The younger the baby, the smaller the range of possible causes of crying. Therefore, it is more convenient to consider the reasons for a baby’s crying from the first days of life and further - as he grows and develops.
Immediately after birth, a baby’s crying is his only way of communicating with the world, his only opportunity to tell his mother about his needs. When a child is just born, his main desires are to be full, dry and get enough sleep. A little later, a desire for closeness with mom appears. Implicitly, this baby’s need is satisfied during breastfeeding and rocking before bed. Therefore, in the case when the newborn wakes up and cries, you need to check the diaper, feed and put him back to sleep. In the first month, the baby sleeps most of the time, waking up only to eat.
And now you are being discharged from the maternity hospital. The baby grows up and comes time intestinal colic. Sometimes it can be quite difficult to determine that the reason a baby is crying is precisely because he has a tummy ache. There are still several signs: the baby’s tummy is swollen, he wiggles his legs, and colic often torments babies in the evening and at night. The child feels better after the gases leave the intestines. The principle of your actions: from simple to complex. If you suspect that your baby is crying because of colic, first eliminate more simple reasons possible discomfort: change the diaper, feed and try to put her to sleep. Simple steps didn't help - move on to more complex ones. Massage, warm diaper on the baby’s tummy, etc., only resort to painkillers as a last resort.
Some babies develop colic after a period it's time for teeth to grow, some have a little respite. If your child is the second type, you are lucky and will have a period of relative calm. As with intestinal colic, in the case of teething, the same principle “from simple to complex” remains. Before you start taking measures to relieve gum pain, make sure that the baby is fed, the diaper is dry, and that he is screaming not only because he wants to communicate with you, to attract your attention. In the latter case, it is not always worth running to the child immediately: it is normal that the mother does not come running at the first call of an already grown child. Signs that the baby has started teething can be quite obvious: saliva is produced abundantly, the child puts everything into his mouth and tries to scratch his gums, the gums themselves are red, swollen, and soft. Just before a tooth emerges from the gum, you can often tap it with a spoon: just take a metal teaspoon and gently tap it on the gum where you think the tooth will erupt. However, pain from growing teeth can begin long before obvious signs, that is, when the teeth are just beginning to move inside the gums. Then the child simply suddenly begins to sleep restlessly, be capricious, and assume that this can only be done by excluding other causes. What exactly will help your baby with pain from teething - ointment on the gums, painkillers, warm drinks or breastfeeding, rinsing the mouth with chamomile, etc. - you will understand only by trying out different methods.
I would like to say a few words about the fact that It is not always necessary to immediately respond to a baby’s cry. If you are sure that he is safe and his health is not in immediate danger, you should not immediately run to him. This is a direct way to raise a capricious child. The baby should gradually get used to the fact that mom is also busy with important things (eating, going to the toilet, etc.). Therefore, learn to distinguish between a baby’s cry. With a little attention, you will quickly learn to distinguish a cry from pain or a hungry cry from simple whims. But you shouldn’t go to extremes either; remember: need skin-to-skin contact with the mother is vital for the baby. If you don't pick him up at all, this can lead to bad consequences for the psyche and health of the baby.
The main thing is to believe in yourself, your mother’s heart will definitely tell you what exactly needs to be done in this moment to calm your crying baby. For both intestinal and dental problems, every child has methods that help; maybe it will be something unique that will calm your child specifically.
For every family, a newborn child is an extraordinary surprise and a reason for joy. But besides this, the baby is a big responsibility, so it’s natural for new parents to sound the alarm even for minor reasons, if it concerns their child. One of these reasons is the constant crying of the child. It is especially recommended to pay close attention to this aspect.
Good to know: perhaps all the fears will be in vain, but the constant crying of a newborn may also indicate a number of certain diseases that are simply unacceptable to ignore.
Everything related to newborns is important and cannot be missed. Therefore, for complete peace of mind, it is better to play it safe by consulting with a specialist.
There are more than enough reasons for a newborn baby to cry. Therefore, young parents are strongly recommended to familiarize themselves with the most common possible causes constantly crying baby.
If he is hot, the child begins to whine, the skin may turn a little red, and a rash (heat rash) may appear. In such cases, the baby tries to free the body from clothes or diapers.
