Taking care of a baby can become fairly routine after a while. As you spend time with him or her you can get a sense for why she might be feeling a certain way, and you can help her stay on a schedule of playing, being held, eating and sleeping.
But before this schedule is put together (almost as soon as it changes) it can be difficult to know why your baby is crying.
Why is Your Baby Crying?
Babies cry because it is their only means of letting you know they are:
- Uncomfortable
- Hurt
- Lonely
- Cold
- Hot
- Tired
- Awake
- Bored
- Sad
So, when a baby is crying, parents should attempt any of the following:
- Feed the baby
- Burp the baby
- Change diaper
- Check that clothing isn’t too tight
- Check that baby isn’t too hot or cold
Caring for a Child Gets Easier With Time
Just as an 8-year-old can be easier to care for than a 4-year-old, an infant of 6 months can be easier than one of 3 months.
Right now my 6-month-old is asleep in bed. She has her thumb for self-soothing if she’s not hungry, cold, hot, wet or dirty. She also likes to play on the floor as she is begining to crawl.
Along with this, I’ve gotten a better handle of how to do this parenting thing. I know that when I’m feeding her she might cry, and if she does she needs to be upright so that the gas that’s making her uncomfortable will rise for her to release it.
I might not have known this before and would have just stumbled into it. Now, I’ve am at a point where I understand her and what she needs.
The most important thing parents need to remember is that when their child is crying, he or she is trying to say something but is yet to articulate it. Attending to the five areas above will almost always cure a child of his or her discomfort and pain.
Related Articles:
Being a Stay-at-Home Parent is a Serious Profession
Taking Time Out When Baby is Crying
Struggling Helps Children Become Stronger
Breast Fed Babies Have Less Bowel Movements
