Normally, infants cry for about one to three hours or sometimes 4 hours a day. Generally, an infant cries when it is hungry, thirsty, tired, lonely, or in pain. The extent of crying varies from child to child. However, if a baby cries too often, there might be a health problem that needs your attention. Continue scrolling to know the most common reasons for your baby's cry and proven tips to soothe it. 

10 Possible Reasons Why Babies Cry

When a baby cries, chances are they are trying to tell you they are in need of something. Here, we have identified 10 possible reasons why babies cry:

Hunger

Who doesn’t get cranky when they’re hungry?  Babies also can go from zero to screaming pretty quickly if they haven’t eaten for a while. When your baby is hungry, you recognize the “feed me” cry that is rhythmic, repetitive and usually short and low-pitched. 

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Experts say a hungry baby’s cries also include some sound which stems from the baby’s tongue reflexively hitting the roof of the mouth in the baby’s search for milk.

Don’t maintain clock time to feed the baby, just respond to early signs they’re ready for a nosh: lip-smacking, sucking on their hands or rooting.

Illness

Nobody likes to be sick and miserable. Your baby also. Your little one with illness is crying more often than usual. Most parents know what a baby’s usual cry sounds like, so if the baby won’t stop crying or is crying harder and longer than usual, it could be a sign of illness. 

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Colic

According to AAP Colic is a condition where an infant cries more than three hours a day, more than three days a week, and for more than three weeks in a row. 

Babies with colic cry excessively and most often it becomes difficult to console them. Some doctors consider colic as a kind of stomach cramp as the crying sounds miserable and distressed, and stops for a moment or two, then starts up again.

However, you need not worry as colic is usually pretty short-lived. Moreover, colicky babies aren’t necessarily uncomfortable or in pain.

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Sleepiness

You fall asleep as soon as you hit the mattress as an exhausted parent, but the same isn’t true for your baby. Sleep, just like anything else, is a learned skill that cannot be attained by babies easily. Newborns don’t have an established sleeping time until around 4 months.

Besides, a crying baby is mostly incapable of self-soothing. So you have to help your baby to establish these things. To prevent the baby from crying at night and soothe them to sleep, a little trial and error is likely in order to see what calms your tired baby best. 

Diaper

Some babies can stay in a wet or dirty diaper for hours. With a dirty diaper, they’re uncomfortable for more than a second. When your baby is feeling uneasy and crying just open up the diaper and do a quick check or change immediately if necessary. 

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Make sure you use a branded diaper that comes with a wetness indicator-change colour when the diaper is wet. If you use a wetness indicator diaper, you don’t have to undress your child every time you need to investigate whether that baby's crying is due to diaper discomfort.

Tummy troubles

A baby is also crying by wriggling, arching their back or pumping their legs. These are indicative signs of baby gas according to Preeti Parikh who is a paediatrician at Pediatrics of New York in New York City. 

If you experience these issues, hold the baby on the left side or on their stomach to help with digestion. If the baby is gassy, bicycle their legs and push them up to the chest to help relieve the gas.

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Burp

If you cry right after feeding, it is a sign they need to be burped. Good burping may be in order. You can burp your baby after feeding, but many babies may need to be burped after sucking a pacifier, having hiccups or crying. 

All these activities are done to swallow air. So, when you have a perplexing crying baby, it doesn’t hurt to give them a pat on the back. You can follow several techniques available to burp a baby, so find one that works for you. 

Teething

Naturally, babies start teething at the age of 4 months old. The pain of teething makes the baby cry. You may see other signs of teething; excessive drooling and gnawing on anything within reach.

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Overstimulation

You get tangible overload now and again. It is the same for your baby when it gets passed around by aunts and uncles at a family party. Your little one is still getting used to all that tumult so it might not take much to get them upset. 

Try to take your crying baby home and relax when they seem overstimulated. Go for a walk in the open quiet place to get some fresh air.

Attention

Generally, babies don’t like the “set it and forget it” mentality. You can give a playmat or put your baby in a safe baby swing or bouncer. But your baby is the happiest and quiet when it is with you. 

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Most often babies cry because of loneliness. They need the accompaniment of someone especially yours as they go through rapid development. You need to attend to your young babies empathically and quickly so that their systems learn to be calm instead of agitated or aggravated.

How to Soothe a Crying Baby

The best way to soothe a crying baby is to first find out why the baby is crying so that you can quickly address their needs. Without knowing what’s causing those tears, you may try a bunch of different calming techniques, but you cannot solve the real problem.

To soothe your crying baby you can try the “Five S’s”—general soothing techniques; 

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Swaddle

Babies love to be swaddled as it provides them with a sense of security and reminds them of their days in the womb. Wrap them in a snug swaddle with the baby’s arms at their side.

Stomach position

Hold the baby on their tummy over your arm. If you do this, it will be comfortable for the baby and can help resolve gas and other tummy issues.

Besides, you can use unscented massage oils or cream suitable and safe for babies to gently rub your baby’s back or tummy in a clockwise direction. This messaging can help with her digestion, and your touch soothes and comforts her. 

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If you can do this messaging regularly, it may help your baby to cry and fuss less. Make sure you message when your baby is settled and alert. Stop immediately if she cries during the massage.

Shush

Babies could hear the beat of your heart when it was in your womb. So, make a gentle shushing sound directly into the baby’s ear, which is similar to the noises they heard in the womb. 

The sounds may be the repetitive noise of a vacuum cleaner, washing machine or hairdryer. These gentle noises may help to soothe your baby to sleep. Besides, you can buy a toy that plays a range of sounds, from ocean waves to raindrops.

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Swing

Swinging or gently jiggling babies is effective to get them calm down but make sure to always take care to support the baby’s head and neck. 

Most babies love to be gently swung. They include:

-in your arms, while you walk around

-in a rocking chair

-in a baby swing

Besides, taking her for a ride in your car or for a walk in her pushchair.

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Suck

Karp says, most fussy babies greatly relax when they suck on something. Try a pacifier once the baby starts to calm down a bit.

Some babies love to suck. As a breastfeeding mom, you could let your baby suckle your breast for comfort or to soothe it. If not, let her suck on your clean finger.

Moreover, if you're breastfeeding, you may change the way your baby latches to help her to feed calmly, without crying or fussing. 

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Other Ways

Besides the above-mentioned ways, you can try the following tricks to calm down your crying baby:

-Try a soothing bath to calm down. But make sure your baby takes it easy as most babies don't love bathing. 

-In the case of older babies, they can use a bit of cloth or a blanket as a comforter.

-Hold your baby in your lag so they're close to you. Move gently, talk to them and sing.

-Let them listen to or look at something like music on the radio, a CD, a rattle, or a mobile above the cot.

-Ask your health visitor for advice if you feel. 

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Bottom Line

The crying of your baby may be just a phase. It is literally common and it will pass. Your baby will learn new ways of communicating her needs to you. And then, the excessive crying will stop. However, before that, you should try to understand why your baby is crying too much. You can try the above-mentioned tips to soothe a crying infant. But never shake your baby as shaking their head violently can cause brain damage. Consult immediately with your doctor if you feel something serious about your baby.