The temperature may jump to 37.5 (if higher, immediately take the child to the doctor). Initially, possible negative factor(for example, if this happened during a walk, then take the baby to the shade). Do not dress your child too warmly (especially in the hot season), also in warm period better not to use it reusable diapers, but use thin diapers. At night, you should not wrap your baby in five blankets (this is unnecessary and can lead to discomfort for the baby). If the situation is the opposite and the child is cold, then the crying can be shrill, then quieter but longer (hiccups may begin). A child who is cold may have cold limbs, back or tummy. In such cases, simply dress the baby warmer.
Basically, colic occurs due to not yet fully formed digestive system in newborns. Also, colic may appear due to a change in the diet of a nursing mother. This is an age-related difficulty, and over time the newborn will simply outgrow it.
This natural process in the baby’s body and it cannot be prevented, but it can be weakened painful sensations. You can slightly warm up the baby's tummy (for example, by placing his tummy to yours). You can also consult a doctor about taking certain medications (there are now many medications in pharmacies that help overcome intestinal colic).
Advice: it is advisable to exclude irritating factors (very bright light, loud TV, etc.).
Sometimes the opposite happens. The baby doesn’t want to sleep yet, although the time has already come. In this case, you should not force the baby to sleep, but it is better to unswaddle him and let him walk a little more (just not for too long, so as not to be too far behind schedule).
Protect your baby and monitor his health from the very beginning of life, which will allow you to raise a healthy and strong baby.
Many parents, especially mothers, ask the question of why a newborn constantly cries. Almost all children scream a lot during the first three months of life; they can do this for up to four to five hours a day. Gradually, the mother will learn to determine the reason for her baby’s behavior in order to immediately calm him down. However, it is necessary to know what can cause a baby’s crying in order to better understand the child and quickly help him.
There are several reasons why:
1. After the birth of the baby, “memories” of his birth may bother him. The process of childbirth is a huge stress for both mother and child, so it takes some time for the baby to forget this moment.
2. A common reason why a newborn often cries is hunger. Modern pediatricians advise feeding the baby on demand. If he starts crying, give him a breast or a bottle.
3. The baby is in pain. As you know, children suffer from intestinal colic during the first months of life. To ease your baby's suffering, hold him upright after each feeding and place him on his tummy to sleep.
4. The child is hot or cold. Most best temperature in the room where the baby lives, it is considered +20-22 degrees. A baby who is overheated turns red and may develop heat rash. In this case, it is best to completely undress and wash him. If your baby is cold, swaddle him and hold him close - the baby will immediately warm up at your chest. If only your arms and legs are cold, undershirts with closed sleeves and socks will help.
5. Next reason why newborns cry is fatigue. Even though the child is still small, he is capable of getting tired. The baby gets tired from sucking, moving his own legs and arms, massage, from what he saw during the day. An overtired child often “asks” for help. In this case, you need to swaddle the baby and rock him. Dim lights and calm melodic music also help the child fall asleep quickly.
6. Some just before wetting the diaper. In this case, the baby first whines quietly, then may scream sharply. When you learn to recognize such crying, start dropping your baby off, thereby saving on diapers and clean diapers. The reason why newborns cry during urination may be a lack of fluid in their body and, therefore, a high concentration of urine, which causes a burning sensation in the urinary canal. Give your child more water during the day and the problem may go away.
7. It is uncomfortable for the baby to lie down. During the first days of life, a child does not know how to change his body position at all, so he may get tired of being, for example, on his left side. Helping your child in this situation is easy. You need to shift it to the other side, back or tummy, and the baby will calm down. If a child has a messy diaper, a tight elastic band on his pants, or a wet diaper rubbing against him, he may worry and cry. Changing his clothes is enough to console him.
8. Why do newborns cry when there is no apparent reason for it? It turns out that the baby may simply want to be closer to his mother, because he still cannot imagine himself without her. Take your baby in your arms more often, without fear of spoiling him: children who don’t get enough feel much worse. parental love than those who from the first days were constantly hugged and kissed!
A child's cry literally paralyzes all life around little man. This is one of the most terrifying experiences for a mother, especially if she does not know why the baby is crying. When a child screams incessantly, she instinctively leans towards him, pulls him towards her, presses him, rocks him, tries to calm him down and is seriously worried. But is this right?..
