Reasons Why Your Newborn is Crying

There are many reasons why your newborn is crying. Some of these include hunger, discomfort (including colic), and the need to be held or cuddled. However, did you know that your baby may also cry due to some sensory overload? In the first few days of a newborn’s life, they may cry for seemingly no reason. However, you should be aware of many possible reasons why your little one is crying.

1. Your Baby Could Have Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD)

Your baby likely has an undiagnosed case of SPD if he/she cries in response to noise or too much light. Many parents fail to realize that their child has it until he/she reaches school age. A good way to test for it is by observing how your child reacts to certain sensory stimuli.

For example, if your baby is fussy when you leave the room and stops crying when you return, he/she could have SPD. If this is the case, talk to your doctor about getting help for SPD as soon as possible so your child can get treated before it’s too late. Also, try laying them down in a dark room; if they quiet down within minutes or even seconds, they likely have it.

2. Your Baby May Be Sensitive to Touch

This may be somewhat controversial because researchers are still studying whether or not this disorder really exists or its symptoms. However, there has been evidence that some babies don’t being touched (including tickled, hugged, kissed, etc. ) without crying or hating it. A lot of times, these children go on to be diagnosed with SPD (mentioned above).

If your newborn is showing discomfort whenever you try cuddling up to them, they may not like touch. So relax and give them some space until they start getting used to you. It’s better that way since babies who cry due to overstimulation are at an increased risk for experiencing neurodevelopmental problems down the road.

3. Your Baby May Be Sensitive to Over-Stimulating Sights

Your baby may hate bright lights almost as much as he/she hates loud sounds. Prolonged exposure can make him/her cry uncontrollably, so make sure to dim the lights when watching TV, going on a road trip, or taking a walk during the day. You should also avoid wearing dark sunglasses at all costs because they can upset your newborn.

In many cases, babies who cry due to overly stimulating sights are more sensitive than others. They may be more prone to stress and anxiety, so make sure you help them feel comfortable by avoiding bright colors and loud noises. Furthermore, try not to show too much affection while holding them since it’s probably going to make things worse instead of better.

4. Your Baby May Be Sensitive to Over-Stimulating Smells

Just like overstimulating sights, over-stimulating smells can upset your baby enough for her/him to burst into tears. For example, dyes in some household cleaners may make your baby cry almost instantaneously. It’s somewhat of a miracle if they are okay with them or don’t react at all.

It’s important to note that babies are quite sensitive to smells right from the start, so it would be wise not to use anything harsh on them. Try using water and soap instead because they’re the best way to keep your newborn clean without irritating them. However, you should also know that this can lead to dried-out skin if you overdo it, so alternate between different cleansers every few days.

5. Your Baby May Be Sensitive to Over-Stimulating Sounds

As mentioned earlier, over-stimulating sounds can make your baby cry. It’s a safe bet that this is going to happen if you play very loud music or TV shows for them.

Just like other cases, the main cause here is sensory overload, meaning your little one can’t handle these kinds of sights and sounds without feeling overwhelmed. So what should you do? Try dimming down the lights and turning off the TV before holding or rocking your baby. Also, try soothing them with soft melodies instead of using music at all because it might bore them.

6. Your Baby May Be Sensitive to Overly Familiar Sights and Sounds

Some babies don’t react well when they see something or hear a sound they’ve already seen or heard recently. It can make them cry for reasons we don’t understand. However, keep in mind that this is just another type of sensory overload – it works the same way as the other cases.

The good news is there’s an easy fix to this problem: you just have to vary your baby’s environment from time to time, so they don’t get used to how things are going on around them. You can use a mobile toy or a mirror for babies who aren’t walking yet because they provide something new and novel every single day.

But once your little one starts getting curious about their surroundings, try taking them on walks outside instead! That should be enough to prevent boredom from setting in, but if it’s not, then don’t hesitate to try something else.

7. Your Baby May Be Physiologically Unprepared for Anything More Than Sleep

The truth is your baby may be too sleepy for anything except sleep. In many cases, they aren’t ready to be awake or alert for a long period, so they simply fall asleep when things get overwhelming.

Of course, this doesn’t apply in every case because babies cry when they’re hungry or need a diaper change instead of needing sleep. However, frequent napping is enough evidence that your newborn might just be tired all the time! If you want your little one to enjoy being awake and alert you from time to time, try holding him/her or playing with her/him for a while before putting them to bed.

8. Your Baby May Cry When You Pick Them Up

Some newborns get used to being carried in their mother’s arms and freak out if they’re put down. Maybe this is just another form of comfort that your baby enjoys, but it might also be a sign of separation anxiety in some cases. If you think this might be the case, try carrying her/him less and gradually increasing how long you do so every day.

It will take time, but eventually, he/she should stop crying when you put her/him down, unless there’s something else going on – like number two on our list.

9. Your Baby May Be Sensitive to Touch

In some cases, your baby’s skin is so sensitive that even the lightest touch from a towel or cotton swabs will make him/her cry. This is just a sign of a newborn’s highly developed sense of touch, but it may be too much for them at first.

If this sounds familiar, try using rubber gloves or washcloths instead.

Also remember that you have to be gentle when cleaning your little one because their immune system isn’t fully developed yet – and if they catch anything, you’ll need to bring them in for treatment right away.

10. Your Baby May Be In Pain

From time to time, your baby might not be feeling well enough to keep from crying all the time. If your little one has a fever or any other kind of pain, he/she needs to be taken to the doctor right away before it gets worse. If you can’t pinpoint why your baby’s crying, don’t hesitate to make an appointment with the pediatrician.

Conclusion

While we hope this list helps you figure out why your newborn cries, we also hope that nothing on here applies to them, and they’re just happy like all babies should be! Just make sure to watch their behaviors closely and look for any signs of illness or discomfort – and if you think there might be something wrong, then take them in as soon as possible!