Tag Archives: fussy baby

I Should Know Better By Now

I’ve been getting into the bad habit of staying up hours after my daughter is in bed. I used to go to bed at the same time as her, because she slept with us. Then she got pretty good at going to sleep on her own, so I’d wait an hour or so after she fell asleep to go to bed. These days, I spend a good 3 hours being awake after she’s down for the night. It’s been taking its toll on me, physically and mentally. If you don’t believe me, ask my husband. I’m not sure which looks … Continue reading →

Fussy Baby? Work On Your Marriage

A new study, done by researchers at Ohio State University has found that couples who have especially difficult babies, can rely on their strong marital bonds to help them rise to the challenge. For couples who do not have strong bonds, the baby remained fussier for longer. The study entailed a few phases. 97 different couples had to undergo a two hour home study assessment. Researchers watched the couple in conversation noting various behaviors such as how often they smiled at one another and how often they showed irritation. Based on their analysis they rated the couples’ bond. (I have … Continue reading →

Hold the Phone! Research States That Parents Should Pick Up Their Baby When It Cries

You’ll have to excuse my somewhat sarcastic tone as I write this, but when this headline appeared in my news feeds this morning I found myself staring at it in disbelief. After all, who would pay for this kind of study? As it turns out, the Queensland University of Technology did the research and it was part of a joint study with the Early Parenting Centre. Researchers found that many new parents were uncertain and concerned that if they picked up their child every time it cried, they would end up spoiling their baby. This fear is understandable; especially if … Continue reading →

Stages of Baby Fussiness: The First 12 weeks

Has this every happened to you? Your baby is sleeping through the night, contented all day and then the next day he seems like someone else’s fussy baby? He’s grumpy, clingy, wants to nurse all the time, and you just don’t know what you did wrong? Don’t worry–it could just be a phase in his development. While this research is not widely circulated, I have to admit that as I read it for the first time it made a lot of sense. While each of my children obviously has their own personalities, there were definitely stages that they went through … Continue reading →

When Your Baby Won’t Stop Crying

It is frustrating to listen to your baby cry for hours on end. And yet, many parents experience this type of high need baby. Try these strategies for coping with your new bundle of joy to make life more bearable: 1. Wear baby in a sling (or similar carrier). Wearing a newborn in a sling helps “recreate” the womb and eases the transition between inside mommy’s tummy to the outside world. If your baby is very fussy, a sling helps by allowing you to do other things while carrying the baby. Another benefit is that you can offer baby the … Continue reading →

The Fussy Baby (Part V)

The last in my series on fussy babies, here’s a little checklist that can help you identify your baby’s cries or just provide you with information you can document to take to a pediatrician if you need to ask them about it. Remember, sometimes your baby just needs to cry, but prolonged crying is not a good thing. You’ve fed your baby. You’ve changed your baby. They are comfortable. But they’re still crying. Answer the following questions and keep track. They can help you figure out what’s wrong: Have you held your baby? Often being held in the warmth and … Continue reading →

The Fussy Baby (Part IV)

Colic occurs only to newborn babies, up to about four to five months of age. Look for patterns to your baby’s crying; these can provide clues as to which suggestions are most likely to help. Then experiment with some of the ideas in the following list and in the rest of this article: If Breast Feeding: Feed on demand – it can have a calming influence on the baby. Avoid eating foods like caffeine, dairy products, broccoli and other vegetables that can cause gas If Bottle Feeding: Offer frequent, small meals Switch formulas and ask pediatrician for suggestions on type … Continue reading →

The Fussy Baby (Part II)

I was talking about recognizing different types of cries The Fussy Baby (Part I). For first time parents, you may wonder how you will ever recognize those cries. You’ll learn the way we all do – through practice. Here are some tips on how to recognize the different types of crying and what clues that can help you. Hunger – If it’s been a few hours since the last time you fed him or her; if he or she has just had a full diaper or if she or he just woke up from their nap – chances are good … Continue reading →

The Fussy Baby (Part I)

When it comes to imagining babies, it’s natural to imagine Hallmark moments. There’s the sleeping baby. There’s the laughing baby. There’s the baby cooing. What few people really think about are the babies that cry and cry and cry. It’s very natural for babies to cry. In fact, it’s necessary for babies to cry so that we know they need something. What boggles most people (especially women) is that we are biologically programmed to respond to a baby’s crying. First time parents can find themselves on edge when the baby seems to cry all the time. It’s important to understand … Continue reading →