The arrival of a baby is a big event in any family and there is a lot of excitement and happiness around. The first 24 hours are very crucial after the baby is born as you are totally unaware of a lot of things related to taking care of your new baby. You have umpteen questions about what is perfectly normal and what is not. The big realization that you are totally responsible for your little darling can make you extremely tense and stressed especially during newborn crying.
You need to understand that each time your baby cries, it does not mean the little one is unhappy, hungry, or in pain. This is the only way your baby can get your attention which they will in plenty now. Read on to know all about newborn crying in the first 24 hours after birth and ways to deal with it.
In This Article
- How Much Will My Newborn Cry In The First 24 Hours?
- Why Is My Newborn Crying?
- How to Deal With Newborn Crying?
- FAQs
How Much Will My Newborn Cry In The First 24 Hours?
In the first 24 hours after birth, you will be pleasantly surprised that your little darling sleeps almost through the entire day as she needs rest after birth and requires time to get adjusted to the new environment outside her mother’s womb. In these first 24 hours, suppose the little one begins crying, try offering her your breast if you are breastfeeding or giving her a bottle if she is on formula feed.
While feeding her, make sure that you talk to her in a soft manner as she will recognize your voice which she often listened to when she was inside your womb. Just wrapping your baby close to your body will provide her comfort and help to soothe her when she is crying as will recognize your smell. Remember newborn babies have a strong sense of smell. Cradling your baby in your arms will further help to nurture the bond between you two.
Why Is My Newborn Crying?
Given below are some common reasons that prompt your little one to cry during those first 24 hours after birth.
1. Tired And Weary
Like you, your little one also has passed through a difficult and dramatic journey so she may be tired. Lot of visitors excitedly coming to see her can get her overstimulated. So ensure you provide her with a relaxed and cozy environment where she can sleep peacefully
2. Too Cold Or Too Hot
As your newborn baby’s skin gets adjusted to the outside world, there will be variations in her body temperature. Make sure that you wrap your baby in one more layer than what you are adorning. A good swaddling blanket would be ideal for your baby to get cozy and sleep well.
Your little one may cry if she feels too cold or too hot also. For this, you need to check the temperature of the baby’s tummy. If the tummy is quite hot to the touch, get rid of one layer and similarly add one more layer if the tummy is cold to your touch. This is the best way to judge your newborn baby’s temperature
3. May Be Hungry
Your little one’s tummy is extremely tiny and so may require feeds every couple of hours or more frequently as they tend to feed very little at a time. So if your little one begins crying, try putting her onto your breast. On the other hand, if you are feeding her with formula, try giving a bottle to your little one.
4. Missing The Warmth And Close Contact
Your precious darling was huddled cozily in your womb for the past nine months. The sudden exposure to completely new surroundings, temperature, sound, smell and touch can make the little one miss the coziness of your womb during the first few hours.
The little one may be just crying for some warmth and coziness and all you need to do is gather her close to you and cuddle her and this will help to soothe her. A lot of physical contact is extremely important during those first few hours after your baby is born
How to Deal With Newborn Crying?
However, even if you do manage to pass through those first twenty-four hours without your little baby crying too much, do not hope that it is going to stay that way. They will surely start crying for any of the above-mentioned reasons and you will have to get used to dealing with your little one as soon as possible. As long as they are feeling well, a lot of experts feel that crying is just one of those developmental stages that your little one passes through as she adjusts to the world outside. Just try out all the above-mentioned tips that are sure to calm your baby in most cases and help them snuggle down to sleep in your arms.
You can feel very frustrated, helpless or incompetent if you cannot quickly or accurately work out why your baby is crying, Do not panic when the little mite begins crying unnecessarily, as most parents experience this and even more during those first few days after birth. So go ahead and enjoy those precious first hours after you give birth and get busy building a wonderful and strong bond with your little darling.
Happy Parenting!
FAQs
1. How Long Does It Take A Baby To Stop Crying After Birth?
Most newborns breathe and cry within seconds. Crying peaks at 6-8 weeks. Newborn crying is difficult, but it will end. All infants cry and fuss. For the first 6 weeks, babies cry 2–3 hours a day.
2. What Is The First Newborn Crying Called?
Cries of newborn infants are often described as “cries for life” because they occur right after the infant has finally taken his first breath of oxygen after nine long months of being fed oxygen.
