Why Is My Baby Crying? Decoding Newborn Sounds & Soothing Like a Pro

 I freaked out the first time my baby had a full-blown crying fit. I had fed him, changed him, burped him, and checked his temperature. Everything seemed fine, but he kept crying like the world was ending. I remember calling my mom and crying because I thought I was already failing as a parent. She chuckled softly and said, "Welcome to parenthood." "Your job is to stay calm and help babies through it when they cry."

Being able to figure out what different types of cries mean helped me stay alive. If you know what to listen for, you can tell that newborns cry in different ways. The hunger cry starts out as a whimper and then turns into rhythmic wailing. The tired cry is more whiny and comes and goes. The "I am uncomfortable" cry is usually loud and sudden. The "I am overstimulated" cry sounds frantic and overwhelming, while the "pain" cry is high-pitched and intense. After weeks of practice, I could tell what most cries were within seconds.

The 5 S's method changed the way we live together in our home. Swaddling made my baby feel safe and calm, just like being in the womb. Positioning on the side or stomach (only while awake and being watched) helped with gas and comfort. White noise or my voice shushing sounded like the whooshing sounds from the womb. The calming reflex was triggered by swinging or moving slowly. Sucking on a pacifier, finger, or breast made me feel better right away. Even the most difficult episodes were easier to handle when I combined several S's.

Timing was very important to stop crying fits. I learned the signs that my baby was hungry early on, like lip smacking, rooting, and moving his hands to his mouth. I fed him before he got too hungry and cried. I looked for signs that he was tired, like yawning and rubbing his eyes, and I put him down for naps before he got too tired. At first, it was harder to tell if he was overstimulated, but I noticed that he cried more after busy days with a lot of visitors or things to do.

I had no idea what the witching hour was going to be like. My baby, who had been calm until then, started crying a lot every night from 5 to 8 PM when he was about 3 to 4 weeks old. I felt powerless because nothing worked. My pediatrician told me that this is very common because babies' nervous systems are still growing and they often have fussy times as they process all the things that happened during the day. It helped me stay calm during those tough times to know that it was normal.

There were times when nothing worked, no matter how hard I tried. Those were the hardest times, when my baby would not stop crying even though I would tried everything to calm him down. I learned that it was okay to put him in a safe place, like his crib, and take a five-minute break to breathe and calm down. Babies can feel when we are stressed, so staying calm helped both of us. I also learned that babies sometimes need to cry to let out stress, and my job was to be there for them and comfort them while they did it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What are the main reasons newborns cry?

A: Hunger, tiredness, discomfort, overstimulation, need for comfort, gas, or sometimes just needing to release tension.

Q: How long is normal for a newborn to cry each day?

A: Newborns typically cry 1-3 hours daily, with peak crying around 6 weeks old, then gradually decreasing.

Q: What is the witching hour?

A: A common evening fussy period (usually 5-8 PM) when babies cry more, typically starting around 3-4 weeks old.

Q: When should I be concerned about excessive crying?

A: If crying is high-pitched, lasts more than 3 hours daily for several days, or baby shows other concerning symptoms.

Q: Is it okay to let my newborn cry?

A: Brief periods are okay if you need a break, but newborns need comfort and shouldn't be left to "cry it out."

Q: What is the 5 S's method?

A: Swaddling, Side/stomach positioning, Shushing, Swinging, and Sucking - five techniques to calm crying babies.

Q: Why does my baby cry more in the evening?

A: Evening fussiness is common due to overstimulation, tiredness, and the developing nervous system processing the day.

Q: Can newborns be spoiled by too much comfort?

A: No, you cannot spoil a newborn. Responding to their cries builds trust and security.

Q: How can I stay calm when my baby won't stop crying?

A: Take breaks when needed, breathe deeply, remember it's temporary, and ask for help from family or friends.

Q: What if none of my soothing techniques work?

A: Sometimes babies need to cry to release tension. Stay present, comfort them, and consult your paediatrician if concerned.

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