Babies Cry

Babies Cry

“Colic” is defined as 3 or more hours of total crying time each day, for a minimum of 3 days per week, over the course of 3 consecutive weeks.

Moderate criers: follows definition of “colic”

Evening criers: Majority of crying time is in the late afternoon or evening hours. Crying begins around the same time each evening, and lasts until the same time each night.

Countryside Public Health

Persistent criers: Have 6 or more hours of inconsolable crying over the course of the day. Colic can also be described as the Period of PURPLE Crying:

P: Peak pattern- Crying tends to increase at 2 months of age and decrease at 4 months.
U: Unpredictable- Crying seems to come out of nowhere-stopping and starting with no apparent relationship to anything going on in the environment.
R: Resistant to soothing- Child is not easily soothed by care-giver techniques.
P: Pain faces- Has expressions of pain, like the baby just had a heel stick, and “real tears” may accompany.
L: Long bouts of crying- Crying can persist from a few minutes to one or more hours.
E: Evening and late afternoon crying

Whether you are a first-time or experienced caregiver, frequent or long-term crying can be an EXTREMELY STRESSFUL experience. Many caregivers think that colic or PURPLE crying indicates a need to become a “better” caregiver. But this is simply NOT TRUE! Remember that crying is an inevitable and normal part of your child’s healthy development. If your child is going through a period of PURPLE crying, create a plan to help you cope with the situation. Call a family member or friend for help. Remember, this is not a sign of stupidity or bad parenting!!! It is never wrong to put a crying baby in a safe place, such as a crib or bassinet so you can calm down and regain some self-control. Shaking or abuse of an infant often results from tension and frustration from a baby’s crying. (Source: Infant Crying by KerriAnn Mahon, MD in Womeninc Oct/Nov 2006.)

Remember, you can always call your Local Countryside Public Health office to talk to someone for advice!

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