No one likes to hear a baby crying inconsolably. It is one of the hardest things to hear and whilst this post is about crying, I’m not talking about that sort of crying, nor am I advocating that you let your baby cry without reason. I’m talking about learning the various cries your baby uses to tell you their needs. Confused?
There have been a few studies conducted on the different cries of babies – generally older than six weeks of age – and the results might surprise you. Did you know that a baby has a different cry for each need? Did you know that the way they cry, the way in which they open their lips and place their tongue makes a sound that is unique to different wants?
At first, I didn’t either. But when a friend of mine explained that she had learned in her nursing degree that babies make a different sound depending on their need I wasn’t surprised per see, more surprised that she was actually learning about it in her degree! She knew them so well that she could even mimic the noises with some accuracy!
But all things considered, crying really is the only way that babies can communicate and it makes sense that they would have a different cry for each different need.
I have to say here though, that differences in baby cries become more obvious once they are around 6 weeks of age and generally that’s when we, as mothers, have a better understanding of this precious little bundle.
There are a few distinct cries:
The hungry cry – newborns often couple this cry with a nuzzling motion if they are close to you or fist sucking. This cry is usually pretty rhythmic and repetitive.
The overtired cry – often accompanied by tired signs such as eye rubbing, yawns and jerky arm and hand movements, this cry starts out slowly but builds in intensity.
The pained cry – if it’s caused by wind it is often accompanied by grunting (distinct from bowl motion grunting) where they are trying the move the wind themselves. Teething pain is generally accompanied by a rubbing at the ear or chewing of fingers. Pain caused by the errant hand or toy of another child, there’s generally a mark! This pain starts abruptly and intensely and is generally out of character for baby.
The discomfort cry – where a wet or dirty nappy, a wet singlet, being over or underdressed for the temperature or similar cause results in a feeling of discomfort. This cry also covers when they might be feeling like a cuddle or being close to mum and is generally a whiney, fussy sort of cry.
If you’re in the middle of a task like getting dinner ready or folding laundry, understanding the subtle differences between these cries will mean the difference between getting your vegies in the saucepan in time for dinner or dropping the unfolded item in your hand and running to your baby at full speed!
Learning to speak your baby’s language does take a while. Even those of us who have had multiple children still take at least the first six weeks of their life outside our womb to even begin to comprehend the cues that this particular child uses to communicate.
If in doubt – work it out! If you pick them up for a cuddle and they try to latch onto your shoulder then they’re probably looking for some milk. If your baby is crying but you doubt that they are hungry why not start with a clean nappy and check their clothing while you’re at it. If you think they’re in pain try burping them, or investigating if their teeth could be causing them problems. And if you find that there doesn’t seem to be anything obvious upsetting them a comfort feed might be the next best thing!
There will be sometimes where baby is crying and not only can you not work out what the problem is, but you also can’t settle them. Some helpful tips in this situation are to rock them, take them for a walk in the pram (even if it’s just back and forth inside), a drive in the car, or carry them in a baby carrier with you as you go about your other activities.
As a new mum it’s beneficial, for a number or reasons, not to pick baby up as soon as they whimper because in doing so you won’t give yourself the opportunity to learn the differences between their cries. Let them cry, for as little as you can handle, and see if you can discern the correct need at that time. It is a bit of trial and error but eventually you’ll become adept at understanding what baby is communicating with you.
Originally posted 2014-08-06 23:24:49.