5 Reasons Babies Cry and How To Calm Them

This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of Balmex for IZEA. All opinions are 100% mine.

When you first become a mom, there are so many things to know, from how to feed a baby, to how to change her clothes to what diapers to use. It’s enough to make your head spin. Our goal as a mom is to keep baby happy and healthy. But what happens when baby is crying and you have no idea why? You can panic or you can run through this checklist of the top reasons babies cry to help pinpoint why they’re unhappy. Check out these 5 Reasons Babies Cry and How to Calm Them to get your baby back on their way to comfy and happy in no time!

5 Reasons Babies Cry and How to Calm Them

1. Hungry. In my experience, the #1 reason babies cry is because they are hungry. Think about it, your newborn has been safe and snug in your womb for 9 months and has been feed continuously from the umbilical cord. But, now he’s on the outside and his little belly is grumbling. More than likely your baby is hungry. A lot of experts (and moms) suggest feeding a newborn every 2-3 hours. I say that’s a guideline that only you as the mom can know. Sometimes it may be a little less time in between feedings and that’s ok. Figure out the right timing for your baby and go with it!

2. Sleepy. Whoever came up with the phrase “sleep like a baby” must not have had a baby like mine! haha! My babies never wanted to sleep but would cry when they were sleepy. They would fight those sleepy eyes and stay awake grumpy and tired. Even to this day, they don’t realize that mom know best and that we’re all a little happier when we get some sleep. Try swaddling your baby and put them to sleep if they are tired. Sometimes babies can get overly tired and may take a bit to calm down. Just do your best! Your baby will drift off to dreamland before you know it!

3. Wet. No baby likes to be in a wet or dirty diaper. Make sure that the diaper is changed often and is dry. Having a clean diaper is one of the keys to having a happy baby. If the diaper is wet for too long, diaper rash can set in and that’s no fun! Keep diaper rash away with a good ointment, too! You can protect from rashes and treat a rash if it happens to pop up. Using a good cream is key to taking care of it fast! I like Balmex with ActivGuard* and have used it for all three of my kids. It’s a wonderful cream that will fight diaper rash at a great price! Your baby will not have a red face from crying or a red tushy from diaper rash when you use this great cream!

4. Cold. Remember that babies are so much smaller than us and that their little bodies can get cold fast. While it’s not necessary to dress a baby in a lot more layers than we are, it is a good idea to use a light blanket or one more layer of clothes than we have on. Onesies and t-shirts are a great way to add extra warmth. You don’t want to overheat them, but having that extra layer of clothes can make all the difference between a happy baby and a sad baby.

5. Gas. If all else fails, see if baby needs to burp or pass gas. Little bellies are prone to being bloated and gassy when they’re introduced to milk. Make sure to burp baby well at feedings and afterwards. Sometimes it’s easy to get a burp out right away and sometimes it takes a while. Another way to help gassy tummies is to lay baby face down on your forearm and gently bounce or to lay your baby on their back and “bicycle” the legs to get that gas moving out.

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Formulated with doctor-recommended zinc oxide plus three soothing botanicals and skin nourishing vitamins B5 and E to help soothe and treat diaper rash, while moisturizing and nourishing baby’s irritated skin. Goes on smooth, wipes off easily.