Discharge Instructions: When Your Baby Cries
The way your baby cries can tell you how the baby is feeling. It can also alert you to the baby’s needs. This sheet will help you understand what it means when your baby cries, and what you can do to help.
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| First try holding the baby to see if the crying stops. If it doesn’t, walking together may help soothe her. |
Crying
It’s normal for babies to cry. Sometimes the baby just wants to be held. But if the crying doesn’t stop, look for a cause. Common causes of crying include:
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Hunger
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Discomfort (such as a wet diaper, clothes that are too tight, feeling too hot or too cold, or gas pains)
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A stuffy nose, which can make it hard for the baby to breathe
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Stress or overstimulation (especially common in preemies)
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Illness
What to Do When Your Baby Cries
Crying can be the baby’s way of telling you there’s a problem. The baby trusts you to respond to crying and fix whatever is causing the problem. Figuring out what’s wrong may take some guesswork from you. If holding the baby doesn’t help, here are some other things you can try:
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Try feeding, in case the baby is hungry. To help prevent gas pains, burp the baby about every 5 minutes while feeding. Also keep the baby’s head higher than the rest of the body while feeding.
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Check the baby’s diaper. Change it if needed.
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Give the baby a warm bath. Or, hold a damp, warm towel on the baby’s stomach for a little while. This may calm some babies.
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Rock or walk with the baby. Motion is soothing.
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Hold the baby against your bare chest. Skin-to-skin contact can be comforting to the baby.
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If the baby has a stuffy nose, use a bulb syringe to clear it. (Your baby’s doctor or nurse can show you how to do this.) Only use the bulb syringe when necessary. Frequent use can cause nasal swelling and make it more difficult for baby to breathe.
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Check for signs of illness, such as fever or diarrhea. If the baby seems sick, call the doctor.
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Fever:
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In an infant under 3 months old, a rectal temperature of 100.4°F (38ºC) or higher
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In a child of any age who has a temperature that rises repeatedly to 104°F (40ºC) or higher
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A fever that lasts more than 24 hours in a child under 2 years old or for 3 days in a child 2 years or older
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Your child looks very ill, is unusually sleepy, or is very fussy
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Your child has had a seizure
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