Most babies go through periods of fussiness, often at inconvenient times like the middle-of-the-night or during the late afternoon when you need to prepare dinner and tend to older children. Understanding the reasons behind your baby’s fussiness, such as whether he is cold, hungry, in pain, gassy, tired or over-stimulated, can help you take steps to fix the problem and calm him down.
Exhaustion
Babies need more sleep than you might imagine—many newborns sleep up to 16 hours a day, according to the Mayo Clinic. If you fail to put your baby down to sleep when he first shows signs of drowsiness, he might become fussy, cranky and irritable. Over-tired babies might resist sleep and cry even after you put them in their beds. Dr. Marc Weissbluth, the author of "Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child" suggests instituting regular nap times and early bed times for your baby starting at six weeks to promote good sleep habits and ensure he gets enough sleep.
Colic
If your baby develops an extreme pattern of crying that lasts for more than three hours at a time on more than three days a week, she might have colic. Medline Plus states that around 20 percent of babies cry enough to earn the diagnosis of colicky. While the incessant crying usually goes away by 3 months of age, it can be a difficult time for parents who hate to see their baby crying and in discomfort. If you suspect your baby has colic, pediatrician Dr. William Sears suggests taking her to the doctor for a full evaluation to look for underlying medical conditions that can cause colicky symptoms, such as food sensitivities or gastroesophageal reflux.
Parental Stress
Babies might pick up on stress and unhappiness in their caregivers, which can sometimes lead them to cry and fuss more than usual. The constant demands of parenting a newborn can take a toll on even the most dedicated parents, making it important to evaluate your own mental state to ensure you are not inadvertently fueling your baby’s fussiness by reacting to him in an angry or negative manner. Reaching out to other people in your support network, such as your partner, parents, friends or doctor, can help you get support and assistance in caring for your infant.
Temperament
Not all babies react to exhaustion, wetness, dirtiness, hunger or strangers in the same way. Your baby’s temperament governs the way he responds to situations even as a young baby. The American Academy of Pediatrics advises parents to respect their child’s innate temperament and the way it affects his activity level, adaptability, sensory threshold, mood and intensity.
Soothing
When the crying persists after you take steps to address all of your baby’s basic needs like food, warmth and a clean diaper; Dr. Harvey Karp, the author of “The Happiest Baby on the Block” recommends using the “Five S’s” to calm your baby. Karp theorizes that recreating a womb-like environment by “swaddling” your baby, holding him on his “side or stomach”, making a “shushing” sound using white noise, “swinging” him using a baby swing, car ride or stroller and letting him “suck” on a pacifier can trigger his calming reflex and help end his fussing and crying.
