It is the job of a baby to make loud and disturbing noises. They take that job seriously and are extremely good at it. You have seen babies in action before. But it was always someone else’s baby. You could either tune out the noise or blame the mother for not keeping the baby quiet. Perhaps you have been on a plane in coach in the middle seat next to a screaming baby. That’s a rough 6hrs. Every woman silently begs forgiveness for all their uncharitable thoughts the moment they have a baby of their own. If you have a new baby, you know exactly what I’m talking about.
That judgmental attitude is just a part of mom guilt experienced by every mother at some point in the process of raising a child. Mom guilt is real and constitutes a real problem for many women. Consider seeing a counselor if the crushing weight of guilt is keeping you from being your best self. Some of the worst guilt happens when your baby starts crying and you have no idea why it is happening. There are good reasons for the crying. And the vast majority of those reasons are very manageable. Here are a few:
Your Baby Has Diaper Rash
Did you know adults can also get something very much like diaper rash? When you experience it for yourself, you will understand why your baby is crying. One of the first things you should check for is diaper rash. Once you confirm it, apply the best diaper rash cream you can find. Don’t skimp on quality to save a few pennies. And whatever you do, don’t run out. If it means you have to put it on a recurring subscription, do that. A good cream starts to work almost immediately. Your baby deserves to have the suffering end as soon as humanly possible.
Diaper rash is bad enough. A loaded diaper is awful. Not tending to it quickly is one of the things that leads to that painful, burning diaper rash. As a new mom, you always need cleanup supplies, fresh diapers, powder, and diaper rash cream. These are a few of the things you should never leave home without if your baby will be with you. Just remember that as bad as diaper rash feels, a good cream soothes right away. So when diaper rash is the problem, it is easy to stop the crying, if not a little messy.
They Are Afraid
Before a year has passed, your child might have difficulty with something called object permanence. That is a form of short-term memory that informs a person that objects are still where you last saw them even when you cannot presently see them. If your baby is in a position where she can’t see you, she might become disoriented and afraid. She will feel abandoned because you are not there and you are the most constant part of her changing world. She is simply not ready for a world that doesn’t have you in it.
The solution is clear. You have to reassure the baby that you are still there and that she is not alone. Her world is still exactly as it was. Some babies develop object permanence at around 4 months. But there is nothing wrong with your baby if she takes longer to develop this important feature. Games like peek-a-boo can help a lot. So be prepared to do a lot of that and when not holding her, keep your baby in a position where she can see you. This phase will soon pass.
Your Baby Is Tired and Cranky
You might not cry like a baby when you are tired and cranky. But you probably snap at the people you love for no good reason. It is perfectly natural. One of the most common methods of torture is sleep deprivation. When you are tired, you need to rest to get your mind back to normal working order. The same is true for your baby, only more so. Learn all the tricks to help her sleep when she is in that mood and you will have a very quiet and happy baby most of the time.
It is true that sometimes, your baby cries because there is something seriously wrong and you need to call your pediatrician. But those times are extremely rare. The vast majority of times, your baby is crying because she has diaper rash, she is afraid, or she really, really needs a nap.
