Some young babies have prolonged bouts of crying, which typically
occur in the late afternoon and evening, and can last any where between
two and four hours. Babies often begin this pattern of persistent
crying at about three weeks of age, and will usually have grown out of
it by about three months. This pattern of crying has become known as
colic, because as the baby becomes increasingly upset and difficult to
soothe, he may often pull his legs up and arch his back as if
experiencing abdominal pain. In fact, it's probably misleading to give
it any special name, because there doesn't seem to be any known cause
for this pattern.
Getting Through It
A baby who is
persistently fretful may cry readily at other times, not just in the
evening. However, the evening pattern of crying can be a particular
strain for parents, especially if one or both of you has been working
during the day. It may be that your baby senses and resets to your
tiredness at this time. Although this crying pattern may only last three
months, this period can seem never ending to new parents who have to
deal with their baby's distress day after day. Trying some of the
suggestions for soothing your baby given below and should help you
through this difficult time.
Accepting Help From Others
Some
times a crying baby can make parents who are already tired from broken
nights feel quite desperate this is the time to speck help. Don't ever
feel that you are failing as parents if you accept assistance, countless
other parents will have felt as frustrated and exhausted as you because
their babies have cried a lot and have been difficult to soothe. Jump
at the chance if your baby's grandparents or other friends or relations
offer to care for your baby for a while so you can get out on your own
for a couple of hours or enjoy some unbroken sleep. If they don't offer
any help, don't be afraid to ask them. There's no need to feel guilty
they will be glad to have the chance to relieve you, and it will help
you to get things back into perspective. It's a great help, too, to talk
to healthcare or baby care professionals, who are there to support you.
Comforting Your Older Baby
As
your baby grows and becomes more aware of her surroundings, her pattern
of crying will change because it's not the only way she can communicate
with you now. Her reasons for crying will also be easier for you to
both predict and interpret. You'll begin to distinguish between
frustration, hunger, pain, or loneliness. Even when your baby is
beginning to become more mobile and independent, the best way to comfort
her if she's unhappy is with your company, hugs, and cuddles.
Security Blankets
Toward
their first birthday, many babies will have become attached to a
particular comfort item a favorite soft toy, cloth, or blanket that
probably helps them sleep and that may be grabbed when they're feeling a
bit insecure and upset. Other babies become attached to a pacifier or
suck their thumbs. This is perfectly normal, and there's no point in
distressing your baby by removing the item on the grounds that it is a
bad habit, it isn't. As your baby's confidence and independence develop
after her first birthday, she'll gradually become less dependent on her
security object, although it may take a year or so. It's a good idea to
have some spares in case the main one needs washing.
Teething And Crying
Your
baby's teeth will normally start to come through from about six months,
so she'll dribble a lot and her gums will occasionally be sore. Your
baby may become rather grumbly when she's teething, and it's usually
quite obvious if she's uncomfortable, she'll want to chew a lot and may
have a hot, red area on her check. However, it isn't a good idea always
to blame persistent crying on teething, when in fact your baby may be
bored, or even ill.
Troubleshooting
There are lots of reasons why an older baby may cry.
She's bored
Your
baby may cry from boredom if left alone, unable to hear your voice and
with nothing to look at or play with. You are her favorite playmate, so
keep her where she can see you and you can talk to her, and don't leave
her for long periods alone in her crib if she's crying. Some babies do
play happily in their cribs for a while after waking, so leave toys and
books with in reach.
She's frustrated
As your baby grows,
her desire to do things outstrips her ability to do them, and so she
gets frustrated and often starts to cry as a result. She may also cry if
you don't let her have something she wants. Change her toys
frequently-her attention span is still short. Find time to play with
her.
She's afraid
At about six months your baby will cry
when she's separated from you, and she'll be nervous of other people,
even when she knows them well. Right from the start, get her used to
seeing you leave the room and come back in again. This way she'll
gradually learn that she can trust you always to return to her. Make
sure she meets lots of other people before she reaches this stage and
learns that even if you leave her with some one else for a while, you
always come back.
She's sick or has hurt herself
If your
baby hurts herself, you'll know at once from her cry, but it may be more
difficult to tell when she's sick, for what you should do if your baby
is ill or has an accident.
For more information about baby complications
[http://www.babycareinfo.org], have a visit at authors site. You will
also know about some more articles on pregnancy
[http://www.babycareadvice.org] and natural health care.
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