A crying baby is undoubtedly one of the most stressful times for parents. Various reasons can lead to hours of crying, restlessness, and long sleepless nights.
This is why a baby may cry at night:
1. It’s hungry. This is the first thing that comes to mind when a child cries. The baby has high energy needs to ensure rapid growth and metabolism. On the other hand, his stomach is small and he needs to eat more often. In breast-fed babies, this happens every 2-3 hours, and in formula-fed babies, it can happen less often – around 3-4 hours. This is because breast milk is absorbed faster. For this, if the baby cries at night, first check if he is not hungry.
2. Abdominal pain/colic. The cause of colic is still not fully understood. However, they are seen very often between the ages of 1 and 3 months. They usually occur in the evening and in the wee hours of the night and can seriously disrupt the sleep of not only the child but also the parents. Signs that the baby may be crying as a result of colic are curling of the legs, passing of gas, and lively peristalsis (“gurgling” of the tummy). The therapeutic effect of colic is of unproven effect, mainly due to the still unclear etiology. There are some studies on probiotics, simethicone preparations, and others, but their effects are uncertain.
3. Teething. This occurs around the sixth month, but it can happen both earlier and later. The baby is restless, puts various objects in his mouth, chews them, and rubs his gums. During this period, it is possible to have a slightly elevated temperature. Complaints stop with teething. If the baby is very restless, you can give him a pain reliever – paracetamol or ibuprofen or use topical agents. The gums are smeared with them, they have an analgesic and anti-inflammatory effect.
4. Changing the diaper. Some babies start crying right after pooping, indicating that their diaper needs to be changed. Feces have a more acidic pH and irritate the baby’s delicate skin. In some cases, this can be the reason for the development of diaper dermatitis, the skin becomes red and painful to the touch.
5. He is cold. The rule is that the baby is dressed in one more layer of clothes. At night, it should be covered with a cotton blanket (depending on the season), and the temperature in the room should be kept around 20 o C. The baby is more likely to cry when it is cold than when it is warm. You can check its temperature comfort by touching the neck – it should be warm but not sweaty – then the temperature is right.
6. Seeks closeness. In the dark room, the baby may want to “make sure” that he is not alone. Closeness with parents is very important and shows the building of a good relationship.
7. Overtiredness. If during the day the baby was in an unfamiliar environment, with unfamiliar people, he took in too much information that his nervous system could not process. It becomes overexcited and although it is tired, it cannot sleep. Here you need a little patience on the part of the parents, providing a calm, quiet environment in a familiar environment for the baby.
8. Illness. Excessive irritation, restlessness, and loud crying raise concerns among parents about whether the baby is getting sick. Take the baby’s temperature. If there are other signs of illness – runny nose, cough, difficulty breathing, ear pulling, vomiting, diarrhea – it is necessary to consult a doctor.
With a crying baby, you must first of all keep calm and composure. The child senses your insecurity and this accentuates his irritation even more.
If the baby cries for too long, and you feel that you are at the limit of your patience and may unknowingly hurt him, leave him immediately and call for help. Vigorously shaking your baby in an attempt to stop the crying can cause irreparable harm and severe long-term consequences.
