Bringing home your baby from the hospital can be very challenging. Even if you are a very confident parent there will be plenty of situations where you have no idea what to do. This is very normal because it is your first time with your own baby. Not only are you fully responsible for keeping your baby alive, your baby is also sending you messages like crying and you have no idea what they mean.
When your baby is crying you usually start with checking if your baby needs are met, A feed or a nappy change. You can check if your baby is tired, needs to burp or if your baby needs some help with their digestion. As soon as you give your baby what they need, they will stop crying.
Crying cycles
This cycle of your crying baby and you trying to figure out what it is will be the same for the first few weeks of your baby's life. After a few weeks you will start to figure out what their different cries mean. You will know that the “I am tired” cry is different from the “I am hungry” cry. There is also a difference between an “I want something” and an “I am in pain” cry. When you start to hear the differences between the cries it will make you feel much more confident and it feels like you are working as a team with your baby which is great.
When your baby does not stop crying
When you have done all the things mentioned above like the nappy change, feeding, burping etc. but nothing changes you need to try all of the above again. Sounds odd, but trust me it works very often. In some cases nothing works. If you have tried all you can do and your baby keeps crying then there could be something else going on. Babies should not be crying when all their needs are met. When your baby is crying daily and several times a day and nothing you do helps, it is time to see a medical professional.
Crying is normal, all babies cry
Sometimes a medical professional brushes the crying off and says it is normal. This is because a lot of parents seek help with their crying baby. Parents are so overwhelmed and tired that it can influence their point of view. Everyone has a different perspective on crying. It is hard for the medical professional to judge your babies crying based on your words. That’s why keeping a diary of your babies crying is very helpful. When you go to your medical professional you can give them an objective summary of when and how long your baby cries.
How to prepare before you see a medical professional
Start with a diary about everything that happens in your baby's life. For example, write down exactly how long your baby cries and at what times. Document what kind of cries happen like screaming or moaning. Specify if the crying happens before or after the feed. When it is after a feed, how long after their feed did the crying start and how long did it last. Also write down the behaviour of your child.. Did your child over stretch or did s/he crunch up when crying after the feed. It would also help if you write down all your baby's naps, wet nappies, pictures or a description of their poo (in case of allergies) and if your baby experiences any milk coming back up. When you bring all this information to your appointment it will be easier to get the right advice.
Which professional do I go to?
There are many different professionals you can go to with your baby. Wherever you go to a GP or Paediatrician please check with them what their speciality is. A general practitioner might have a good idea about crying babies but you may want to go to someone who has some more specific experience with crying babies. It would be a great idea to see a Lactation Consultant or IBCLC as well. They are specialised in feeding. It is always good to get different opinions from different professionals because something can be overlooked by a professional. As you can imagine, it is very hard to diagnose a baby since they are so young and can not share what they are feeling or experiencing.
What happens after you see a professional?
When you have seen a medical professional and they give a diagnosis, it is recommended to still keep a diary of what is happening with your baby. Measuring the results of the treatment your baby is getting is a great way to keep an eye on progress. Hopefully you will see a change in your baby's behaviour very soon. If not, keep looking for different ways to help your baby. You are your baby's voice and you, as a parent, know what is best for you baby.
Written by Anna Harreveld, newborn specialist in Brisbane, Australia
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