Crying Babies
Babies cry! If baby is crying it doesn't mean you have done something wrong. She can't talk yet and this is the only way to communicate 
with you. After a few weeks she will realise that if she cries you will magically appear.
Working out why she is crying can be difficult at first, but after a while you will learn to spot some of the reasons and act accordingly. Among the causes are:
- I'm hungry! She may also turn to your breast or put her fist in her mouth (also a sign of teething). Feed her.
- Teething: this usually starts around 10-12 weeks and crying is often accompanied by her trying to chew on something (her fist or a ring), red cheeks and a lot of dribbling. You can buy teething gel to rub on her gums and teething rings to bite on (some of these can be cooled in a fridge which helps).
- Change my nappy! Your nose will probably confirm this one!
Wind. If she has recently finished a feed she may have wind in her tummy. This is often confirmed by her pulling her knees up to her chest. Put her over your shoulder and gently rub her back to bring up her wind. Also try a dose of gripe water.
- I'm bored! If she just wants to be picked up try carrying her around in a sling.
- Fever. If her tummy or the back of her neck feels hot take her temperature. A fever is a temperature higher than 37.5C/99.5F. Call for medical advice.
- I'm tired! You've probably felt so tired you couldn't sleep, she may be feeling the same. Try massage or a warmbath.- Colic. If the crying is persistent and lasts for several hours, and if she is aged between 3-12 weeks, she may have a bout of colic. We have a separate article on colic, you'll find a link at the foot of this page.
