After giving birth a week ago, you’re at home, immersed in a beautiful, emotional bubble of getting to know your brand new baby boy.

While at the hospital, both you and your partner were pleasantly surprised with how peaceful your baby was. Apart from the odd whimper during the night, he was quiet as can be, and off in dreamland most of the time.

That was until today, when he started to cry a lot more. Obviously, you’ve found this quite distressing. He’s way too young to tell you what’s wrong, and questions such as, what on earth could be wrong? Is it because we recently came home? and Is he in pain? have been racing through your mind.

If you can relate to this, then rest assured that this is completely normal behaviour for a newborn at the very start of their lives. However, we know that you’ll be wanting more information on your newborn’s crying at this stage, what’s behind it and, most of all, how you can manage it!

But, first of all, why is your newborn crying?

What are normal crying expectations during week 1?

It’s very normal for a baby to cry a lot during their very first weeks, after all, there’s rather a lot to get used to. Most babies will cry between 2 and 4 hours a day, though a perfectly healthy baby can sometimes cry for up to 12 hours, and pretty much non-stop!

Typically, if a baby is a big crier during their first week, they’ll probably follow this trait for a little while, though they should peak at about 6 weeks.

But why on earth do they cry so much? What’s the cause of all their tears?

Why does my baby cry?

Crying is your baby’s only real way of communicating at this point in time, but this can be a little stressful given that you can only really guess what they’re trying to tell you. Though we would say that during this first week, their number one request will be food, so it’s always worth trying to feed them first. Otherwise, they may need a nappy change, a nap, or simply a cuddle with one of their parents.

So, now that we have a pretty good idea as to how much crying to expect and why it happens, let’s explore what you can do to manage the many tears during this time.

How do I manage my baby’s tears?

Try feeding, burping, rocking and nappy changing. These steps are no doubt your first instinct, but sometimes the simplest and most obvious solution is the right one.

For excessive crying, see your GP or a midwife. It’s more than likely that there’s absolutely nothing wrong with your baby, but going to the doctor will eliminate any medical worries and immediately make you feel better.

Have relatives and friends help. Let someone else hold your baby and give you a rest every once in a while and don’t be upset should your baby immediately stop crying once they’ve been passed on. A new face and a different position can often be just the ticket.

Make sure you get some sleep. It’s really important that you get some rest, so have a nap when you get a chance and share the taking care of your little one with others.

How do I manage my newborn's crying? (Week 1)

Unii shares advice on soothing a crying baby in the early days.