Understanding your baby’s cries
It can be difficult to know what your baby is trying to tell you, but as you get to know them, you’ll learn what different cries mean. You’ll soon be able to narrow down the possible causes so you can have fewer tears and more smiles.
Start by ruling things out. The most common causes of crying are:
• Hunger
• A wet or dirty nappy: change your baby
• The need for reassurance: give your baby a cuddle, rock them or talk to them
• Temperature: check your baby’s not too hot or cold. A comfortable room temperature is around 16-20 oC, and a good body temperature is around 37 oC.
Other reasons for upset
If you’ve made sure your baby has been breast-fed, changed, cuddled and made comfortable and they’re still crying, it could be because of stomach discomfort or nappy rash.
Nappy rash
Nappy rash is a dry, sore skin condition which can be caused by the ammonia from a dirty nappy, the alcohol in some baby wipes, or strong detergent (if it’s been used to wash terry-cloth nappies). It’s uncomfortable for your baby and can understandably make them cry. Find out how to get rid of nappy rash and your baby will be much more comfortable.
If you’ve eliminated all of the above as reasons why your baby might be crying and you’re still worried, speak to your doctor.