Crying lets others know when a young child is hungry, wet, tired, too warm, too cold, lonely, or in pain. If your child is crying, try to figure out the type of cry. It helps to go through a mental checklist of what might be wrong and to make sure that your child is safe and cared for. But remember that there may be nothing bothering your child. As parents or caregivers respond to the young child's other signals (such as whimpering, facial expressions, and wiggling), the child will usually cry less.
Parents and caregivers become better over time at knowing the cause of a young child's cry. A young child will often have different kinds of cries.
In rare cases, crying may point to a serious illness or injury. This type of crying usually lasts much longer than normal, and your baby may not be acting normally.
Crying can be very frustrating for a parent or caregiver. But never shake or harm your child. Shaking a child in anger or playing rough, such as throwing a child into the air, can injure the brain. Abusive head trauma needs to be reported to your doctor. If you find that you are losing patience or are afraid that you may hurt your child:
Certain medical conditions can cause a young child to cry. They include gastroesophageal reflux, inguinal hernia, and intussusception.
Along with crying, a baby who is in pain may:
It's often hard to tell the difference between colic and normal crying. Both types of crying increase over time, peaking at about 6 to 8 weeks of age. Most crying episodes occur in the late afternoon and evening hours, but the timing may vary. How long and how hard the baby cries may change from one day to the next.
The difference between colic and normal crying behavior is related to how often, how long, and how intensely your baby cries. Babies with colic:
Most babies with typical crying behavior are soothed and will cry less when they are held, fed, and given attention. But babies with colic aren't easily soothed after they start crying. And their episodes typically last longer than expected.
Colic is usually worst when babies are around 6 to 8 weeks of age. It tends to go away on its own between 8 and 14 weeks of age.
First, make sure your baby isn't hungry. Very young babies usually don't eat much at one sitting. They may get hungry 1 to 2 hours after a feeding. Feeding your baby might stop the crying.
Comforting techniques often will calm a crying baby if the crying isn't caused by pain. They may help comfort a baby with colic, because colic isn't caused by pain. Here are some things you can try.
Sucking can help babies relieve stress without crying. If you breastfeed, wait 3 or 4 weeks until breastfeeding is going well before you offer a pacifier.
Gently rock your baby, or use a mechanical swing.
You may find that singing the same song over and over is soothing. You can also try playing music at a low volume.
You can try a fan that hums, a vacuum cleaner, a clothes dryer, or recordings of womb sounds.
A white-noise sleep machine for babies may help. Put the machine far from the crib and use the lowest volume to keep the baby's hearing safe from harm. And use the machine only for short periods of time.
Touching, holding, and softly talking to the baby may stop the crying. You can also try carrying the baby around (in a sling or other baby carrier) while you are doing activities so that the baby is comforted by being close to you.
Swaddling means wrapping your baby in a blanket. When you swaddle your baby:
Give your child a warm bath if your child likes to take a bath.
Try walking or taking your child for a ride in a stroller or a car. Sometimes a walk outside can change a child's mood.
Hold your baby so that you put gentle pressure on the belly. Try holding your baby with their belly over your lower arm and their head at your elbow.
Tips for using the techniques
Stay as calm as you can, and remember that crying is a normal part of your child's life.
Never shake or harm your child. Shaking a child in anger or playing rough, such as throwing your child into the air, can cause an injury to the brain. Abusive head trauma needs to be reported to your doctor.
If you find that you are losing patience or are afraid that you may hurt your child:
If you are concerned about your parenting abilities, contact people or organizations that can help you find places to learn parenting skills. You can contact:
Health problems or injuries can cause a baby to cry. And they can make a colicky baby's crying worse. For example:
Call 911 anytime you think you or your child may need emergency care. For example, call if:
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If you or someone you know talks about suicide, self-harm, a mental health crisis, a substance use crisis, or any other kind of emotional distress, get help right away. You can:
Consider saving these numbers in your phone.
Go to 988lifeline.org for more information or to chat online.
Call your doctor now or seek immediate medical care if:
Watch closely for changes in your child's health, and be sure to contact your doctor if:
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