At the end of the afternoon or in the evening, it is common for your baby to have a crying fit for no real reason and you do not understand what is going wrong. Why and how to appease it? We give you the answer.
It is impossible for parents to escape the crying of their newborn baby and it can quickly become stressful, all the more so when you do not understand the reason for these tears. We reassure you, crying discharge concerns many babies so you are not the only ones to be confronted with it.
We call “discharge crying” those tears that usually surface in your baby in the late afternoon or evening, for no real reason. In reality, they are the manifestation of your baby’s emotions because at this age, shouting and crying are the only ways for him to express his anger, his pain, his hunger, his tiredness when he is sleepy. Above all, it allows him to release all the emotional stimulation of the day. These first tears begin around 2-3 weeks and intensify towards 6 weeks in babies. From the age of 3, these episodes lessen. To calm these crises in your young child, you must first make sure that it is indeed crying discharge.
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How to recognize discharge crying?
These cries, also called “evening cries”, usually occur when night falls, calm has returned and your baby feels confident. There are different signs that parents can observe such as: a tense, agitated child, clenched fists, a red and tense face,… These cries can sometimes be impressive, and a source of concern for parents. They can range from a few minutes to a few hours. Infants are generally most awake between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. This phase of awakening, which would help stabilize sleep, can therefore lead to a need to unload.
When he is at home, in your arms or in his bed, he enjoys this comfort to express all the accumulated emotions during the last 24 hours. A bit like us, when we come home exhausted from work and our nerves give out. Long confused with infant colic, discharge crying is finally the way for your baby to release all the tension and stress.
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How to calm discharge crying?
When baby cries frequently continuously for several hours, it can become stressful for parents. here are a few tips to make these episodes more bearable and gentle on a daily basis:
- Hold your baby against you : When your infant cries, what he seeks in the first place is contact. Do not let him cry alone and reassure him while practicing skin to skin or by wearing him in a sling to give him the impression of a cocoon.
- Take a walk with your child : when you can, do not hesitate to walk with him to appease him.
- rock it or walk with your baby in your arms while talking to him very softly.
If despite your efforts your child continues to cry, check that he does not have a stomach ache or elsewhere, that he is not uncomfortable,… If in doubt, you can always consult an expert such as a pediatric sleep specialist.
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Discharge crying: when should you worry?
When you’re feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, or looking for answers, it’s important to talk to a healthcare professional, such as a pediatrician, who will listen and support you. As a parent, you should not worry at the slightest cry from your baby, but ask yourself these 4 questions :
- Does the crying take place during the day?
- Do they last more than 3 hours?
- Does discharge crying happen more than 3 times a week?
- Do these episodes last longer than 3 weeks?
If the 4 are combined, or one of them is confirmed, it is advisable to consult a pediatrician or doctor in order to take stock of the source of these tears.
Finally, some babies cry more or less than others and that does not make you a bad parent. Keep in mind that some of these tantrums are a way for young children to relieve themselves of too much emotion.
Parenting writer
On the lookout for news and the latest discoveries, Carla puts her pen at your service. Passionate about science and medicine, she brings another perspective in …