Help, baby is crying! What to do?
Here is a sometimes enigmatic sound... Baby crying! Especially when you are young parents, these small cries can be a great source of anxiety and questions. Our team conducted the investigation to help you understand and decipher the different cries of your infant, to give you solutions to calm your little one and to know what to do in case of intense crying.
Crying, baby's mode of communication
Let's start with the basics. Your baby doesn't know how to talk yet. Even if you can't wait to hear his voice, his adorable “aruh” and other chirps, you will have to be content with small screams and especially tears during the first weeks! And yes, crying is your little one's main way of communicating to get their messages across...
When babies cry, they express different needs:
- Hunger
- Fatigue
- Pain (stomachache, colic, stuck burp...)
- Discomfort: too hot or too cold
- Need your arms and want to be comforted
- Need to be changed
- Discharge of emotion...
The list is not exhaustive and can be completed with the help of your pediatrician or family doctor.
How to soothe your baby
Rest assured, as parents, you will soon recognize the different cries of your child, we promise you. The screams of hunger will not be similar to the cries of embarrassment and so on. In the meantime, as there is no magic wand to soothe your infant, discover our tips to test to console your cutie!
Baby cries before, during, or after eating:
- Before their preferred time to eat, baby may already be hungry.
- During and after eating, he may need to burp, even if he is breast-fed.
- Colic, stomachache...
- Baby is not hungry, but needs to suck or suck to calm down.
Baby cries in bed
- He is struggling to fall asleep
- On the contrary (it's too simple otherwise!) , he is tired of sleeping
- The temperature is not right, it's too hot or cold.
Baby cries in his bouncer or on his play mat
- He is tired or overstimulated
- Baby wants you
- Baby is bored and wants to play (try an activity arch!)
Baby cries in your arms
- Baby needs to sleep
- Bored baby
- It needs to be changed...
There are lots of reasons why baby needs you! The list above is not exhaustive...
Comfort your baby
As you can see, there are several ways to console your baby or to meet his needs.
Forget the advice of Tata Suzanne who tells you to let him cry because “it will break his lungs” or “give him bad habits”. Already, babies don't do whims (their brains are too immature to do anything!). Then, neuroscience recently taught us that the stress caused by crying is harmful for toddlers. If you want to know more, listen to this episode of The Matrescence Podcast.
Obviously, do not fall into the opposite excess by making yourself feel guilty if, despite all your attempts, your child is still crying... You are doing your best and that is very good.
We are going to give you some more tips that could calm your baby's crying. It's up to you to test what your baby will like among these options:
- Swaddling.
- Portage.
- A stroller ride.
- Massage baby.
- In case of stomachache, massage his stomach in a clockwise direction, you can also fold his legs towards his stomach, put him on your forearm to relieve his pain.
- Rock him.
- Sing a song to him.
- Do skin to skin for toddlers.
- Give him a bath.
- Breastfeeding him.
- Place baby under a hood (yes, it works on some babies!) or test white noise.
When baby is inconsolable and you are losing patience...
When your child's crying goes on and on (it's just the beginning, okay, okay), sometimes he's at his wits end. Bored, angry, sad... Add a good dose of fatigue and you will get a long overdue patience that can lead to shaken baby syndrome. Of course, you never shake your child.
When you feel that the cup is full, ask your partner, friend, or family for help. Are you alone? Place your child safely in their baby bed, then leave the room and breathe to calm yourself. Take the time you need. It's better to let your baby cry than to risk shaking your baby!
Specific cries
If you have tried everything (change it, feed him, rock him, rock him, stimulate him, calm him...) and he is still crying, then your baby may have colic, experience a growth peak, or the famous discharge tears at the end of the day... These last ones arrive around 17h-18h and baby can be inconsolable for a few hours. This is a trying time for parents who feel powerless.
If the baby is very hot, he may also be sick. See your doctor right away.
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