Often, mommy needs to overcome the “comforter” instinct when we're talking about about the baby. Because often infant cries for no reason. A child’s cry is a completely normal, natural manifestation for a baby, and in addition, it is a kind of children’s gymnastics. The baby thus expands his lungs, strengthens his neck and pectoral muscles. It doesn’t matter at all if you allow the baby to scream for a minute or two. Then, of course, it is necessary to intervene, but certainly not to coddle him, but to find out and eliminate the cause.
A reasonable mother always first tries to find out the true reason for crying. First, he unwraps the baby to check whether it’s time to change the diaper or wet diapers. Then he will look at the baby’s clothes to see if the folds are pressing or rubbing. When all this is in order, mommy understands that the cause of the cry is probably thirst or hunger. At normal conditions The baby should not be bothered by either thirst or hunger, until next feeding, since it gives him just enough liquid and nutrients, as much as is required for his tiny body. But again, if feeding is done correctly.
As for artificially-fed children, there are no significant differences; the food of children on artificial feeding, is also normalized so that the baby receives and required amount food and the right amount of nutrients.
Exceptions to these rules can only be in the summer, then it is quite possible that, due to the heat, a deterioration in appetite occurs, and, accordingly, a decrease in the amount of food taken can cause thirst in the baby. You can quench it with weak tea, which should be given with a teaspoon after meals.
How to stop a child's cry? Why ? Reasons for children crying infancy
If your baby screams while feeding, it may well be that breastfeeding is not going well. If your baby cries while feeding, he may be latching onto the breast incorrectly and having difficulty getting milk.
If the baby screams while feeding while on artificial feeding, check the temperature of the food in the bottle to see if it is too hot for the baby. It would also be a good idea to check the size of the hole in the nipple. Perhaps it is too small or, on the contrary, too big, and it is inconvenient for the baby to eat - it is difficult to suck out the formula or the “flow” of milk overwhelms him, it is difficult for him to take large sips. Make sure that the baby's nose is not clogged; it may be difficult for him to breathe at the same time as eating, so the baby cries during feeding.
If your baby constantly cries, screams for a long time, one or two hours or so, then the cause is most likely digestive problems. You need to check if your baby's stool is normal. A small child does not yet know how to get rid of gases in the intestines on his own; his body is not yet quite ready for this. The child is still learning to use his body, he does not know its capabilities, does not know what and how to use it, what will happen if he does this and that. He simply does not know how, and does not know, that if he uses his abdominal muscles, then the tension of the abdominal muscles can push the gases that bother him so much through the anus. In adults, this happens automatically, instinctively - and this reaction, undoubtedly, was developed in infancy. Therefore, the child screams and arches, changes position, pulls his legs towards his tummy, and in the process learns to develop enough pressure in the abdomen for gases or feces to come out.
There can actually be countless reasons why a child cries. However, there are also a lot of ways to calm the baby. The main “trick” is to understand what exactly your baby needs, since every child needs individual approach. You should not blindly hope that the “grandmother’s” method will work, or that what your mother helped you with at his age will help him. Often, what may calm one baby may simply irritate another. Therefore, the most important thing is, of course, to understand the reason why the child screams. And this will already be 50% success.
Almost all mothers in the first year of their baby’s life are faced with the problem of colic in their baby. Then the child often screams after feeding, cries for no apparent reason, at first glance for no reason. The child screams incessantly for a long time and, as a rule, at the same period of time. It seems that he slept and was well-fed, but mommy still has no peace. Allow this situation The following tips may help:
Tummy problems are natural, but that doesn't mean you and your baby have to suffer from it. Some children find it helps if they insert a rubber tube into the anus. However, it can only be used on the recommendation of a doctor. Such a tube can be bought at a pharmacy; before use, it must be boiled, then lubricated with Vaseline and only then inserted into the baby’s anus. After a minute, gases will begin to come out, sometimes along with feces.
If you were forced to use a straw, try to do it occasionally so that your baby does not get used to it. Otherwise, he will “get lazy”, or rather, he will not be able to train, adjust the body in the right way, and will not try to push out gases or feces on his own. In such cases, the child constantly cries, waiting for his mother to help him. If gas and feces are retained for a long time, you should consult a doctor. Because some kind of disease or defect in the structure of the body may be discovered. Bring with you to the doctor your baby's bowel movements and a chart of your baby's weight. The latter will tell the doctor a lot and can facilitate the treatment process.
Indeed, the problem of colic is very unpleasant, but there is no escape from it. However, frequent colic in a child, according to doctors, stops by itself by 5-6 months of age. But the child's cry continues...
