arms throughout the time she meets new people and let her choose the new pair of arms she wants to cradle in.
Babies have a short attention span and naturally start crying to depict boredom if left too long in the same place.
Your take – Give her new position to sit or a new toy to fiddle with.
If your child cries inconsolably for long periods of time every day, she might be suffering from colic pain which is found mainly in newborns.
Your take - Consult a doctor.
Babies may swallow air during feeding and if that air gets trapped in they cry out of discomfort.
Your take – Pat them to get that burp out.
At times when the baby falls asleep in your arms, she wakes up crying if you put her in her crib. She is telling you that she wants your warm embrace.
Your take - A good amount of cuddling is all she is asking for so go for it!
Apart from these, at times your baby may cry for no specific reason. Following are the tried and tested ways to soothe a fussy crier:
- Babies love to be held. Hence taking her in your arms will pacify her quickly.
- Breastfeeding calms down even the fussiest of the babies. If not possible, give your baby something to suck on.
- Babies enjoy rhythmic motion like swaying, rocking etc. It pacifies them remarkably.
- Turn on some music or provide her with static sounds like that of the heartbeat or rain. It is known to work well.
- Babies respond well to physical touch hence massaging or patting her is a great way to pacify her.
- Sometimes all the baby needs is some kind of distraction. Opt for a new activity or a change of scenery and she’ll be gurgling with joy in no time.
