Adults express emotions with words and facial expressions, but a newborn has to shout or cry about any changes in his condition: after all, he does not yet know how to talk. Anyone who is constantly near the baby (usually a mother or a nanny) must learn to distinguish by the nature of the “sound signals” emitted by the child, what exactly is bothering him at this moment and how to help him cope with the problem. How and what the reason “sounds” can be recognized if you show a little attention and sensitivity to the baby.
Baby up to one year old. Remember - a baby does not cry for no reason.
When a baby feels good, he is calm. If the baby screams, then there is reason for concern. But how can we understand what exactly he is trying to say with his crying? Children under 1 year of age do not cry without reason; their tears are always a sign of some problem, external or internal: hunger, discomfort, anxiety, fear, pain. Therefore, it is imperative to react to the baby’s tears, without hoping that he will “cry and stop.”
When a child is in pain, other signs besides screaming indicate this: the baby energetically and restlessly moves his arms and legs, clenches his fists, and shakes his head. His face turns red and tears form in his eyes. If this situation repeats often, you cannot do without the help of a doctor.
"I woke up". Calling for attention, a healthy baby screams loudly, clearly, taking short breaths and long exhalations. The baby moves his legs and arms, frowns with displeasure, but there are no tears in his eyes.
"I want to eat". The cry of a hungry baby is persistent, demanding, with short pauses.
"I want to sleep". After 3 months, when the child sleeps at night for 5-6 hours in a row, a characteristic capricious whimper appears in his “repertoire”.
“My tummy hurts.” The baby chokes from screaming, convulsively clenches his fists, twists his legs: he presses them to his stomach, then sharply straightens them. The crying attacks subside for a short time, and then begin again - most often in the evenings or after meals. If, in addition, the child has gas, bloating, and regurgitation, the problem is intestinal colic.
"Headache". The child cries for a long time and monotonously, often at night, for no apparent reason; rubs his head on the pillow, scatters his arms and legs. Sometimes the baby starts crying, it is worth changing his position: for example, lifting him out of the crib into his arms. This may indicate increased intracranial pressure or other neurological problems.
How to calm a crying baby? Fulfill his request. No matter how banal this advice may seem, without solving your baby’s problem, you will not be able to calm him down. Having received what he wants, the baby will immediately calm down.
Take the baby in your arms. Don't be afraid that your baby will get used to your hands if you rock him a little. The baby will worry less often, knowing that he will not be left without attention, but he will not have time to be “spoiled.”
Do not feed your baby as soon as he cries. The baby calms down when he sucks, but this does not always mean that he was hungry. To avoid overfeeding your baby, try rocking him or giving him a pacifier before giving him a special feeding.
If your baby starts crying, turns red or blue, open the window, pick him up, splash him with water or blow on his face. Most often, this problem occurs after 3 months in highly excitable babies.
