at home with Jo Frost - October 2012 - (Page 102)

| teary tots| Why is my baby CRYINg? The sound of a screaming baby is guaranteed to send even the calmest new parent into a spin. But it’s all about finding out what your child is trying to tell you… While all babies make different sounds, there is one type of cry to take urgent notice of and react fast to. ‘If you hear a persistent inconsolable cry or a high-pitched scream you should seek medical help. These sounds could indicate pain or infection and need to get checked out,’ says Samantha. Be particularly wary if your child is also vomiting, has diarrhoea, a fever of more than 37.5°C, a rash or is finding it hard to breathe. U ntil your baby starts using words and other sounds, his main way of telling you he needs something is to cry (or, in many cases, scream blue murder). During the early days of parenting, it can be stressful to think your little one is in distress. This is nature’s way. When you hear your baby crying, as a mother, hormones in your body are programmed to surge, making you feel protective of your child. But all babies cry, and it doesn’t necessarily mean something’s wrong. They’re communicating with you, and the trick is to try and learn just what it is they’re trying to say… Don’t rush to your baby’s side when he is being grumpy, leave him to settle – it’s for his own good If you follow the techniques of former maternity nurse, gina Ford, as described in her Contented Little Baby Book (£11.99, Vermilion), you won’t pick up your baby if he cries when he’s supposed to be sleeping. It’s all part of a tough-love, routine-based way of parenting, designed to encourage habits that match a growing baby’s innate natural rhythms. But another train of thought rejects strict routines in favour of mothers doing what comes naturally and comforting their baby when he needs it. Understanding Your Crying Baby by sheila Kitzinger (£14.99, Carroll & Brown) is an example of this. as with all aspects of parenting a newborn, there’s a huge amount of advice – so it’s really up to you. leave babies to cry it out What about colic? ‘Every baby will have a cry for a variety of things, and each baby cries differently,’ says Samantha Faulkner, lecturer in midwifery at Birmingham City University’s Faculty of Health. ‘You’ll grow to learn the difference between your baby’s unique sounds.’ As a general guide, certain cries can sometimes mean the same thing: ● Hunger: Rhythmic, loud and often low-pitched, wavering. ● Dirty nappy: Sharp, high-pitched. ● Boredom: Whiny (usually for babies four to six weeks onwards). If you’re not sure why they’re crying, one idea is to work your way through a list of possible causes: ● Is he hungry or thirsty? ● Does he need changing? ● Does he want to sleep? ● Does he need winding? ● Is he too hot or too cold? ● Does he want to be held? ● Does he want to be played with? What could their crying mean? Much-dreaded by mums, colic causes otherwise healthy, thriving babies to scream for hours in the evening, when you’re at your most frazzled. It’s likely to strike from around two weeks to three to four months, and it’s notoriously hard to soothe a colicky baby’s cries. If your baby’s affected, take heart in the fact that it will eventually ease (see pg 103). Ways to soothe your baby Non-verbal signs ‘Crying is one of the clues to how a baby’s feeling, but non-verbal communication is key, too,’ says Claire Burgess, Norland nanny and education lecturer at Norland College. ‘If babies are rubbing MoST SMALL their eyes, they could be BABIES CRY irritable or are struggling BETWEEN oNE to get comfortable. Legs AND THREE pulled up to the tummy HoURS A DAY while they’re crying? Perhaps it’s wind.’ A baby’s hunger cry tends to come at a late stage, so at first he’ll make slurping noises, chew his fingers and hand and look around for a feed before he gets vocal. If you’ve worked your way through the list of possible reasons your baby’s crying and he’s still unsettled, he might need help getting off to sleep. There are lots of things you can try – part of getting to know your baby is finding out what works best for him. Your closeness, smell and heartbeat have a soothing effect, so your baby sling can work wonders. Baby massage also does the trick for many – and, as an added bonus, it also has a calming effect on parents. Movement is another option: try rocking the pram back and forth on the spot, strapping your baby into a swinging chair, taking his pram out for a walk or even going for a drive in the car. However, it’s best not to rely on these activities too often. ‘They’re 102 | OCTOBER 2012 Words: Olivia Holcombe | PhotograPh: Getty Images

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of at home with Jo Frost - October 2012

EDITOR’S LETTER
JO’S HELLO
WHAT’S NEW IN PARENTING?
OCTOBER OUTINGS
SCRUB A DUB DUB
WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
NICE WHEELS
FAMOUS MUMS
JO FROST ON THE GO
THE NAUGHTY CORNER
ADULT CLASSES
THE BIG C
YUMMY MUMMY
GET THE LOOK
PUSHY MOTHERS
TOPS ON TREND
MAKE-UP MAGIC
MOTHER WEAR
BABY BUMP BLISS
FIRST-TIME WORRIES
STARTING OUT
ON-THE-MOVE
SIGN UP
MILK TIME
SLEEP EASY
CRY BABY
WHAT’S THAT RASH?
MORE PLEASE
BABY STEPS
JOIN THE GREEN TEAM
COUNTRY COOL
PRE-SCHOOL LEARNING
BUDDING BOOKWORM
AN ITCH TO SCRATCH
‘I’M NOT HUNGRY’
GOING POTTY
BRITAIN’S GOT TALENT
LIVING WITH AUTISM
OPEN WIDE
THE COLD WAR
LET MUMMY KISS IT BETTER
PANIC STATIONS
A CLEAN SWEEP
PROJECT RUNWAY
ORGANISE THIS
TIME FOR BIG SCHOOL
ALL KITTED OUT
WHERE DO BABIES COME FROM?
‘I HATE YOU!’
TWEEN HEALTH
EAT WELL
TRICK OR TREAT
THE GHOST WITH THE MOST
LET’S BAKE
BABY BUDGET
WHAT KIND OF PARENT ARE YOU?
GIVE A CHILD A HOME
FAMILY MEN
GIRL POWER
DAY TRIPPER
GET PACKING
WHY PETS ARE BEST
COMING SOON
STORY CORNER
COUNT TO 10
PEARLS OF WISDOM
QUESTION TIME
KODAK MOMENTS
SURF’S UP
SOUND BITES
STOCKISTS

at home with Jo Frost - October 2012