Why NewBorns Cry

Babies are supposed to cry. It’s the primary tool they have with which to communicate about a messy diaper, an empty stom- ach, and a need for reassurance or human connection. A baby’s health is initially measured, in part, by a strong, lusty cry. Her cries communicate—loudly—her feelings, her needs, and her wants. Adults can’t help but sit up and pay attention.

Research shows that normal, healthy infants have two cries. They have a basic cry and a pain cry. The two are dis- tinct enough to show up differently on printouts of acousti- cal analyses of infants’ cries. The pain cry is urgent—usually high-pitched and loud. It comes on suddenly and includes long periods of breath holding. It’s that pause between one loud, high-pitched waaaft and the second outburst that puts parents on edge. They most likely are running to the infant’s side as the next waaaft comes through, signaling that the infant is still breathing. That’s an instinct worth trusting. When the cry sounds like the baby is signaling pain, a physician should check to see if there’s a physical cause. But an urgent cry of pain is also the cry of colic—signaling that parents might be in for a short-term, bumpy ride.

The other cry, the basic cry, is for everything else—hunger, discomfort, a need to be held. It is somewhat lower in pitch with a more gradual buildup in intensity. There are no intermina- ble periods of breath holding, and overall, there’s a less frantic sound to it.

By about six weeks, the infant has gained enough control of his vocal cords that he makes the amazing discovery that he can cry at will. Imagine the power! He is learning that this vocal tool brings someone to his side. At this point, he may not be crying for a basic need like food or a clean diaper. He may be crying because he needs attention, something he received twenty-four hours a day in the uterus.

Attention is a serious need for infants. They may need a burp, they might have gas or indigestion, or they may be get- ting tired. They may be too warm. They may want to move— in someone’s arms, a rocking chair, a stroller, or a car seat gliding down the highway. They may simply be lonely and want the sound of a human voice or a cuddle. Or maybe it’s just that fussy time of the day, and all a parent can do is try to provide comfort as the crying runs its course. That kind of attention teaches him that a caring adult is still there for him, just as his mother was always there for him during the first three trimesters, in the happy times and through the inconsolable times.