Breastfeeding Help!
Reliable information on
breastfeeding topics
by Heisje de Jong,
Certified Lactation Consultant
10.- WHEN YOUR BABY CRIES <previous topic next topic>
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It is very upsetting when your baby cries and you don't know
how you can help him, when nothing seems to work. Below I'm giving
you some ideas that may help your baby and may help you cope
with your crying baby.
Why is your baby crying?
Most of the time it will be because he is hungry but your baby
may sometimes cry for other reasons as well.
He may be too cold, too warm,
he may feel uncomfortable because he needs to pass stool or needs
to be burped.
Maybe he is over tired or over exited if, for example, there
were too many visitors or too much noise.
Maybe he feels lonely and wants to be with you, to smell you,
to touch you, to feel you and to be cuddled in your arms.
Babies need lots of physical
contact.
Being close to their mother is very reassuring for a baby.
The rhythm of her breathing and her heartbeat are familiar to
him and they soothe him.
Many times all that is needed to calm down a crying baby is to
put him on your breast.
A baby's cries should never be ignored. Crying is a survival mechanism to express some unmet need. It is your baby's only way of communication, of letting you know that he needs you. The sooner his needs are attended to, the greater will be the relaxation and enjoyment of both you and your baby. Don't be afraid of "spoiling"your baby, you can't spoil a baby by giving him loving attention and care.
| Some ways to soothe a crying baby: |
* Hold baby against your shoulder and walk him up and down, gently patting his back.
* Put him in a baby sling and go for a walk. In a baby sling your baby is in a comfortable
and natural position while leaving your hands free.
* Sit in a dark room with him and rock him or lie down to nurse him on the bed.
* Give him a nice warm bath.
* Put on some soft music and sing or talk to your baby.
* Give him a massage.
In some cultures it is customary
that babies are held and carried a lot. In these cultures it
is unusual to hear a baby cry.
Studies have shown that babies who are held a lot (in arms or
a baby sling) cry less.
Some babies have a fussy period
every day, many times in late afternoon.
This fussiness is different from a baby who cries because of
colics.
A baby with colics has a piercing cry, sharp gas pains and often
draws his legs up to his abdomen or goes rigid and arches his
back.
Continued crying causes the baby to develop gas and further aggravates
the discomfort. Colics usually occur at about the same time every
day in late afternoon or evening and can last for hours.
The mother of a colicky baby may experience feelings of frustration,
rejection by her crying baby and physical exhaustion from constantly
trying to soothe and comfort him.
The cause of colics has not been pinpointed. Colic is more prevalent
in bottle fed babies, yet it is not unknown in the totally breastfed
baby.
Some theories relate it to stress and tension in the mother and
child; others blame an immature digestive and intestinal system
or allergies.
In addition to the above ways
of soothing a crying baby you can also try carrying him in the
colic hold
(Lie baby across your fore arm, tummy down, with your hand supporting
his chest).
More frequent, shorter feedings may also be helpful since an
overfull stomach can be painful to a colicky baby. A gentle stomach
massage while keeping the baby warm with blankets or even hot
water bottles will help him to release tension and thereby encourage
passing of gas.
Folding his legs up to his stomach will also help him eliminate
gas.
One theory connects colic with
allergies. Removal of possible allergy sources may provide relief
to the colicky baby.
It is best to feed your baby nothing but breastmilk and at the
same time monitor your own diet since most of what you consume
will pass through your milk to your baby. Foods as milk, eggs,
chocolate, nuts and food coloring are potential sources of discomfort
to the allergic baby. You may want to eliminate these products
one by one from your diet and see if the condition of your baby
improves.
A crying baby is very distressing
for the mother, especially when she has tried everything and
nothing seems to help she may begin to feel helpless and desperate,
she will need a lot of support from those around her.
It is important to remember that by simply holding your baby
you are doing something very important: you are letting him know
that you love him and that you are there for him.
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