When a baby cries, there’s generally a reason for it: it’s hungry, thirsty, in pain, or has a wet diaper. The light is too bright, the noise too loud, or it’s bored, unhappy, or even just tired. Crying babies put parents or caregivers on alert. The child not only tells them that he or she is uncomfortable, but at the same time asks them to stop that discomfort.
How much crying is normal?
A crying period of up to two hours a day in the first three months is considered quite normal. But some babies cry more, much more: persistently and persistently, at least three hours a day, at least three days a week, for more than three weeks.
Such so-called crying babies can neither be calmed by breastfeeding nor by carrying, rocking or swaddling. They cry so persistently and inconsolably that parents no longer know how to help their child. To rule out possible serious diseases that could be responsible for the baby’s excessive crying, the pediatrician should be consulted in any case.
Writing baby: causes and triggers
Until a few years ago, the cause of a lot of crying was considered to be mainly digestive problems, diagnosis: three-month colic. Colic symptoms such as a hard belly, red skin color and tense and bent arms and legs were often observed in the children. Despite a large number of investigations, however, no clear evidence was found for the suspected causes.
Only about eleven percent of children who cry a lot really have abdominal pain and digestive problems. 90 percent of all crying babies make their displeasure known without any organic ailment. Modern infant research assumes that a lot of crying is an expression of delayed behavioral regulation.
Another way of putting it is that crying babies have more trouble finding their way around after birth than others and that is why they cry so much. Their sleep-wake rhythm is disturbed, so they are usually half asleep, overtired and constantly whining. Cry babies can become “cry babies.” These are extremely restless, show behavioral abnormalities such as banging their heads or running into walls, suffer from eating and sleeping disorders or later attention deficit disorder (ADHD).
Help against screaming without end
Remedy is needed not only for the nerves of parents. Calming down and relaxing is the first priority. Cuddle your child or rock him gently as soon as he cries. Soothers, a warm bath or a massage can be helpful. For many babies, it has a calming effect if they are often carried in a sling or pouch during the day. The close physical contact with the mother does them good.
Eye contact is also important, experts say. Try to get your baby used to a normal day-night rhythm. If the baby sleeps continuously for more than three hours during the day, wake him gently. This will postpone the longest sleep periods (more than five hours) until nighttime.
Some cry babies find that they can partially help themselves by putting their thumb, finger, or whole hand in their mouth to suck on. This calms them down.
Very important: Don’t get nervous when the baby starts crying. Restlessness and hecticness are quickly transferred to the child, only unsettle the baby further and the crying becomes even worse.
Cry ambulances
In addition, there are several ways to get advice and help. In most large cities, for example, there are so-called crying outpatient clinics. They are often affiliated with children’s centers or children’s hospitals. A central point of contact with many years of experience is the “Munich Outpatient Clinic for Cry Babies” at the Munich Children’s Center.
Sources: 1 Hofacker, N. v. (1998). Early childhood disorders of behavioral regulation and parent-child relationship. On differential diagnosis and therapy of psychosomatic problems in infancy. In: K. v. Klitzing (Ed.): Psychotherapy in early childhood. Göttingen: Vandenhoeck and Rup-recht.50-71. 2 Brazelton, T. B., Cramer, B. G. (1994). Early attachment. 2nd ed. Stuttgart: Klett Cott (pgk).
