Crying is a way of communication since babies can’t speak, and they keep crying until something they want is not fulfilled. Since they can’t talk, a mother needs to guess what is wrong and what the baby wants. There can be so many possibilities for crying. So, let’s find out why they cry and how to make a baby stop crying.
Babies can cry for 2-3 hours a day, and sometimes even more. Are you feeling frustrated yet? Babies cry more than at any other time during the first 3 months. So, why do they cry so much? What can be the meaning behind their cries?
Here are some reasons new parents should know why their baby won’t stop crying.
- Hunger can be the first reason.
- It’s possible that the baby is hot or cold.
- The baby may be in pain or have a fever.
- It’s possible that the baby’s diaper is moist or soiled.
- The baby might be sleepy and tired.
- Overfeeding can make babies uncomfortable.
- Trying to burp but could not.
- The baby might be disturbed.
- Trying to get themselves rocked or swaddled.
- Building up gas.
- The baby could be seeking love and comfort.
- The baby might feel lonely or bored.
- Colic, acid reflux, or food allergies.
Now that you know why babies cry, let’s solve your problem “How to make a baby stop crying” The answers are from healthcare professionals, experienced moms, and caretaking nannies.
How to Make a Baby Stop Crying
As parents, you should know how to make a baby stop crying. Here are some tips on how you could make a baby stop crying. Go through the following ways to guess the meaning behind cries and try them to soothe your baby.
1. Feed the baby
Babies do not eat foods as adults do, and their only food and diet is milk. So, they need it frequently, and they are hungry from time to time. It is better if it is the mother’s breast milk, but you can use formula too.
Babies should be well fed, or they will start crying out of hunger. Get the signals as soon as the baby starts sucking hands or rooting for nipples.
2. Check clothing layers
Babies are sensitive. You might be feeling warm, but you don’t know what the baby is feeling. The layer of clothing should be comfortable and maintain a suitable temperature for the baby. Too many clothes make them hot, and too few layers make them cold.
Too much exposure to cold can cause Pneumonia. Babies should be kept at a perfect temperature and comfortable, which can silence a fussy baby.
3. Check for fever
If your baby doesn’t stop crying, one of the causes can be fever. Babies are prone to small fevers now and again, and they become irritable and annoyed and cry out of pain.
If a baby cries a lot for no other obvious reason, you should check for fevers. If it is a fever, consult with a paediatrician immediately.
4. Change the diaper
Since babies do not have developed bladder control, they pee on the diaper, and they are poop machines. A baby poops a lot. You should not be feeling frustrated.
And it is okay and healthy for a baby to poop a lot. As your baby’s stomach fills up, the milk stimulates their digestive tract, giving them the urge to poop.
They cannot say “I wet myself” or “I soiled myself,” so they stay as if nothing happened and then cry when they get uncomfortable. One of the obvious reasons for crying babies is wet or dirty diapers. So, check the diaper and change it if needed.
5. Let babies sleep
Babies need a lot of sleep. They can sleep from 14 to 17 hours a day, and they should not be disturbed while sleeping. It would be best if you let babies fulfil their naps. It is also better to develop a night sleep habit rather than day sleep.
Baby sleeps like an angel, but you should never wake a baby mid-nap. Also, mothers should limit their caffeine intake because mothers’ excessive caffeine intake and breastfeeding a baby can cause babies trouble falling asleep.
6. Do not overfeed
If your baby doesn’t stop crying, it may be because you probably overfed your baby. Babies want to be fed frequently, but this doesn’t mean that you should try to overfeed at once, so you do not have to often.
Overfeeding causes a baby to bloat up and make them uncomfortable, which makes the baby cry. Babies can develop gas as well.
7. Rock or swaddle
Rocking or swaddling a baby can stop babies from crying. Light rocking in the bassinet or your arms makes them relaxed. Be careful while rocking and swaddling. The shaking would be slow and delicate, or you would be giving the baby shaken baby syndrome.
Forcefully shaking a baby can cause the Shaken baby syndrome. Make the swings and rocks gentle. You can even sing or hum while swinging them.
Cuddle them, be funny, make faces, have weird voices, and cute accents, dance around, be a monkey and jump around, and be entertaining; these can make babies smile.
8. Switch on the white noise machine
Some babies relax when they hear rhythmic whooshing sounds that remind them of their mother’s womb. Vacuum cleaners, hairdryers, and fans are all good options for white noise machines. Some white noise machines can mimic the heartbeat of a mother’s heart, which can be soothing for newborns.
You can also try shushing your infant with “Shhhhhh…shhhhhh” sounds or invest in a white-noise machine.
9. Be near baby
Another way of making a baby stop crying is being near them. Babies have a weird sense of environment. They can know when there is nobody around them, and they can sense they are lonely in the vicinity.
They need constant care and presence. Babies can smell mother and breast milk, so the baby starts to cry as soon as they are out of the smelling range.
10. Do the colic carry
Sometimes babies cry a lot more than any other time. Pay attention to the crying duration. If it is longer than normal times, this can be because of colic. It is a condition when a baby cries inconsolably. You can do what is known as “colic carry.”
Carry your baby on your forearm on their tummy and use your other hand to gently rub the back, relieving your baby from colic and gas. By doing colic carry you can make a baby stop crying in no time.
11. Change the scene
Changing scenery can calm a fussy and crying baby. Sometimes babies get bored lying in the same crib, so they want to go places but can’t on their own, and they want someone to pick them up and take them.
They call anyone near them crying, so carry them around soothing, raising them high up, letting the baby see things around which can settle a fussy baby.
12. Consult with a paediatrician
Sometimes the reasons your baby cries could be something else, something out of the obvious like dirty diapers, hungry, sleepy, etc. It could be acid flux, food allergies, pains, Pneumonia, etc.
If your baby won’t stop crying even after the above-mentioned soothing ways, you should look up healthcare professionals. A paediatrician should routinely check up on babies. You can search for one at the mayo clinic if you don’t have one.
Conclusion
Even with all the meaning behind the cries, you must understand that sometimes babies cry for no reason and be okay with it. Crying is natural for a baby, and all they want is their mother’s attention, and the mother should pay attention to all the signs.
If the ways mentioned above did not help you calm your fussy baby, you should consult with your paediatrician or any healthcare professional. If you don’t have one, you can find one around you from mayo clinic, a non-profit organization committed to clinical practice.
