A crying newborn is always a situation of discomfort for parents, who must identify the cause of this behavior and how to best intervene. Especially for the first child of a couple, sometimes there are many doubts: is it something to worry about? Should I contact the pediatrician? We asked Dr. Roberta Levi, a pediatrician specialist at the Casa di Cura La Madonnina to tell us more about newborn crying and how to behave.
How the newborn communicates
“ Crying is the only way that a newborn, not yet able to speak, has to communicate with those around him, signaling some of his needs and requirements” explains Dr. Levi .
Before reaching this point, the child can also express his discomfort in other ways, such as, for example, some body movements , but if his needs are not satisfied, then he bursts into tears.
Crying, therefore, has various underlying causes, which can manifest themselves at different times of the day depending also on how the newborn’s needs change, which, obviously, are not always easy to interpret.
Possible causes of newborn crying
Among the main causes of baby crying are:
- hunger: the newborn feeds several times a day and may therefore show his need for milk by initially moving his head from side to side, bringing his hands to his mouth, sticking out his tongue, but then, if this need is not satisfied, this may lead to crying;
- sleep: when the newborn is very tired and cannot fall asleep, he cries. In fact, babies fall asleep differently: some just need to be placed in the crib, others need more time, others still need to be rocked and in contact with their mother, etc. Each of them has their own rituals which, if lacking, can affect the onset of sleep in the newborn and, therefore, determine potential crying;
- dirty diaper: a dirty or wet diaper can cause burning and discomfort after a while, which the baby manifests by crying;
- request for contact: the newborn very often has the need to feel contact with the mother, body heat, as well as to be picked up and welcomed (containment). This comes from the fact that he was used to being in a protected and circumscribed environment such as, precisely, the mother’s womb;
- too hot or cold: sometimes parents can unknowingly cover their baby too much or too little, so when the baby feels a little hot or, vice versa, a little cold, he may cry;
- tensions in the environment: children are very sensitive, therefore, if they find themselves in a very agitated environment or in which there are worries/tensions, which could perhaps also determine an involuntarily more abrupt way of acting on the part of those who take care of them, they can become agitated and cry;
- discomfort: when the baby is feeling unwell, such as a cold that causes a blocked nose and makes it difficult for him to breathe and eat, he may complain and cry. Similarly, regurgitation, stomach ache, etc. are situations in which the baby is uncomfortable and suffering, which he manifests with crying. The most frequent pathologies in neonatal age are gastroesophageal reflux and colic. If the crying is in the afternoon/evening or at night, the abdomen is swollen and the baby bends and closes his legs, this could indicate colic. Similarly, if he cries immediately after eating and arches his chest, with coughing fits or frequent regurgitation, it could be reflux.
What to do
When a newborn cries, we need to learn to interpret what he is trying to tell us , even if it is certainly not easy. By being in contact with him we learn to know him; to understand his character, his habits and needs and also the other signals that could accompany crying.
We must therefore review the main causes that can cause crying: for example, it is the time when the child is used to eating and is crying, he has a dirty diaper, etc.
Don’t always think about the same causes
However, we must not fall into the trap of thinking that the causes of a newborn’s crying must necessarily always be the same: colic, reflux, hunger, etc. This is because sometimes medications are also administered to the child which, if in some cases they are absolutely necessary, in others they are less so.
It is therefore necessary to also use a little common sense : if, for example, the baby cries, but has just eaten his fill, giving him milk again may not be the right choice because, moreover, this could bloat him and also worsen the situation in the case of gas colic.
Trying to pick him up and see if he calms down is definitely one of the first approaches to follow.
Don’t be afraid of vice
“It is important to remember that very young children often need contact and to be contained. Many parents are afraid of indulging in a vice, when in reality they should not worry about it. There are times of maturation and development so if at this moment the child, who is very young, has this need, it is right that it is satisfied and that he is met, ” explains the doctor.
Alarm bells
There are some situations, however, that if associated with crying deserve further investigation:
- vomiting: if the child cries and vomits every time he eats;
- altered stools: often also in association with vomiting. If the child manifests not occasionally, but consistently, altered or diarrhoeal stools;
- blood in stool;
- inconsolable crying: nothing can console the child who cries desperately and incessantly, thus manifesting a state of strong discomfort;
- fever: if the child associates crying with fever, this could indicate some problem that needs to be investigated. Obviously, fever with a blocked nose and a cold could suggest that the child is constipated, but other pathologies such as, for example, ear infections or urinary infections do not have visible external manifestations;
- different behavior: if the newborn has behaviors that are different from the usual ones, for example, he is more lethargic, plays less, does not eat, wriggles.
In these cases, the child should be taken to the doctor as soon as possible because, even if in some more intense crying reactions there could be a character component of the child or a lower tolerance to an uncomfortable situation, it is important to check his health status.
“Moms are the first to understand when something is wrong, because they know the child. If they perceive that he is not well, it is always better to contact the pediatrician for the appropriate tests” concludes the doctor.
