Learn why your baby is crying As more people speak multiple languages, the language barrier is slowly being broken down around the world. However, there’s one language that people everywhere struggle to understand—the universal language of the baby. No matter the nationality, babies cry. From the moment they first come into the world, doctors listen for that significant sign of life—a cry. This beautiful sound is an indicator that the baby’s lungs are healthy and that they’re breathing properly. However, you might want to know why your baby is crying. After birth, babies continue to use crying to indicate how they are feeling in hopes that those around them will understand. If you’re unsure of exactly what your little one is trying to tell you when they cry, don’t worry! You’re not alone. Why your baby is crying – Learning to speak baby Crying is completely normal and even healthy. Don’t become discouraged if your baby cries more than you expected or if you struggle to know what they’re trying to tell you. Every parent has to learn their child’s communication style. Understanding a baby’s cry is different from child to child. As a parent, the more you listen, the more you’ll be able to decipher exactly what your infant needs. You’ll notice that each of your child’s cries has a different sound, pitch, and length. Soon, you’ll become fluent in your baby’s language! Hunger is one big reason Hunger is one of the most common reasons why your baby is crying. As newborns, babies’ tummies are the size of a cherry. The stomach empties quickly, causing babies to scream in hunger every hour or two. As your child grows, you’ll notice that the hunger cries tend to become fewer. You’ll get into a better schedule that allows you to predict when your child is going to need to eat before the hunger pangs set in. Feeding your child when he or she begins to cry is the easiest way to narrow down what they need. Wanting cuddles might be why your baby is crying There is nothing more soothing to a baby than the touch of a parent. You’re the one they feel safest with! Because of this, there may be times when your child is crying solely because they want to be held and reassured. This is completely normal. Try to calm your child’s cry by swaying or singing. Be sure to hold them close to your skin. You may even find that baby-wearing, using a sling or carrier provides comfort to your child while still allowing you to get things done. Overly Tired As an adult, you can typically still function even if you miss a few hours of sleep at night. The same isn’t true for babies. Babies have a wake period of 1 to 3 hours. If they’re awake for a longer stretch than that, they become overly tired. While you may think that an overly tired baby would be easier to put to sleep, it’s oftentimes harder. Overly tired babies cry and whine because they don’t understand how to put themselves to sleep. It may take some time to help them wind down. Try holding your child in a quiet, dimly lit room. In the future, pay close attention to your child’s sleep cues. Staring blankly, yawning, and quieting down are all signs that your baby is ready to sleep. Catching these cues early on makes it easy to prevent overtired crying. Hurting or Sick When babies don’t feel well or are hurt, their cry is much different than other cries. Parents can usually pick up on the hurt cry easier than other screams. Typically, a hurt cry is high-pitched, urgent, and won’t let up with a feeding or a snuggle. When you hear this cry, it either means that they’re sick or that they’re uncomfortable for some reason. Gas, fever, pain, or a cold could be causing the discomfort. Once you discover the source of your child’s pain, the crying should subside fairly quickly. Overtime, you and your child will develop your own language and you’ll figure out how to communicate with each other. While some of those interactions may involve tears, you’ll find smiles and giggles are, more often than not, the methods of communication.