Crying Checklist: 10 Things to Check When Your Baby Cries

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Ineh Olisah

Babies cry to communicate a variety of needs or upsets, and spotting the right reason promptly each time they cry is key to soothing them quicker and curbing the usual frustration mums experience. Find 10 things to check when your baby cries…

1. Hunger. This is one of the very likely reasons your newborn may be crying as even if you fed them not too long ago, they get hungry very often because their small tummy can’t hold much at a time.

Before starting to cry, baby may be fussy, smack their lips and put their hands to their mouth. Watch out for these cues and offer breast milk or formula promptly to prevent bouts of crying due to hunger.

2. Soiled or wet diaper. Your baby may also need a nappy change. While some babies can tolerate a dirty diaper for a long while, others get irritated and protest by crying once their diaper is soiled by poop or urine. So, make sure to check baby’s diaper frequently, especially if they start crying. Try to offer as much nappy-free time as possible and use a quality barrier cream during nappy changes to protect baby’s skin.

3. Tiredness. Your baby may also be very tired and finding it difficult to soothe herself to sleep. If baby’s crying gets too much, offering a pacifier, breastfeeding, a warm bath, rocking her to sleep or backing her the traditional way may help. See other effective ways to soothe baby here.

4. Needs some cuddling time. Baby may also need some skin-to-skin or cuddling time with you. You may hold baby in your arms, cuddle as you sing to baby or wear in a sling.

5. Tummy gas or pain. Babies are quite prone to this due to their developing digestive system. So, if your baby cries during or immediately after feeding, he may have trapped tummy gas and need to burp. Simply patting or rubbing her back may help. See other ways to relief baby’s gas pain here.

6. Over-stimulation. Baby may also be telling you there’s too much than he can process going on around him and he needs some quiet or calm. If your baby has had a lot of sensory play activities, is in a very busy or noisy place, exposed to too much lights or received too much attention as a result of being with lots of family and friends, he may be over-stimulated and cry. See if taking him to a quiet room to soothe him helps.

7. Illness. Your baby may also be ill if his cries are persistent and accompanied by other signs including weakness and fever. See other signs your child may be ill here.

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8. Too hot. It’s also possible that baby is too hot due to wearing several layers of clothing or the weather. Baby may also be telling you he is cold and needs more warmth.

9. Wants more activity. Baby may also be bored and need you to stimulate him through some exciting play activities, fascinating outdoor sights and so on.

10. Teething. If your baby is between 4 – 7 months, his persistent bouts of crying may be as a result of this important milestone. See effective remedies to soothe baby’s teething pains here.

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