12_BT_December2019

Baby & Toddler
Feature
There are two kinds of
excessive criers: those who are
crying because of colic or some kind
of internal discomfort, and those who
are just not sleeping well. Colicky
babies tend to cry every few hours,
every day, for weeks. Often these
episodes occur late in the day and are
accompanied by babies scrunching up
their faces and pulling their knees to
their chests. There is no set cause or
treatment for colic.
There are some babies who cry more
than others, and their wailing sounds
may signal colic or some other underlying
medical condition. Some babies,
especially newborns, may also take a
longer time adjusting to a life outside the
comforts of their mother’s womb.
It is important that parents determine
the cause of the baby's distress.
Recent studies show that, with time,
babies will cry less, if their cries are
promptly answered. Colic is a different
matter; this condition will probably
run its course no matter what parents
do. Generally, though, if an infant's
needs are not met, the crying tends
to escalate and the little one becomes
more difficult to console.
Parents need to understand their
child's crying language. The biological
and hormonal changes a mother
experiences when she hears her baby
cry, urge her to pick up and comfort
her baby. It's important to listen to your
own biological cues when your baby
cries, since most parents have natural
instincts for calming their infant.
Why babies have to cry
Crying has two main functions. One,
it's a message to the parents that
something is wrong. A baby's cry
is really designed to be heard. The
second function is a self-regulatory
one. Babies use crying as an adaptive
tool that helps them adjust to different
environments. For example, in an
airplane, an infant's crying is her body's
attempt to deal with the change of
air pressure in the plane. This crying
actually helps balance the pressure in
the inner ear.
Sometimes a change of
formula is helpful
It’s worth a try, for babies can’t
really tell you that they’re feeling
uncomfortable after a feed. Not all
formulas are the same, and if you mix
around with moms and babies long
enough, you’ll hear stories of how one
formula turned out to be much better
for their infant compared to another
formula. In breastfed children, a review
of the mother's diet may be needed.
Certain foods transferred through the
mother's milk may not agree with the
baby's digestive system.
They’ll grow out
of it
During the first few weeks
of life, parents' main
concern is making sure
they are well fed and
cared for, and also, to
ensure that their baby
feels safe, secure and
comforted. But
as months pass,
in addition to all
these parents need
to teach babies to
self-sooth and get used
to being by themselves
from time to time. This
is where parents need
to have a balance, and
resist the urge to mollycoddle. Most
babies will wake up several times
each night and they need to be able
to comfort themselves so they will go
back to sleep. After the third month,
parents should set up a routine with
a regular bedtime. This can be done
by having a set time for dinner, some
rewinding, a warm bath if needed, a
milk feed if needed together with a
story-telling session and/or lullaby, and
BabyTalk | December 2019 31