Babies are very cunning, despite the fact that they are very small. The baby’s nervous system is at that stage of development that is based on perception and emotions; it records unpleasant and pleasant sensations in memory and demands that the latter, pleasant ones, be repeated. Having a baby in a wet diaper is an unpleasant feeling, as is hunger. Then the child screams incessantly. It would be right in this situation to change the diapers, but feeding the baby or calming him down with every cry is fundamentally wrong.
Such an approach can lead to the baby developing poor health. conditioned reflex. And this not only harms his health, but also spoils the child’s character, since he understands that he will definitely get what he wants, all he has to do is scream, although this is unreasonable. Later, it will be very difficult to correct this negative character trait.
The older he gets, the more often the child cries for no reason that can be considered objective; the reasons for crying increasingly become purely psychological. The baby wants to see care, support and participation, and therefore begins to demand them. He gets upset if you are unhappy with him, if something doesn’t work out for him, if he’s simply bored.
But the most important thing that will help is to support the baby. A child's cry is his call for help, so expected from you. Be patient, mommy.
A healthy baby either sleeps peacefully or is awake. How do you know if your baby cries a lot? Maybe it just seems so to you. Look at the clock, note the time, and remember exactly how much he cried. Perhaps it is only your mother's (or father's) prejudice that tells you that the child is constantly crying.
When everything is in order and the doctor has convinced you that the baby is healthy, and you have made sure that you are taking care of him correctly, it is quite acceptable for the baby to cry a little before each feeding. This is an exercise for children's respiratory muscles. There is no need to worry too much about this, since it is normal for the baby to scream before feeding; he will be capricious even when you nurse him, carry him or rock him. Therefore, it is better if you do not calm your baby down with these means every time. Better to abstain!
This will not last long, and the baby will grow out of screaming. His unpleasant “wow” will gradually turn into a calm cry, by which mommy will soon learn to determine that it is hunger, pain, or a simple desire to play or be in society.
A little more about why a child cries and screams:
Causes and types of crying in newborns.
Why is the baby crying? Perhaps this particular question has been the undisputed leader in frequency of repetitions over its centuries-old history. It doesn’t matter how it was asked: in the mind, in a whisper or in a hysterical desperate cry: the cry of a newborn leaves no one indifferent. Fathers and mothers of first-born children suffer especially. It is they who most often complain at a pediatrician's appointment that the child cries almost around the clock, giving rise to a huge feeling of pity, despair and, at the same time, a persistent desire to escape from the little tyrant at least for a little while. Let's try to help them understand their newborn baby and restore peace and tranquility in the family.
Crying is a powerful mechanism for an infant’s adaptation to extrauterine conditions. Moreover, human cubs scream not only often, but also with numerous intonations. After all, before the baby learns to put his feelings and desires into words, only with the help of crying can he express fear, pain, hunger, fatigue, and in some cases, joy.
What does a young mother who has just gone through the throes of labor do when she hears the cry of her newborn baby? Of course - smiling happily! After all, a loud cry marks the birth of healthy baby. At the same time, inhale full breasts and slow exhalation promotes effective opening of the lungs, rapid absorption of excess fluid from them and prevents the development of congestive pneumonia.
How to calm a baby maternity ward? That's right - apply it to mother's breast. The baby quickly calms down and, busily snoring, actively sucks. As a rule, after feeding, the baby is washed, weighed, dressed and left in the children's ward or next to the mother. Tired from the abundance of new impressions, he sleeps soundly for several hours until he gets hungry again.
So, most common cause The cry of a newborn is a feeling of hunger. At the same time, the crying is with demanding intonations and the louder the longer you have to wait for feeding. Why, after calming down during sucking, can he cry again?
1. Incorrect breast placement. Well, how can you not get offended and angry if the milk is very close, but due to a violation of the breastfeeding technique, you can’t eat?
2. It's hard to suck. The first days after birth, not only the mother, but also the child has to get used to breastfeeding And possible problems: To flat nipples, to thick colostrum and to lactostasis. In this case, children may have swelling of the nasal passages or a short frenulum of the tongue, which also makes sucking difficult.
3. There are painful elements of the rash in the oral cavity (thrush, microbial aphthae). During the morning and evening dress the mother needs to examine the mucous membrane of the tongue, gums and cheeks so as not to miss the appearance of red pustular elements or white fungal plaque. Herpetic stomatitis is especially dangerous for infants. In this case, delay in active treatment threatens not only health, but also life.
