19.09.2024.
Crying in young babies is an automatic reflex, like pulling a hand away from something hot. Newborns do not cry a lot on purpose or to get at parents. It is true that older babies can cry deliberately, for example if they want to be picked up. But they cannot do this until they are about 6 months old.
Sensitive responsiveness to infant cues helps to build affectionate and trusting relationships and is nowadays generally recommended.
UK parent support group The Cry-sis Helpline has received contacts from parents worried by claims that any crying can damage their baby’s developing brains. There is no evidence to support these claims, accentuates The Cry-sis.
Video recordings have shown that UK parents sharing a room with their baby typically take one or two minutes to detect and respond to their baby’s crying at night. Similar findings exist in other cultures. As noted before, most babies with colic, who cry a lot, grow and develop normally.
Few parents deliberately leave young babies to cry for long periods, but an instant response is not always practical.
Is your baby unwell?
In most cases, crying is not the result of a baby being ill. However, it is important to check and reassure yourself that there really is nothing wrong. Here are some things to look for:
- Signs of fever? Check baby’s temperature. NHS Choices recommend using a digital thermometer, touching the skin under your baby’s armpit (not through clothes) to confirm a temperature. A normal temperature is about 36.4°C, but this differs slightly from baby to baby. Over 37.5°C is usually considered a fever.
- Bringing up part of a feed is common in early infancy, but frequent vomiting and failure to gain weight may indicate a more serious problem. Your health visitor or GP can offer guidance.
- Is your baby constipated? Babies vary a lot in how often they poo. If you are worried about this, though, ask your health visitor or GP.
- Food intolerance. This is rare – few babies cry a lot because they cannot tolerate cow’s milk or other foods. But this can affect breast-fed babies as well as formula-fed ones. Your health visitor or GP can provide guidance.
For advice on other feeding concerns contact your health visitor, GP or NCT counsellor.
Other illnesses or physical disorders that cause a baby to cry a lot without any fever do occur, but they are rare. Always contact your health visitor or GP if you suspect your baby is unwell.
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