Why Babies Cry?

Cry, is a way for newborns (0-12 months) babies to communicate with us. Since babies cannot tell what they feel or want, we have to learn by trial and error to anticipate their needs, their cues and ultimately wipe away their tears.

There are five most common reasons babies cry. Your may browse down the list and we hope you will find something helpful.

They feel hungry
In general, hungry babies will fuss, make noises, and maybe root around for your breast if you pick her up. You’d better get ready to feed them soon before they start real cry. However, checking if the baby is hungry is a good first step when your baby cries at anytime. Feeing your baby might not stop their cry right away, but keeping them on eating (if they want to) until they stop once their stomach is full is not a bad idea at all.

They feel wet and need a fresh diaper
Some babies will let you know right away when they need to be changed. Others don’t. Either way, checking and replacing your baby diaper with the fresh one is easy, fun and may stop your baby cry.

They need more attention
Babies need a lot of attention and cuddling. They like to see their parents’ faces, hear their voices and feel skin contact with them at anytime. Many babies cry because they simply want attention from someone they know. Some babies demand a lot of attention, while others can spend long periods of time sitting calmly by themselves. If your babies like the attention, pick them up, wear them in a baby carrier or sling (please check this article on baby carrier), or place her next to you. Do not worry, you will not spoil your baby by doing so much, as they need a lot of attention in the few months of their live.

They feel bored
While newborns often thrive on attention, babies can easily become overstimulated. You may find that your baby cries longer than usual after spending a holiday with many adoring family members, or has periods at the end of each day when they seem to cry for no reason. Babies have difficulty processing all external stimulations they receive — the lights, voices, touches — and can become overwhelmed by too much activity or stimulation. Crying is their way of saying, “I’ve had enough.” This usually happens when your baby is tired. Take them somewhere calm and quiet and let them vent for a while, and then see if you can get them to sleep.

They feel uncomfortable
There are many reasons why babies feel uncomfortable. Improper room temperature setting to their liking is one reason. Babies will easily start to cry when they feel too cold, and less likely to complain about being too warm. The ideal room temperature for newborns is around 18-20^oC. Newborns like to be bundled up and kept warm. To identify their complain, try to remove some of their clothing (i.e. when changing their diaper), they will express their discomfort by crying. Please note, do not overcloth them! Babies are less likely to complain about being too warm than about being too cold and may not cry about it! Overclothing them will increase their body temperature to a level which is dangerous for them. If your baby is sweating around the neck or face, it probably means they are too warm or has a fever or illness. When this happens, and your baby is in good health, use fewer covers — not more.

Other reason is when the babies feel something trouble them. It can be just a clothing tag that’s poking them, a hair strand wrapped around their toes, and many other simple reasons, or maybe a fever or sickness. If you have just fed your baby, check their diaper, and sure there are nothing that make them uneasy, yet they are still crying, consider checking their temperature to make sure they are not ill. Actually, sick babies tend to cry with distinct sound and different with cry from the hunger or frustration.