How health visitors can offer advice on calming a crying baby

Abstract

It is common for babies to cry, to varying degrees. Some parents will be better able to cope with infant crying than others. A ‘normal crying curve’ has been observed, in which infant crying increases after birth until around week eight, when it stabilizes and then decreases over the following weeks ( Barr, 1990 ). There may be no discernible reason for this type of crying, and health visitors should reassure parents that it is normal and support them to cope with it. However, there are potential causes of crying to consider, such as gastrointestinal problems, allergy or other illness. There is a link between excessive crying and postnatal depression; although it is unclear which is the cause and which the effect, it is worth noting that health visitors may wish to screen for postnatal depression in cases of extreme crying. It is also important that health visitors remember that crying can be a risk factor, as the safety of the baby must always be paramount.