It will be a while until your newborn knows how to talk so until she manages to do so, it’s your responsibility to deduce what message she’s trying to relay to you. Fortunately, a baby can give you some indications to help you figure out what she’s saying. Because she can’t talk, she uses a variety of whimpers, cries and screams to capture your attention. However, all cries don’t mean the same thing. For instance, the type of cry when she’s hungry is different from the one when she’s tired.
Infants produce different cries to convey different emotions or needs. Unfortunately, first-time moms can have a hard time figuring out what their babies need based on the different types of crying. This is a contributor to postpartum depression. With years of experience in childcare, an experienced confinement nanny can provide a little guidance for most new parents.
The following tips can help new moms and all mothers in general in cracking the code on what exactly your newborn is saying.
Hunger
A cry of hunger is usually high pitched, fairly desperate and relentless. It may be combined with other clues such as a sucking motion through her tongue or placing her fingers in her mouth. React quickly to hunger cries so that the infant does not get too irritated. If she is upset and starts swallowing air with her milk, there’s a high chance that she might spit or trap gas, which may cause more crying.
Fatigued or uncomfortable
A whiny, breathy, continuous cry that increases in intensity signifies that the baby has had enough and wants to sleep or she’s uncomfortable in her diapers. Other clues include yawns, ear-tugs or ear-rubs. Check for a soiled diaper. If a diaper change isn’t necessary, swaddling your baby nice and tight may help soothe her to sleep. Additionally, if you’re convinced the baby is exhausted yet seems twitchy in your arms, lie her down. A tired baby sometimes wants to be put down to rest.
Overstimulation
Be prepared for a whinny, fussy cry although it’s not often as loud as other cries. She may attempt to turn her head away from the overstimulating sounds or sights. Get the baby away from the visual stimulation, noise or whatever it is that’s upsetting her. Have your confinement nanny take the baby to a calmer environment for relaxation.
Bored
This type of cry begins as coos and then changes into fussing then builds into spurts of incensed crying along with whimpers. Wait for a couple of seconds or a minute before responding to a bored baby. During the delay, the infant becomes engrossed by the design of her clothes or her hands on her face, therefore doing away with the need for attention. Alternatively, try white noise like a vacuum cleaner, noise machine, or a whirring fan. If nothing works so far, pick her up and swing her in your arms.
Colic
If your baby has colic, you will hear high-pitched cries or screams and notice twitchy movements. Usually, colic happens in the late afternoon or evening. Colic is defined as prolonged episodes of crying that may last for hours. New moms who have not encountered the experience of a colicky baby may be stressed out. It’s tough for them since the baby cries for long and the fact that they don’t know why makes it even more distressing. While it’s challenging to soothe a colicky baby, consider trying out various comforting positions such as laying the toddler on her stomach across your knees and massaging her back.
Sickness
You’ll hear soft whimpers that are nasal-sounding, usually lower pitched compared to the tired or pain cry. Check for other symptoms that call for a visit to the physician, such as constipation, fever, diarrhoea, rashes, and vomiting. Don’t leave anything to chance. Call your baby’s doctor immediately.
It may seem challenging to figure out all those types of cries, but as your newborn becomes more effective at communicating and as you gain more understanding of her needs and emotions, she will weep less often and for shorter episodes. So hang in there.
