There is very little in the world that is quite as distressing to new parents as the sound of their children crying. However, newborns have no other way to communicate, so crying will quickly become a common event in the lives of new parents. There are several reasons why babies cry; learning each of these and identifying the source of your baby’s discontent will help you learn his or her specific cries for each type of issue. Most babies will cry differently when hungry, when irritated and when they need to be changed. You will soon learn what these sound like and will be able to recognize them easily.
When your baby is crying, especially within the first few months, hunger is the most likely culprit. In addition to crying, your child may be mouthing his own fist or turning his head to the nearest object and nuzzling it. If he has fed recently and still appears to be hungry, he may need to have some very watered-down cereal added to his diet. Check with his pediatrician if this is advisable for your baby. The need to have his diaper changed is the next most likely suspect. Some babies will cry almost immediately after soiling a diaper, while others may not be too bothered until the related sensations become uncomfortable.
Your baby will also cry when he is tired. It is a common misconception that babies will sleep when they need to. Unfortunately, it is easy for new parents to allow a baby to become overstimulated, which will cause him to have trouble unwinding and drifting off to sleep. You should have a quiet area for your baby where you can sit and hold him without bright lights, noise or other voices. That should allow the baby to relax enough in order to fall asleep. One other crying reason is discomfort; if nothing else is working, check for a temperature, rash or a need to burp.
