One year old babies do not know how to express themselves in clear words, so if they have physical or mental needs or discomfort, they will mostly cry and express it. If parents can understand the baby’s condition and give timely reassurance, I believe it will bring peace of mind to the baby and help the parent-child relationship.
Since the baby’s way of communicating with the outside world is to “cry”, any factor, big or small, may cause the baby’s crying behavior. Perhaps for parents, if a baby is crying, the first thing that comes to mind is to stop his behavior as soon as possible; in fact, it is more important to understand the “factors behind” the baby’s crying first, so that you can use the right method to soothe the baby’s emotions gradually smooth.
First rule out the sickness factor, parents should take the initiative to find out the message.
Generally speaking, when a baby cries, the first thing to check is whether it is due to illness (such as fever, gastrointestinal symptoms, etc.); the cry of a sick and uncomfortable baby is usually not the same as the usual cry, and parents or primary caregivers can easily detect the difference between the two.
Once the above factors are ruled out, parents must then try to clarify and understand the “messages” behind the crying behavior, such as wet diapers, hungry bellies, wanting to be held, etc. After all, for babies, they just want to seek assistance and solve their problems by “crying”. As long as they are satisfied, they can naturally reduce the frequency of crying.
Condition 1: Hungry
Babies have a high chance of crying because they are hungry; however, in fact, before crying, babies have already communicated their desire to eat through some small or unusual movements, such as twisting their necks or bodies, touching their mouths with their fingers, opening their mouths slightly or even spitting out their tongues. If parents still do not notice these signs, when the baby endures hunger for too long, can not stand, will be emotional explosion and cry.
Parents should closely observe their baby’s state before and after drinking milk or eating side dishes, so that they can master their behavior patterns and slowly meet their baby’s dietary needs at the right time. He reminded that babies should avoid getting used to eating after crying. In the long run, he may skip the small actions in front of him and develop a pattern of crying to ask for food, which is not helpful for the development of future eating habits.
Condition 2: Wet diapers
Babies wear diapers for a long time, and their little butts are in a humid, hot, semi-enclosed space, not to mention repeated contact with excrement, all of which can cause discomfort to the baby’s delicate, fragile skin and naturally lead to crying.
Suggested soothing method] Each baby’s tolerance level is different, and the frequency of replacement time varies slightly. But in principle, it is recommended that parents take the initiative to check at any time, as long as they notice that the diaper is wet or the baby is not very comfortable, they can change clean diapers; in addition to reducing discomfort, it also helps to prevent the occurrence of diaper rash.
Condition 3: Tiredness and playfulness
I believe parents have encountered this kind of situation: the baby obviously looks tired, but because there are so many things around him that attract him, he finds it very interesting, and the tail is bad. It’s a good idea to take a look at this article to see how it works.
Suggested soothing method] parents should take the initiative to detect signs that their baby is starting to get tired, such as some irritability, rubbing eyes, yawning, etc., and then gradually reduce the surrounding elements that will attract the baby or reduce the level of excitement to play, so that he slowly calms down and learn to recognize not to continue to play; at the same time to arrange the “ritual” of going to sleep, such as Bathing, changing pajamas, lying down, listening to stories, etc., so that babies know that tired, do these things, is the need to sleep, rest.
Condition 4: Need for company
Some babies will cry and scream, but they may simply want or like the company of their family. As long as there are family members around, listen to the sounds, smells, etc., can make the baby feel at ease. In addition, some babies may cry when they are bored playing by themselves, just to attract the attention of their family.
Suggested soothing method] It is recommended to set aside time every day to play and talk with your baby on a regular basis; but remind, don’t put this responsibility only on mom or dad, it’s best for parents to take turns taking care of it, sharing the pressure, the baby can also develop a close relationship with parents at the same time.
Condition 5: Colic
Sometimes babies cry because of colic of unknown origin; in his clinic experience, this kind of colic is most common in the afternoon or evening, so you can often see anxious parents bringing their babies to the clinic during this time.
The reason for this is not clear, so parents are generally advised to consult a doctor directly; however, the following conditions can be examined at home: whether the brand of milk powder has been changed recently, the situation of adapting to side foods, whether there is gastroesophageal reflux, and the state of bowel movements; inform the doctor when consulting the doctor for diagnosis and treatment reference.
Condition 6: Drinking milk without burping
This is usually more likely to happen to formula-based babies. When a baby drinks milk without burping, the gastrointestinal tract will easily become bloated and uncomfortable, so there is a greater chance of crying.
The recommended soothing method is to remember to burp your baby after he or she has had enough milk, and to stop until you are sure that the burping has really come out. In addition, if you find that your baby is prone to flatulence, apart from burping, you should also pay attention to whether it is caused by other factors, such as a poorly fitting pacifier (resulting in excessive air intake).
Condition 7: Large temperature difference
Babies’ body temperature is similar to that of adults, but their ability to regulate body temperature is still immature; if they encounter a temperature difference of too hot or too cold, their bodies will have difficulty adapting, so they will easily become uncomfortable and cry. In addition, parents are often worried about their babies catching a cold, helping them wear too many clothes, prompting a slightly higher body temperature and the difference between the external environment temperature, but also easy to cause discomfort to the baby.
In addition to avoiding taking the baby into too hot or too cold environment, the baby clothes, in fact, wear the same number of pieces as adults, at most bring a small jacket ready to use.
Condition 8: Rejection of the environment
Each baby’s natural temperament is different, some people are more sensitive to the external environment; when the environment will interfere with him or cause him unpleasant or uncomfortable factors, the baby will be very direct with the way of crying, expressing his “dislike”. For example, the original baby is sleeping, but parents in the vicinity of the light, talking, some babies do not like this feeling, will wake up and cry.
The parents must observe the baby’s qualities and understand his tolerance and sensitivity to the people and things around him, in order to give or create a suitable environment for the baby, so that he can feel at ease.
Condition 9: Growing baby teeth
From six months onwards, babies will begin to grow baby teeth; some babies will have what is known as “teething pain”, swollen and painful gums, plus the inability to eat, so they are prone to crying.
Some parents will use a gauze towel dipped in boiling water to massage the baby’s gums, which is more or less soothing. However, it is still advisable to consult a pediatric dentist directly.
Condition 10: Sleeping habits
Babies have their own personalities, and of course, they have different sleeping habits. Some babies can sleep well when lying flat and covered with a small blanket, but some need to wrap their entire body (along with their arms and legs) with a towel to sleep; if they don’t, the baby will get irritable and cry.
Suggested soothing method] parents must understand the characteristics of the baby, as long as his preference for a certain action, posture will not cause harm, can try to cooperate.