How to Understand Baby Crying

Newborns communicate in early life by crying. Your baby will often cry for three months after birth. Babies cry when they want to be held, fed, or feel uncomfortable or in pain. They also cry when they’re excited, bored, tired, or upset. Your baby’s cries will contain more information as he gets older: after three months, your baby will cry in different patterns for different needs. Some scientists believe that different cries represent different needs, even in newborns. ^{[1] X Research Source} Even if you’re not sure what the cry you hear means, you should always respond when your baby cries. Quick response to babies is essential for their development. ^{[2] X Research Source}

Table of Contents

Understanding Normal Cry

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Understand the cry “when hungry”. When a baby wants to eat, the cry usually starts small and slow. The crying will gradually increase to loud and rhythmic. The wailing was short and soft. ^{[3] X Research Sources} Crying when hungry is a signal to feed your baby, unless you’ve just finished feeding your baby and are sure he doesn’t want more. ^{[4] X Research Sources}

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Understand the cry “when it hurts”. Babies in pain often start crying suddenly. The cry was shrill and shrill. Each cry will be loud, short, and intense. Such a cry shows urgency! If you hear a cry from pain, react immediately. Look for any unfastened diaper pins or jammed fingers. If you can’t find anything, try comforting your baby. The pain may pass and the baby needs to be soothed.

If your baby has low back and colic, the pain crying may be due to gas. Comfort your baby, keeping his back straight while feeding to reduce gas in the abdomen. ^{[5] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
If your baby’s eyes are red, swollen, or scratchy, call the doctor. Your baby’s eyes may be scratched or something falls in, such as an eyelash, causing pain.
In the case of crying due to prolonged pain, the child may be sick or injured. Call your doctor if your baby cries more when being held or rocked, especially if you notice that your baby has a fever. ^{[6] X Research Source} If an infant under three months of age has a fever of 38 °C, call the doctor right away even if the baby is not fussy.

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Understand the whining cry. This type of crying is usually small, intermittent, or loud or small. Crying often gets louder when you’re not paying attention, so don’t be afraid to comfort your baby when he’s fussy. A whining sound can indicate that your baby is upset or simply wants to be held. Children often fuss at one time of day, in the late afternoon or early evening. ^{[7] X Research Sources}

Babies cry when they want to be held. Newborns often cry when they want to be held because they are used to tight spaces. ^{[8] X Research Sources}
Check diapers when baby is fussy. A fussy cry can be a sign that the diaper is wet or dirty.
Check body temperature. The baby may be fussy because the body is too hot or too cold.
Crying can be interpreted as discomfort. Your baby may be fussy when he can’t sleep.
A fussy cry can also mean when your baby is too excited or bored. Sometimes babies cry to relieve that excitement. Try adjusting the light source, the music, or the baby’s position.
Don’t worry too much if your new baby doesn’t stop crying when you comfort him. Some babies cry for a long time during the first three months of life. ^{[9] X Research Source}

Understanding the Prolonged Cry

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Recognize normal prolonged crying. Even if you’ve checked your baby for hunger, pain, or discomfort and comforted her, she may still cry. Sometimes, babies simply want to cry, especially during the first trimester. A normal sustained cry sounds like a normal whining cry. The baby may be over-excited or over-energised. ^{[10] X Research Source}

A great resource to help you understand what is normal prolonged crying is the Purple-Faced Crying Stage (https://dontshake.org/purple-crying). This program provides material for you to understand the characteristics of a normal healthy baby’s cry.
Normal prolonged crying can be up to five hours a day.

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Recognize crying due to abdominal pain. Children with colic will cry harshly for no reason. Crying sounds painful and often shrill, like crying from pain. Your baby may show signs of stress, such as clenched fists, raised legs, and tight belly. Your baby may fart or leak a diaper after each cry due to colic. ^{[11] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Colic cries for at least three hours a day, more than three days a week, for at least three weeks.
Unlike normal, prolonged crying, colic crying usually occurs at a time of day, close to the time of normal fussiness. ^{[12] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
Try to keep a record of when your baby cries and when he cries if he seems to be crying a lot. Talk to your doctor if you’re not sure if your baby is crying because of colic.
The cause of abdominal pain has not been discovered and there is no cure. Comfort your baby when he has colic, keep his back straight when feeding to reduce gas in the abdomen. ^{[13] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}
Babies will stop crying from colic by the time they are three or four months old. Colic does not cause long-term adverse effects on the health and development of the baby.

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Recognize unusual crying. Certain patterns of crying can tell you something serious is going on. The abnormal cry is very shrill, three times higher than the normal cry. Or the sound may be unusually low. Persistent loud or low cries may indicate that your baby is seriously ill. If your baby cries in a pattern that you find strange, call the doctor.

If your baby is dropped or bumped and cries unnaturally, see a doctor immediately.
You should also take your baby to the doctor if she’s crying unnaturally and is moving or eating less than usual.
Call your doctor if you notice your baby’s breathing is unusual, fast or heavy, or movement is not normal.
Call 911 if your baby’s face turns pale, especially in the mouth. ^{[14] X Trusted Source Mayo Clinic Go to Source}

Advice

If your baby cries a lot and you’re uncomfortable or overly tired, ask a friend or family member to help you so you can rest.

Warning

Talk to your doctor if you’re afraid you might or have thoughts of hurting your baby.

Steps

Understanding Normal Cry

Understanding the Prolonged Cry

Advice

Warning

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