"The Baby's Crying!"

     In the first two months of life, babies cry. They cry a lot. This is difficult for many moms to deal with. After delivery, moms can find themselves exhausted, emotional and anxious - all of which makes it hard to live with a crying infant. Parents also get fooled by the first two weeks of the baby’s life when all the baby does is eat and sleep. After two weeks, when the serious fussiness starts, we are sure that we are doing something wrong, but babies naturally fuss and cry more and more up to about 2 months of age. This fussiness resolves by six months of age but by then you have already pulled most of your hair out. We also have our expectations about how babies should act and those can be wrong. Babies can sleep up to 18 hours a day, but some babies only do it in 2-hour intervals. Babies in those first fussy months can easily cry up to two hours a day.

     The first thing I do when the baby is crying is to change him. Sometimes, even if he is not wet, just readjusting the diaper or loosening the tabs can settle him down (You try stuffing a wad of material the size of your head into your underwear and see how comfortable it is!). The next thing is to try to feed him no matter when he last ate. If he doesn’t eat and keeps crying, it’s time for some quiet walking, rocking, reading and comforting. If he doesn’t settle down or if he starts to fall asleep, it’s time to go down into the crib. Even if he is asleep in your arms, he’ll wake up when you lay him down. Either way, it is OK to let him cry in his crib until he calms himself down and falls to sleep.

    During this difficult period, it is also important for parents to take care of themselves. Sleep as much as you can, recognize when you need a break and talk with people who are understanding without being judgmental. If your baby isn’t eating well, is acting unusually or if you are just worried, talk with you baby’s caregiver. We love to talk about babies and any time you are worried, we are worried.