Why Do Babies Cry?

There’s no getting around the fact that babies cry. Since babies cannot communicate verbally, crying is one of the main ways babies use to communicate. But just what is it that baby wants? After much trial and error, you'll soon learn to anticipate your baby’s needs and may even be able to discern what the baby needs from her particular cry. Below is a list of the more common reasons that babies cry.

I'm Hungry - Once you learn to recognize the signs that your baby is hungry, you'll get pretty good at feeding her before she starts to really cry. But if she starts to cry, the first thing to do is check if she's hungry. While she may not stop crying immediately, if you let her keep eating, generally she'll stop once her stomach is full.

My Diaper Needs Changing - Some babies will let you know right away when they need to be changed while others don't mind when their diapers are soiled. Either way, eventually a soiled diaper is a very common reasons babies cry, especially if accompanied by tenderness or a baby rash.

I am Hot (or Cold) - Newborns like to be bundled up nice and warm. So if your baby feels cold, for example while changing his diaper, she’ll let you know that she's not happy by crying. With a little experience, you'll learn how to quickly change a diaper and wrap your baby back up.

Hold Me - Babies need a lot of cuddling and parental interaction. After being fed, burped, and changed, many babies may just want to be held. Infants vary a lot in terms of how much they want to be held- some demand a lot of attention, while others can spend long periods of time sitting by themselves. But if you’re baby wants to be held, go ahead and pick her up!

I’m Tired - While newborns seem to have more energy than the Energizer bunny, after a long afternoon, they can become over stimulated or tired. Newborns have to contend with a lot of new stimuli including noise, lights and new people and can quickly become overwhelmed. So if you’re baby is tired, take her somewhere quiet and see if you can rock him to sleep.

I Don't Feel Good - If you've just fed your baby and changed her diaper but she's still crying, it could be that your baby is not feeling well. Common food that doesn’t agree with the baby, indigestion (the baby may need to be burped) or even the cold or flu. The cry of a sick baby tends to be distinct from the hunger or frustration cry, and you'll soon learn when your baby doesn't sound right and needs to be taken to the doctor.

None of the Above - Sometimes newborns can be just plain fussy. Sometimes their lapse may just last a few minutes while at other times they can go into a full fledged breakdown. In these situations, look for things like rashes, colic, eczema or the need to be burped as other potential culprits.

Read More Parent Resources