Can’t figure out why your baby keeps crying? Chances are that he has colic. While studies have shown no evidence of colic having a psychological impact on children’s development, this might be why your infant won’t stop crying.

Undeveloped Digestive System

Unlike older toddlers, an infant’s digestive system isn’t fully developed and is unable to breakdown and process food quickly. This is why your baby may resort to crying some time after being fed and express their discomfort.

Because a baby’s digestive system is immature to adequately cope with gas, this can get trapped causing a delay in being passed out. This can be extremely stressful for the baby, and can result in spasms and abdominal pain.

To lower your baby’s discomfort, make sure you’re holding him in an appropriate position while you feed him. Ideally, this requires the chin to be positioned up so that he can easily suck, swallow, and breathe without having to gulp for air. You may also want to see if his digestive track adapts better to formula milk and use that instead.

Food Allergies

Yet another reason for a colicky baby are food allergies. A baby’s diet for the first few months primarily consists of milk, but this doesn’t mean you don’t have any options! If your baby continues crying after being fed or a little after, it’s highly likely his gut is not compatible to certain elements of the food.

These allergies can be from certain components of either breast milk or formula milk. For instance, maybe he is lactose intolerant and the brand of formula milk you’re using does not suit his stomach. Similarly, trace elements passed along through breast milk can also sometimes cause unexpected reactions inside the baby’s intestines.

A good way to get to the bottom of this is by either shifting formula milk brands, or monitoring the mother’s diet to eliminate suspected food components that get passed along in the breast milk. Doing so will help you know what it was that was causing your baby to cry.

Moodiness

Babies are moody beings. This means that they can often keep crying for a long stretch for no good reason. In these situations, crying is not meant to express hunger, discomfort or a diaper change; it merely is an indication of a moody baby.

For panic-stricken parents, this can be the most stressful symptom to pick upon as they try to figure out why their baby won’t stop crying. However, if you notice your baby to be otherwise healthy with no evident allergies or discomfort, maybe all you need to do is help him feel safe and secure.

Swaddling an oversensitive baby helps soothe him. He may be picking up on certain negative emotions being unconsciously expressed at your end, and holding on to him securely and cheerfully can help him feel safe and comfortable.

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