All babies cry, and some more than others. Crying is your baby's way of telling you they need comfort and care. Sometimes it's easy to work out what they want, and sometimes it's not.
The most common reasons for crying are:
- hunger
- a dirty or wet nappy
- tiredness
- wanting a cuddle
- wind
- being too hot or too cold
- boredom
- overstimulation
There may be times of the day when your baby tends to cry a lot and cannot be comforted. Early evening is the most common time for this to happen. This can be hard for you, as it's often the time when you're most tired and least able to cope.
The amount babies cry tends to peak when they're around 4 to 8 weeks old, then gradually tail off.
Getting help with a crying baby
You can talk to a friend, your health visitor on 0191 282 3319 or your GP.
There may be times when you're so tired and angry you feel like you cannot take any more. This happens to a lot of parents, so do not be ashamed to ask for help.
If you do not have anyone who can take care of your baby for a short time and the crying is making you stressed, put your baby in their cot or pram, make sure they're safe, close the door, go into another room and try to calm yourself down. Set a time limit for a few minutes, then go back.
Never shake your baby
No matter how frustrated you feel, you must never shake your baby. Shaking moves their head violently and can cause brain damage.
