Q&A with Renee from The Content Baby
My newborn baby seems to cry a lot. Why could this be?
Some newborn babies seem to cry more than others. Parents can be left wondering why they got the child that cries the most. Crying is a normal part of children’s development and when born, shows healthy lung development and alertness. Yet there are probably not many other things that upset parents as much as hearing their little ones cry.
Remember, crying is a baby’s way of communicating their needs to you. It is important to respond quickly to your child’s cry. If you respond quickly and consistently to your child it had been shown that your child may cry less and be a more confident toddler.
However, it is not always possible to settle a crying baby. Of course there are steps to go through first which are: checking their nappy to see if it is wet, soiled or simply uncomfortable; checking if the baby is hungry; are they too hot or cold; are they showing signs of illness; are they due for a sleep or even overtired?
When babies cry it can range from mild whimpering to intense screaming. There may be no tears or streams of tears. Their little faces may turn red or go blotchy and they may draw up their legs and seem to scream in pain. Crying can pass quickly or last for several hours.
According to a Queensland Government / Queensland Health handout on crying, babies between the ages of 1 -3 months will cry on average for 2 hours a day. Crying is often worse in the afternoons. After 3 months of age there is a gradual decrease in the overall amount of crying a day. To a parent, listening to their baby cry can be the most difficult thing they have ever had to do. For this reason, 2 minutes can seem like an eternity. Watch the clock and reassure yourself it has only been 2 minutes.
Try and encourage contentment in your baby by:
- Spending time with your baby when you are calm. Your baby feeds off your emotions and can sense when you are stressed or upset.
- Carrying your baby around. Try a sling if your arms are tired and this may also give you the freedom to cook, clean or even read a book.
- React quickly when your baby cries. You will soon learn the difference between their hungry cry, hurt cry, pain cry, sleep cry etc.
- Sometimes your baby will not settle even after you have tried everything. Seek help and support if your baby continues to be upset. Talk to your local Doctor, call a friend who has children and may be able to offer some advice, visit your local Child Health Nurse.
How can I help my baby naturally while they are teething?
Teething can be a time of great anxiety for parents if their little one seems to be in any sort of pain or discomfort. A lot of parents do not like to use Panadol or Nurofen all the time as they worry about the side effects on their child.
If your child is demonstrating the typical signs of teething such as drooling, biting, having a runny nose, nappy rash, has red swollen gums and is fussy and cranky then there are a number of natural ways you can help your child through teething.
- Amber necklaces have been used for many hundreds of years. When amber is worn next to the skin, it is thought that the skin’s warmth releases oils from the amber. Babies, children and even mother’s can wear the Amber necklaces. Babies and children wear it around their neck against their skin. This is then heated by the body’s natural temperature and the healing begins. Mother’s can wear it as a necklace and then when your child is feeding, they may rub it in between their fingers and receive extra healing. I currently am selling Amber necklaces from Amberbebe on my website for 20% off of the RRP $40.00. That makes them $ 32.00 with free postage in Queensland.
All jewellery has been made using the highest quality materials, however children should always be SUPERVISED whilst wearing jewellery. Extra special care must be taken with children under the age of 3 as all jewellery has small components which can cause a CHOKING HAZARD. We recommend that all jewellery be removed prior to sleeping, and other occasions where the child may be left alone.
- Teething toys and rings are another wonderful resource to have. There are many different kids for you to choose from. Hard smooth toys, soft rubbery toys, material toys and rings that go in the fridge.
- Things around the house that you already have that can used are wet washers placed in the fridge. These not only can be sucked and therefore used to rehydrate but the chewing of the towel provides resistance against the gums and is also cold which soothes the inflamed tissue. Also, you can simply use your clean finger. Gentle insert your finger inside your child’s mouth and carefully rub around on their gums. You will notice your child will direct you to the section of gum that is causing them the pain and then they may bite harder against your finger.
- Food such as teething rusks that dissolve into nothing are great for your child to chew on. I sell organic rusks for $8/packet with free postage. Also, you can purchase mesh feeders and place ice cubes or cold vegetables or fruit inside it for your child to chew on. The mesh helps reduce the mess and is safe for your child to chew on. They come with a soft rubber handle for you or your child to hold.
- There are two different companies that manufacture a homeopathic combination of natural substances to relieve the symptoms caused by teething. Hyland’s Teething Tablets provide a natural, homeopathic formula for symptoms of simple restlessness and wakeful irritability due to the cutting of teeth. It reduces pain, inflammation, fever, drooling and the discomfort of teething. The small 1 grain tablet melts instantly on the tongue. I personally have had friends use these tablets with their children and have sworn by them. Check out www.hylandsteething.com for more information. The other product name is Camilia Teething tablets which acts the same way.
- Brauer’s teething relief. It is a natural oral liquid medicine that contains no Paracetamol or Asprin. Brauer is a Homeopathy medical company that has developed products that relieve many symptoms. They are available in most chemists.
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