If there is one thing that every set of new parents dreads, it’s the crying of their newborn baby. Everybody knows that babies cry: it’s how they communicate with us that something is wrong or that they need something. That doesn’t make it any easier to listen to and it’s even worse when you’ve yet to have a decent night’s sleep since you brought the baby home.
Babies are actually very simple creatures. If they are warm, fed, changed and burped they’re relatively comfortable. However, that doesn’t mean they may not scream their little lungs out at night. And it doesn’t mean that you’re not going to tear your hair out thinking that there is something wrong with your new baby. If there is one thing that you don’t have to panic about is that you’re doing something wrong or hurting your baby – sometimes, babies just cry. However, in most circumstances, babies have a reason to cry, especially at night. We’re going to take you through some of the most common reasons that they start to yell.
Before we do that, there’s one thing you need to know:
A newborn baby does not know how to manipulate you.
No matter what your parents or grandparents tell you, a newborn baby, even a six-month-old baby, does not know how to “get their way”. They cry for a reason, and the best thing to do is to respond to those cries.
- Discomfort. A baby in pain is a baby who’s going to cry. If you haven’t burped enough and there’s a burp stuck in their tummies, it is painful. Always burp your baby after every ounce or two of milk they drink, and if you’re breastfeeding, between breast switches. You will have a much more comfortable baby if you burp him/her and create space for more milk.
- Reflux. Have you noticed your baby taking excessive amounts of milk, rooting for more and more and screaming? Yeah, that’s not hunger. That’s reflux. Some babies spit up more than others, which is a sign of reflux, and they may have silent reflux. This is where there is rarely any spit up, but your baby is drinking more and more to soothe the pain. Remedies like anti reflux formula can help here, as can pace feeding your baby. You can read more here about pace feeding your baby.
- Fourth Trimester. Officially, there are three phases of pregnancy. There is also one more – the fourth trimester. This is the first two months after birth where you and your baby are getting to know each other. Your baby has spent almost ten months in your womb. Imagine never knowing hunger or feeling cold or the discomfort of a diaper and then being thrust into the world? All he wants is you. Hold and comfort that baby; you both will come out of this phase.
Other than these three reasons for screaming, there is also colic to consider, and if you are ever concerned or worried, speak to your doctor. Babies cry; it’s normal. That doesn’t make it easy, but don’t beat yourself up!