Newborn Q&A | Questions about newborns
Why is my Baby Crying?
Your baby may be crying for any of these reasons. It helps to go through a quick process of elimination:
- Is he due for a nappy change?
- Is it time for his nap?
- Is he overstimulated?
- Is he too hot or too cold?
- Is he hungry?
- Is he uncomfortable? Cramps, windy, indigestion, constipation, over-feeding, reflux
- Does he need comfort/touch?
His crying might be caused by hunger if:
- It’s more than 2 – 3 hours since his last feed
- His previous feed was not sufficient
- He slept longer between feeds for a period of 12 – 24 hours and now needs to catch up on feeds. Try to stick to your routine, even if it means waking him every 3 hours.
- He finishes his bottle most of the time and is wanting more
- He is above average weight for his age
- He has less than 5 – 6 nappies a day
- He is not gaining weight adequately
- He is going through a growth spurt
If you have gone through this check list and eliminated all possible causes like a stubborn wind, hunger pains, over stimulation, a much needed sleep etc. it’s probably a good idea to give your clinic sister a buzz.
[...] through the process of elimination and try other calming strategies before you feed him. If it doesn’t work, you can assume that [...]