Crying is a baby’s main way of communicating, but when a baby won’t stop crying it can be distressing and exhausting for parents. Understanding why babies cry and learning effective ways to soothe them can help you respond with confidence and calm.
This guide explains common reasons babies cry and offers practical, gentle techniques to help calm a crying baby.
Table of contents
Table of contents
Babies cry a lot and for all sorts of reasons. It may be they are hungry, thirsty, hot, cold, scared, lonely, itchy or feeling unwell. It can be hard seeing your baby in distress and parents will try everything to stop their baby crying.
Why do babies cry?
Babies cry because they are trying to tell you something. Common reasons include:
- Hunger or thirst
- Tiredness or overstimulation
- Wind, reflux, or colic
- Discomfort, such as a wet nappy or being too hot or cold
- Needing comfort, closeness, or reassurance
Some babies also go through periods of increased crying, particularly in the early weeks. Don’t worry as this is completely normal.
How to stop a baby crying: Try these soothing techniques
Check basic needs first
Before trying other techniques, make sure your baby’s basic needs are met:
- Offer a feed. Usually, babies will have a nice long feed then be okay for a while. However, when babies are first born, or when they are going through a growth spurt, they may want to feed more frequently but for a shorter time. This is called cluster feeding and is totally normal. Your baby may also want to feed more if they are feeling unwell as it provides comfort
- Change their nappy. Check to see if they need a nappy change or have nappy rash that’s hurting them. Nappy rash can be soothed with barrier creams such as Bepanthen, Sudocrem and Metanium. These vary in strength and consistency so find one that suits your baby, or interchange them.
- Check their temperature and clothing
Sometimes a simple adjustment is all that’s needed to settle a crying baby.
Your baby cannot tell you if they are feeling ill. So always keep an eye on their temperature, particularly if they are crying more than usual.
If they do have a fever, this should come down with age-appropriate paracetamol or ibuprofen.
If it doesn’t, or they show any other signs of illness, seek medical attention immediately.
There is guidance on signs your baby may be seriously ill on the NHS website.
Wind them
Around a quarter of babies experience colic. This is when your baby cries for a long time every night for seemingly no reason. This usually happens very early on, before the baby is six weeks old, and eventually goes away on its own. The crying is often due to trapped wind.
If you baby is shouting and wriggling, particularly after a feed, they may have wind.
You can usually burp them by sitting them on your knee or leg, or holding them over your shoulder. Pat them firmly on the back until they burp.
If the gas is trapped further down, try lying them on their back to relieve the discomfort. Gently move their legs in a cycling motion to help ease out a fart.
If wind is a common problem for your baby, you may want to try giving them colic relief drops such as Infacol before their feeds to help get any gas out.
Soothe them to sleep
If your baby has not slept in a few hours, they may just be tired. Signs of tiredness include rubbing their eyes and getting irritable. Feeding, cuddling or going through their bedtime routine (if they have one yet) can help them to sleep.
Cuddle them
Sometimes babies just want a cuddle, either lying down or over your shoulder, to make them feel safe, warm and loved.
If this isn’t working for you and your baby is still crying and distressed, it’s worth letting your partner have a go as your baby may just want a cuddle from a particular person right now.
Play with them (or help them to wind down)
Babies can get bored, also playing can distract them and stop them crying.
Try giving them soft toys, scrunchy baby books or musical baby toys to play with. Babies also love ‘flying’, looking in mirrors, being read to from picture books and just being smiled at and talked to.
Conversely, if a baby is overstimulated and overwhelmed, they can be soothed by going to a quiet place with dim lights to feed and wind down.
Remove or add a layer
The general rule of thumb is that babies need one more layer of clothing than you do, but this is very vague.
You can buy room thermometers that test the temperature of the room and say how many layers your baby needs.
While this can help, you should go by your baby’s cues as well – overheating is a risk factor for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome so it’s essential to make sure they are at the right temperature. Avoid hats indoors, especially if they are sleeping, and always practice safe sleep guidance.
Switch formulas
Some formulas don’t agree with some babies’ stomachs – each baby is individual so you may want to try a few different formulas until you find one that they tolerate well. It is also possible that they cannot tolerate dairy, a doctor can confirm if this is the case and recommend an alternative, such as hypoallergenic or goat milk formula.
If you have recently introduced formula having breast fed before, your baby’s belly may need some time to adjust. A doctor can prescribe Gaviscon Infant to help with this if your baby is also being sick more frequently as a result of the change.
Give them a dummy
Dummies can be very soothing, particularly during teething, though your baby may take a little while to accept one.
You can get a little clip from supermarkets and chemists to prevent dummies from being spat on the floor all the time. Don’t put a dummy on a string, ribbon or necklace around your baby’s neck as this is extremely dangerous.
Pain relief if they are teething
If your baby is dribbling a lot, sucking their hand or wants a dummy more than usual, has red cheeks or seems to be in pain often, they may be teething. Teething can start at any time, it’s most common between four and seven months old, but some babies are born with teeth.
You can get numbing gel to rub on their gums and teething toys to help with this. If they are really a lot of pain you may want to give them some Calpol or age-appropriate Nurofen, but this should be used sparingly as too much can damage their liver or stomach, respectively.
When to seek advice
Contact a health professional if:
- Your baby’s crying sounds unusual or high-pitched
- They are not feeding or gaining weight
- You are worried about their health
- You feel overwhelmed or unable to cope
FAQs
Why won’t my baby stop crying?
When babies are very small, crying is their only means of communication. Whether they are in pain, need their nappy changed, are hungry, hot, cold, itchy or lonely, they just cry. If they won’t stop crying, try checking all these things and one of the paediatrician-approved methods described in this article.
How can white noise stop a baby from crying?
White noise is noise that is dull, monotonous and of a low pitch, such as humming, vacuuming or the rumble of a car engine. It can be extremely soothing for crying babies and it is said to mimic the environment of the womb. You can also download apps that play a variety of white noises to help soothe your baby.
What is colic?
Colic is when a baby cries a lot for no apparent reason, typically for more than three hours a day for more than three weeks. It’s not clear why some babies are colicky, but it usually disappears as they grow and you can see a doctor about it if you’re worried that there may be an underlying reason for the crying.
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