The baby who cries a LOT

Bless the people who can hold and soothe a baby who’s been crying for five, ten, fifteen, thirty minutes or more. Then there are the rest of us.

Usually referred to as “colicky”, doctors don’t all agree on the reasons why some babies cry more than others. Some may not have fully-developed digestive systems; others may be teething, with a hundred other reasons in-between.

Unless there’s a serious underlying medical problem, the colic will disappear one day as mysteriously as it appeared. That may be up to three months, though, and your nerves could be frazzled to a crisp by then and it will have been a rough ride for the baby.

Here, then, are 13 wise ways to comfort your baby and yourself from the good folks at Zero to Three.

Among others, suggestions include:

• use a baby carrier during the day so the baby feels constant touch;
• reduce stimulation; turn out the lights, sounds, and touches;
• leave the baby alone for 5-10 minutes; you might actually be overstimulating her and, even if not, you probably need a break.

The Zero to Three site has many other resources on the crying child, as well.