Hard to miss: cry babies

When a baby cries, there is generally a reason: hungry, thirsty, in pain, or a wet diaper. The light is too bright, the noise too loud, or they are bored, dissatisfied or tired. Crying babies puts parents or caregivers on the alert. The child is not only telling you that you are uncomfortable but also asking you to stop feeling uncomfortable.

How much crying is normal?

A crying time of up to two hours daily in the first three months is considered normal. But some babies cry more, much more: persistently and persistently, at least three hours a day, at least three days a week, for more than three weeks.

Such crying babies cannot be calmed down by breastfeeding, carrying, rocking or changing. They cry so persistently and inconsolably that the parents no longer know how to help their children. In any case, to rule out possible serious diseases that could be responsible for the excessive crying of the baby, the paediatrician should be consulted.

 

Writing baby: causes and triggers.

Until a few years ago, the cause of the crying was mainly digestive problems; diagnosis: three-month colic. Colic symptoms such as a hard stomach, red skin colour and tense and bent arms and legs were often observed in the children. Despite many investigations, however, no clear evidence could be found for the suspected causes.

Only about eleven per cent of children who cry a lot have stomach pains and digestive problems. Ninety per cent of all cry babies express their displeasure without organic suffering. Modern infant research assumes that excessive crying expresses delayed behavioural regulation.

You could put it another way: crying babies have more trouble finding their way around after birth than others, and that is why they cry so much. Their sleep-wake cycle is disturbed, so they are usually half asleep, overtired and whining constantly. The cry babies can become “screaming toddlers”. They are highly restless, show behavioural problems such as banging their heads or running into walls, and suffer from eating and sleeping disorders or, later, attention deficit disorder ( ADHD ).

Help against the screaming without end.

Help is needed not only for the parents’ nerves. Calmness and relaxation are the top priority. Cuddle your child or gently rock them when they cry. Soothers, a warm bath, or a massage may help. It has a calming effect on many babies if they are often carried in a sling or pouch during the day. The close physical contact with the mother is good for them.

According to experts, eye contact is also essential. Try to get your child used to a normal day-night rhythm. If the baby sleeps continuously for more than three hours during the day, gently wake them up. In this way, the most extended phases of sleep (more than five hours) are postponed to the night.

Some cry babies can partially help themselves by putting their thumbs, fingers, or whole hands in their mouths to suckle. That’s reassuring.

Very important: Don’t get nervous if the baby starts to cry. Restlessness and hecticness are quickly transferred to the child, only unsettle the baby, and the crying worsens.

 

scream ambulances

There are also various ways to get advice and help. In most big cities, for example, there are so-called scream ambulances. They are often affiliated with children’s centres or children’s clinics. A central contact point with many years of experience is the “Munich consultation hours for crying babies” in the Munich Children’s centre.

Sources: 1 Hofacker, N. v. (1998). Early childhood disorders of behavioural regulation and the parent-child relationship. On the differential diagnosis and therapy of psychosomatic problems in infancy. In: K.v. Klitzing (ed.): Psychotherapy in early childhood. Goettingen: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht.50-71. 2 Brazelton, TB, Cramer, BG (1994). The early bond. 2nd edition Stuttgart: Klett Cott (pgk)