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We've all heard it:
the shrill scream of an infant echoing across the grocery store, restaurant,
theater, mall, or church. Let’s face it, babies are everywhere, and where there
are babies, there is bound to be crying.You're probably familiar with the image
of a young, and probably frazzled, mother doing a strange
bouncing-jiggling-rocking dance to try and soothe her fussing child.
So what do an infant’s cries mean, anyway? When is a baby crying too
much? And perhaps the most important question for parents, caregivers, and
others: how do we make the crying stop?
There are a few theories dominating the parenting and baby world about an
infant’s cries. But before we discuss those theories, let’s review the basics.
A newborn infant cries for three main reasons: hunger, pain or discomfort, and
tiredness. As an infant ages, he or she may cry for various other reasons,
including boredom, fear, and overstimulation. New parents are often confused
and frustrated when a baby cries, because they don’t understand why their baby
is crying. In my experience, it helps to remember this one key fact when my son
is screaming my ear off:
Infant crying is a language, and we have to learn to speak it.
That’s right. A child’s cry is one of the few ways she knows how to
communicate her needs to her parents. It’s a language we used to speak
fluently, but have forgotten how. New parents, and sometimes with each new
child, have to learn to listen to their children’s cries and decipher what they
mean. The pitch and tone of a child’s cry, as well as the situation surrounding
the baby, are great indicators to parents and caregivers as to why a child is
crying. For example, a low, dull cry often indicates hunger, and a shrill,
piercing scream is a good indicator that the baby is in pain.
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As your relationship
with your baby increases, you’ll be able to pinpoint exactly what each of his
little cries mean. For example, when my son was about three months old I
noticed there were certain times where he would make a certain sound while
crying, and only when he wanted me. If someone else picked him up, he would
scream this sound even louder until I took him, and then he’d quiet right down
or switch to his “hungry” or “tired” cry. We were learning to communicate, and
most importantly I was learning his language. As a result, his crying was less
frantic when I was around, because he knew I would be there to understand his
language and meet his needs.
Sometimes, parents find that their child seems to cry or fuss for an
abnormal amount of time, in spite of mom or dad’s best efforts to soothe them.
There are a few explanations for this behavior, including colic, GERD
(Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), and growth spurts.
According to Dr. Neil Kaneshiro, a pediatrician at the University Of
Washington School Of Medicine, a baby is considered to be colicky if he or she
cries for more than three hours at a time without medical cause (Kaneshiro).
Colic can be caused by overstimulation, gas, dairy or food sensitivity,
discomfort from overfeeding, and a strong emotion such as fear, depression, and
anxiety (Kaneshiro). Some parents find that their colicky babies can be soothed
with gripe water, motion such as rocking or gentle bouncing, soft singing,
running water or fans, or a long walk or car ride. Sometimes, babies refuse to
be soothed and will continue to fuss despite your best efforts. As long as
their needs have been met, there is nothing more you can do for them. If you feel you are becoming overwhelmed with your screaming child, it is perfectly alright to set them down in a safe place and take a few minutes to yourself. Please, NEVER shake a crying infant. This can cause serious brain injury and death. See resources below for more information on Shaken Baby Syndrome.
GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease, also called infant acid reflux,
affects a small number of babies. It is characterized by projectile vomiting
immediately following feedings, failure to gain weight, bloody spit up or
stool, and occasionally breathing issues (“Infant Reflux”). This can be
relieved with medications and sometimes diet changes. If you believe your child has acid reflux or GERD, consult your child's doctor.
Growth spurts are normal and happen quite often during an infant’s first
months. Often, babies will nurse or eat more frequently, called “cluster
feeding,” fuss a great deal more than usual, sleep less (or more, in some
cases), and be otherwise irritable. This is an important, normal part of an infant’s
development, and should only last a few days to a week.
The cries of a small baby can seem frightening, frustrating,
heartbreaking, and sometimes aggravating. But once we learn to understand why
and what the baby needs, it is much easier to cope with and relate to those
helpless little whimpers. Soon enough, those cries will be replaced with words
and a whole other system of communication will develop between you and your
child.
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References and Resources
WebMD On Baby Colic and GERD:
"Baby Colic Symptoms, Causes, Remedies, and More." WebMD. WebMD, 01 May 0000. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.webmd.com/parenting/baby/crying-colic-9/what-is-colic>
The Fussy Baby Site: www.thefussybabysite.com
Brennan,
Daniel, M.D. "When Is Fussiness a Concern?" The Fussy Baby
Site. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.thefussybabysite.com/coping/when-is-fussiness-a-concern/>.
CDC On SBS:
"Heads Up: Prevent Shaken Baby Syndrome." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 09 Mar. 2012. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.cdc.gov/concussion/headsup/sbs.html>.
The Mayo Clinic On Acid Reflux:
www.mayoclinic.org
"Infant
Reflux." Infant Acid Reflux Definition. Mayo Clinic, n.d. Web.
20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/infant-acid-reflux/basics/definition/con-20026253>.
The U.S. National Library of Medicine: www.nlm.nih.gov
Kaneshiro,
Neil K., M.D. "Colic and Crying: MedlinePlus Medical
Encyclopedia." U.S National Library of Medicine. U.S. National
Library of Medicine, 08 Feb. 2011. Web. 20 Jan. 2014.
<http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000978.htm>.
Pregnant Chicken: www.pregnantchicken.com
Morrison,
Amy. "My Baby Won't Stop Crying." Pregnant Chicken. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 20 Jan. 2014. <http://www.pregnantchicken.com/pregnant-chicken-blog/2011/10/1/my-baby-wont-stop-crying.html>.
Sears, William, Martha Sears, and Caroline Deacon. The Fussy Baby Book: Parenting Your High-Need Child From Birth To Age Five. London: Thorsons, 2005. Print.
The Period of Purple Crying:
The Wonder Weeks: www.thewonderweeks.com
The Wonder Weeks. N.p., n.d. Web. 21 Jan. 2014. <http://www.thewonderweeks.com/>.
There are many more resources out there for causes of infant crying. If you have concerns about your child, always consult his or her pediatrician.
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