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Baby crying: stop preconceived ideas
Baby crying is a a recurring source of concern among parents. At Allo Parents Bébé, the toll-free number for parenting support, 20% of calls relate to this issue. Many parents worry about not knowing why baby is crying. And yet these sobs are quite normal. Know that less than 5% of crying has a medical origin. Crying is a newborn baby’s only means of communication. Your baby makes you understand that he needs you, to be reassured, to eat, to be changed… However, you should know that crying is not most of the time explained in a unique way. There is no real characteristic that would allow you to understand what triggered them.
With practice, mothers can nevertheless succeed in identifying certain functional and occasional crying.
The first months of an infant’s life are special. While for nine months he did not need anything, he was subjected to various constraints such as eating, being changed, drinking etc. However, he is unable to meet his needs on his own. This crying is part of the normal development of a child. They are even a sign of his good health. “A baby who doesn’t cry is strange»Warns Dr Picherot. A study carried out among the Maasai of Kenya in 1974 even showed that in times of severe drought, babies who survived were the ones who cried the most.
In short, when baby cries, make sure that his diaper is clean, that he has eaten his fill, that he is not thirsty, also check his temperature (from 38 ° C it is better to take it to the doctor). And if a priori everything is normal, do not stress. It is characteristic of little humans to cry even when they are full or changed. According to pediatrician Gisèle Gremmo-Feger *, the frequency of crying increases in the second week of life, peaks in the second month (between six and eight weeks), then decreases and stabilizes around five months. Be patient !
He’s crying because he’s constipated
The famous “infant colic” is more a way of describing crying than a symptom of a pathology. “ It is even a very French expression for excessive crying, specifies Dr Picherot. Expression that leads to confusion. The baby is still too assimilated to a digestive tract and doctors are still very quick to prescribe drugs or to recommend a change of milk for no reason ».
“Analysis” of baby crying on mobile Interpreting the baby’s crying is what some mobile applications promise. Just place the microphone near your infant and … in just 10 SECONDS the translation appears: hunger, stress, discomfort or boredom. Researchers at IBM are even considering building a computer capable of analyzing human emotions. As for the Japanese, they have developed a computer program that can analyze the crying of the child. According to the first tests, the program would have achieved 100% success. These technological attempts are invalidated by research which shows that it is impossible to associate a specific cause with crying. A crying child usually just needs a hug, and the phone won’t be able to give it. |
Baby’s crying also depends on the parents’ perception
Crying may be normal from a medical point of view, it is nonetheless difficult to bear for the parents whom they worry, disturb, tire or even annoy. Some people are more or less tolerant of the baby’s cries. In Western societies, baby crying is quickly perceived as ” abnormal “And the child can very quickly be labeled as” difficult “. However, there is nothing more normal than a crying baby. It’s all a matter of perception. Parents who are exhausted and therefore intolerant of crying certainly outnumber heavy babies who cry.
His crying is due to digestive problems
He squirms crying, does he have gas? It is a very common phenomenon in newborns, often referred to as “infant colic”. They eat often and their digestion is sometimes difficult. By taking him on your arm, head to the side near your elbow, with your hand holding his abdomen, he can calm down very quickly. You can also massage her stomach with the flat of your hand, making large circles around the navel.
He cries because he is uncomfortable
Some babies can’t stand to stay with it a dirty diaper and they make it known. As soon as he is dry, baby calms down. Another possible cause of the baby’s protests, a too high temperature in his room. Be careful not to exceed 18 to 19 ° C and do not cover it too much.
At the end of the day, sometimes he screams
The causes of this “evening blues” are not well known, but some babies are melancholy at nightfall and express it by continuous crying for a good half hour. It stresses you out and he can feel it. Suddenly impossible to calm him down. Call on the other parent or a third person to console him.
Baby crying: if it lasts, see a doctor
Be aware of unusual and inconsolable crying. If hugging him doesn’t calm him down, if he seems to be in pain, check his temperature. Do not attempt to self-medicate and if in doubt, consult a doctor. From 2-3 months, we can better distinguish unusual cries: they can be due to a problem of gastroesophageal reflux, very common in babies. Thickened milk or treatment prescribed by your doctor will ease the pain.