Your newborn is the cutest, loveliest, most wonderful little thing, and already you can’t imagine your life without them or wait for all the exciting memories you’re sure to create.

But they really do cry an awful lot! They cry in the mornings, after feedings, when you’re taking them for a walk, as you put them down for a nap, and so on. They cry all the time, and sometimes it drives you a little bonkers. In fact, they cry so much that you can’t help wondering, is this normal? Is it wrong that it drives me a little crazy?

First of all, yes, it’s absolutely okay to admit that the wails and cries occasionally drive you up the wall. And secondly, it’s absolutely normal for your baby to cry a lot.

Why do babies cry?

While we’ve listed a few common causes for baby cries below, we first want to stress that crying is simply a part of being a baby. Given that they can’t yet speak or even move much, crying is essentially the only way for them to communicate that something is wrong.

But what might be wrong? What’s causing my baby to cry?

What might be the cause of my baby’s tears?

Sometimes, there’s no obvious cause for your baby’s crying; but when the tears do flow, you may feel a greater sense of control if you run through the following checklist and then act accordingly.

When your baby next cries, ask yourself if any of the following might be the cause:

Tiredness
A wet or smelly nappy
They’re too hot or cold
Hunger
Pain
Fever
Boredom
Discomfort
They’re in need of comfort

And once you’ve figured out the possible cause, you can take steps to comfort and settle your little one.

So, how do I help to stop their tears?

We provided a response for each of the above causes, as well as a few soothing techniques.

Tired. Try leaving them in the crib for a few minutes or rock and sing them to sleep.
A wet/smelly nappy. Check to see if they’re in need of a change and act accordingly.
Too hot or cold. Are their cheeks pink? Does their belly or back feel hot? Or is the air a little chilly and they’re in need of a few more layers?
Hungry. Try feeding them or burping and then feeding. If they don’t latch on, they probably aren’t hungry.
In pain. Is their clothing a little too tight? Remove a few layers. Is something in their cot poking into their side? Make sure they’re nice and comfortable. Might they have a nappy rash? Look for any red marks around their bottom and speak to a medical professional if you see something concerning.
Fever. If their cheeks are pink and their forehead is hot and not cooling down when you remove a blanket or warm cardigan, they could have a fever. Take their temperature and seek medical advice if it’s above 38 degrees Celsius.
Boredom. Try smiling and talking to them or picking them up and placing them on a soft mat to have a kick and a stretch.
Discomfort. Try changing their position or outfit, or try burping them. If they’re tucking their legs up, yelling, arching their back, or they’re a bit red in the face, it’s probably a case of trapped wind.
In need of comfort. Pick them up and hold them to your breast, rocking them back and forth while offering soothing words and sounds.

If none of the above rings true, it’s perfectly plausible that they just need to have a cry. If this happens to be the case, try a few of the following soothing techniques:

Snuggle your baby close to your body.

Gently bounce and sway back and forth as you hold them, and make soothing, repetitive noises.

Play them some music and try all different genres.

Try introducing some white noise to distract them.

Let them suck their finger/thumb/dummy.

Give them a bath or bathe together.

Give them a gentle massage.

Sing to your baby.

Go for a drive or walk.

Hand them to someone else to hold.

Use a baby sling so they can be close to you as you get on with your day.

What do I do about my baby’s crying?

On Unii’s Baby Health Journey, we look at what to do when your baby cries.