Most parents aren't prepared for the fact that they may have to cope with a crying baby for two or three hours a day though!
Fortunately, most of that crying is not continuous.
Your Crying Baby
Why do babies cry?One of the main reasons is that it is really their only way to communicate with us. So they cry when they are hungry, cold, tired, or need to be changed. One way to help your crying baby could be to anticipate these needs and quickly respond to them. Remember that you really can't spoil your newborn baby, so don't worry about picking him up right away or that you are holding him too much.
More frustrating though is when your baby cries for no reason at all.
Crying Too Much
How do you know if your baby is crying too much?The first step is to simply trust your instincts and see your pediatrician if you think your baby is crying too much. Even if your crying baby is totally normal, some reassurance will help you to feel better.
Otherwise, look for some of these signs and symptoms that might indicate that your baby's crying might be caused by a 'real' problem, including:
- having a fever, cough, and/or runny nose
- crying during or right after feedings
- really crying all of the time and for more than three hours a day
- having reflux or spitting up a lot
- having gas, diarrhea, or foul-smelling stools
- losing weight or not gaining weight normally
- having bloody stools