4. Ear hurts. As a rule, it occurs as a complication in newborns intrauterine infection or, less often, against the background of a runny nose. The crying is loud, shrill, with painful intonations. The baby, having barely swallowed the first portion of milk, abandons the breast and refuses to start eating again for a long time. If you suspect ear pain, your child should be seen by a doctor.
5. Tummy hurts. In the first month of life, colonization of the infant's intestines by microorganisms is often accompanied by clinical symptoms, united under the concept of dysbacteriosis. It manifests itself as a loud rumbling, altered color and consistency of stool. The child begins to cry suddenly, while he presses his legs to his stomach, bends his whole body and strains, and after passing gas or stool he immediately calms down.
What can help the baby? Gently stroking the tummy clockwise, constant relaxing warmth (for example, a woolen scarf tied as a sash), placing it on the stomach. Skin-to-skin contact is very effective: the baby is carried on the arm in a face-down position so that the mother’s palm constantly warms the long-suffering tummy, or the baby is put to sleep on the adult’s chest. A lot of useful information can be found in the article “Colic in newborns.” In agreement with the pediatrician, it is possible to use adsorbents (Disflatil) and biological products (Lactobacterin, Linnex, Lacidofil).
In addition to a feeling of hunger or intestinal colic, the cause of crying may be an uncomfortable position, prolonged pressure on the skin from folds of clothing or linen wrapped around a finger of hair. In the first month of life, it is especially important to choose the right clothes for your baby, level the bed and protect him from string threads. To prevent it from resting on its side or ear, turn it over approximately every 30 minutes.
The baby may be hot. Signs of overheating will be not only a loud cry, but also red skin color, perspiration on the forehead and back. Diaper rash easily occurs on vulnerable and delicate skin. Even short-term contact of the inflamed macerated surface of the epidermis with feces causes cutting pain, to which the child reacts with painful crying. But newborns can have up to 25 urinations per day! How to prevent diaper rash and treat it - see the special article.
If the child is cold, then the crying will be quiet and plaintive. And the first signs of hypothermia will be pale skin and the red border of the lips, cold hands and feet. How to properly dress a child and protect him from hypothermia during a walk - read our articles.
A common cause of premature awakening and disgruntled screaming is fear. It will take more than one week before the baby stops being afraid of his own movements, especially with his hands. But fingers with sharp nails strive to scratch sensitive skin eyelids, cheeks and nose wings. Even if parents are ardent opponents tight swaddling, timid and easily excitable children in the first months of life before going to bed can be wrapped in a diaper so as to limit their movements. Perhaps this alone will be enough for the whole family to sleep peacefully. Anti-scratch mittens are also useful.
There may be several reasons for this:
What will calm the child? Firstly, he should not be hungry. Secondly, you need to lower the baby into warm water and slowly, while gently holding him under the back and head and talking to him tenderly. You need to give yourself time to get used to bathing just like everyone else. regime moments. How to bathe correctly - see the article “Bathing with pleasure and benefit.”
Contrary to popular belief, in the first month of life a baby cries much less often than in subsequent months. Due to immaturity nervous system Only strong stimuli (pain, hunger and fear) can provoke a cry. The task of parents is to provide their child with such living conditions in which he could sleep, eat peacefully and gradually get used to the world that is new to him. Bright light, harsh lights are contraindicated loud sounds(screaming, knocking), constantly working TV or radio. Otherwise, the baby may cry, experiencing fatigue, difficulty falling asleep, or not being able to get enough sleep.
If parents are sure that the baby does not have any of the above reasons for monotonous or very loud crying, and it takes a long time to calm him down, you need to seek help from your pediatrician. He will be able to examine the child and recommend correction of the identified deviation in health. What is most often detected: agitation syndrome against the background of perinatal damage to the central nervous system, changes in liquor dynamics with the development of intracranial hypertension and hydrocephalic syndrome, cysts in the brain. We must not forget that even newborn children can have acute surgical pathology (intestinal volvulus, strangulated hernia, appendicitis), various tumors that compress nerve endings And causing pain, and congenital anomalies structures accompanied by pain.
What other reasons for crying can a grown-up baby find - read the article “What are you crying about, baby?”