Q: Hi, my baby is crying a lot, day and night. What can be the cause, and how can I cure it?

A: What’s my baby saying when he whimpers, when he cries, when he … what does it all mean. It can be pretty overwhelming trying to make sense out of it all, I know J

Let’s help you out: Here are some signals babies could be giving out when they cry

Hunger:

If your baby isn’t full after a feed, he would cry at the end of it and before the next one. Babies also don’t feel hungry at regular intervals and so there are days when he appears to need a feed more often and other days when he needs it infrequently.

So, offer a feed if you’re not sure what signal he is giving out.

Needing to be held:

We all worry about whether we will spoiling our babies if we carry them whenever they cry. Well, if your baby needs a cuddle and that’s why he is crying then you just need to carry him…and you won’t spoil him! A front carrying baby sling may be a good idea.

Otherwise, Carrying or gently rocking your baby is also a good idea. Rocking is better than vigorously joggling him up and down, because this may prevent him from drifting off to sleep.

Tiredness:

When a baby has had way too much excitement and stimulation, it can tire him out, making him irritable and unable to sleep.

Make a habit of putting your baby down in a quiet, darkened room and leave him for a few minutes, even if he’s crying, to see if he will settle and go off to sleep.

Too hot or too cold:

For those living in the tropics, this one is for you! J  You know those warm and woolly caps we wear on our children at all times, whether the weather is cold or hot? Bad idea!!! Babies can feel uncomfortably hot or cold, just as older children and adults do.

If your baby is sweating or his tummy feels hot to the touch, remove some of his clothing. If he is in his cot, take off some of the bedding. Remove hats and extra clothing as soon as you come indoors or enter a warm car, bus or train.

The room that a baby sleeps in should be neither too hot nor too cold. Please do not use a hot water bottle or electric blanket for your baby. Do not also place them in direct sunshine. These prevent overheating and significantly reduce the risk of cot death as well making him more comfortable.

Wet or dirty nappies:

Well, this bothers some children more than the others! However, regardless of which category your child falls in, please change the nappy as soon as you realize it’s wet or dirty. This helps to prevent nappy rash, which would almost certainly cause your baby discomfort.

Now you know what to do when your baby starts crying…let those maternal instincts kick in 😀 But if s/he continues to cry after figuring these out, you lose nothing by checking in with the doctor. Better safe than sorry.

All the best!