Infant Crying

All babies cry. Crying is your baby's way of communicating her feelings. It is a normal part of infant growth and development.

Babies cry for many reasons, but never to make you angry. A baby might cry to let you know that she...

is hungry
needs a diaper change
is too warm or too cold
wants to be held
wants you to play, talk or sing to them
is tired and sleepy
may not be feeling well

Crying normally starts to increase at about two weeks of age, peaks in intensity during the second month, and decreases and stabilizes by the fourth or fifth month of life.

The average amount of crying is between one and two hours a day at the peak of crying during the second month, but some infants will cry less or more than that. Some infants might cry for up to six hours a day during the peak period.

What To Do When Your Baby Cries

Remain calm and try to figure out why the baby is crying. Refer to the list below and try to address the problem (for example, the baby may be tired because she missed an afternoon nap, so you can try to soothe her and put her to bed).

Sing, talk or read to the baby
Hold the baby close to you and gently sway from side to side
Distract the baby with toys
Remove the baby's clothes and hold her against your bare skin. Cover her back with a warm blanket. The sound of your heartbeat is familiar to the baby and the skin-to-skin contact can be soothing. Do not fall asleep or let your baby sleep in this position as babies sleeping on their stomachs have been linked to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS) and parents can drop or suffocate their babies.

There will be times when your baby won't stop crying no matter what you do. If this happens, try to stay calm and remember that all babies cry. A crying baby is not necessarily a reflection of your parenting or care giving skills and does not make you a bad person.

Trust Your Instincts

Most crying is normal, but your baby's cry may sound different and worry you. Or you may feel your baby is crying because she is sick. If you cannot soothe your baby after trying everything and if you think your baby may be sick, you should see your doctor or call Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000

If you feel yourself becoming angry and about to lose control, STOP, THINK and HANDLE THE BABY WITH CARE. It is NEVER OK to shake a baby.

If you feel yourself becoming angry and about to lose control,

STOP, THINK and HANDLE THE BABY WITH CARE.

It is NEVER OK to shake a baby.

There is an important link between infant crying and Shaken Baby Syndrome. The most commonly given reason given for shaking a baby is that the baby wouldn't stop crying or fussing. However, shaking a baby can cause brain injury or even death.

Visit our page on Shaken Baby Syndrome for more information.

Sometimes Babies Cry for No Reason

This can be frustrating and challenging for parents and caregivers. Being a parent or a caregiver is not easy, and a baby's constant crying can be a dangerous trigger for you.

Put the baby safely in the crib and take a "time out." Walk away to another part of the home where you cannot hear the crying for 10 or 15 minutes. Letting your baby cry for a few minutes will not hurt her.

Once you have calmed down, go back and try to soothe her. If you are unable to cope, call a friend, family member or other trusted individual to come and help you.

Coping with Frustration

If you feel you're getting frustrated, angry or about to lose control because the baby continues to cry, we have some suggestions to help you cope.

After putting your baby safely in the crib:

Take a break and walk away for a few minutes.
Take a deep breath and slowly count to 10 or more and don't think about the problem. Concentrate on your breathing and take the time to calm down.
Call a friend
Close your eyes and imagine you are somewhere relaxing and pleasant, such as a beach.
Read.
Listen to music.
Do something that makes you laugh and/or smile.
Yell into a pillow or hit it.

Plan Ahead

If your baby tends to cry a lot, make .arrangements for regular child-care relief and get some rest.
Form a backup plan for calling in reliable help for times when you can't cope with your baby's crying.
Talk to a friend, family member, counsellor or health professional about your situation. You may be able to get some support.
Know your caregiver. Never leave your child with someone you don't trust, or someone who has a history of violence or violent tendencies.
Ask your caregiver to look over this website and talk to them about it.

For more information on understanding infant crying, visit the National Centre on Shaken Baby Syndrome.

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