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Understanding Infant Crying: Help and Insights for Parents

Learn about early infant crying patterns, the importance of crying, colic, excessive crying, medical considerations, and soothing strategies for parents. Discover ways to navigate this challenging yet common aspect of parenting.

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Understanding Infant Crying: Help and Insights for Parents

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  1. Early Infant Crying: What We Know and What Can Help Marsha Baker, OTR/L, MA, M.Ed

  2. Becoming a Parent • “It’s like getting on the fast track to personal growth and you can’t get off.”

  3. (Als, 1983)

  4. (Als, 1983)

  5. All babies cry…

  6. Crying is a Biological Alarm • Graded signal • Alerts parent/caregiver • Does not tell source of distress • Parents respond to level of emotion in cry and context of cry (Barr, Hopkins, & Green, 2000; Gustafson, Wood, & Green,2000)

  7. Importance of Crying • Increases lung capacity • Increases motor activity • Generates heat & helps regulate temperature • Triggers social interaction • Ensures survival • “Acoustical umbilical cord” (Lester, 2006)

  8. Early Crying • Peaks at six to eight weeks • Wide variability in crying amounts across individuals and cultures • Parental responsiveness to early crying correlates with positive toddler behavior

  9. Normal Crying Curve • Peaks at 4-6 weeks • First documented in Brazelton’s practice • Replicated in 15 studies • Across cultures • True for preemies and full-terms 6 weeks 12 weeks

  10. Every Baby Is Different

  11. What is Colic? RULE OF 3’s • Crying in otherwise healthy infant that lasts: • More than 3 hours per day • More than 3 days per week • More than 3 weeks (Wessel, 1954)

  12. Excessive Crying Plus: • Sudden onset • Paroxysmal • Unpredictable • Cry quality • Higher pitch, reaches peak quickly • Like a pain cry • Physical signs • Clenched fists • Grimace/flushing • Gas/distention • Inconsolable (Lester, Boukydis, Garcia-Coll, & Hole, 1990) “Late afternoon fist-shaking rage”

  13. Colic is Crying of Infancy • Begins early: • 100% by 3 weeks • End varies: • 50% by 2 months • 80% by 3 months • 90% by 4 months (Weissbluth, 1998)

  14. Medical Conditions to Consider in Infants with Excessive Crying • Medical conditions account for <5% of infants with excessive crying • But it’s important to identify them so they can be treated!

  15. Doctors often unsure how to help “It will go away” “It’s just colic” When Crying Is Not a Medical Concern

  16. Why There’s Nothing “Just” About Colic? • Excessive crying may be a risk factor for: • Parent/infant relationship distress • Child abuse • Developmental/behavioral concerns • Maternal depression

  17. Excessive Crying andAbusive Head Trauma 2.75 hrs. Age in Weeks (Holliday-Hanson, Barr, & Trent, 2001)

  18. It’s Hard to Trust Your Instincts

  19. Crying of normal development Reflux or Milk Protein Allergy Regulatory problems, neurological hyper- sensitivity Immaturity of the digestive system Excessive gas Over-Tired Excessive Crying in Infancy Underlying medical condition Post Partum Depression Environmental Stressors (Smoking) Temperament Colic

  20. Start With What You Know • What is your baby’s day like? • How do you know when your baby is tired or stressed? • How is feeding going? Sleeping? • What helps soothe your baby? • What developmental changes is your baby experiencing? • What is your level of distress around your baby’s crying?

  21. Common Soothing Strategies • Containment • Rhythmic back and forth movement • Rhythmic sounds • Sucking/feeding • Warm or neutral temperature • Reducing amount of stimulation • Natural light • Parent support

  22. Plan for Stressful Moments • Sometimes babies are unsoothable • When you’re at the end of your rope: • Put the baby down • Take a break • Connect with someone

  23. Call Anytime Fussy Baby Network 1.888.431.2229

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