Friday, May 16, 2008

The Crying Game


After I had my first child, I brought her home and realized I'd forgotten to pick up the how-to instruction manual from the hospital. Ack! What the heck am I supposed to do with this "thing?" Especially when it's crying and can't tell me what's wrong! Am I allowed to muzzle it? Do they make those dog barker things for baby cries?
Some days, I was at my wits end and just had to walk away for a moment to keep my sanity. So I decided to write down an A-Z list to baby cries. It's too hard to think clearly when you're listening to the wailing screams of a banshee, so here is a list that may help you determine what's "wrong" when you can't seem to pinpoint the problem. These are just some reasons/solutions. Hopefully you'll find some of them useful. Just remember, attitude is everything. Your baby can sense stress, so try to stay positive. :o)

A
attitude
(stay positive)
B
burp the baby
C
constipated, colic
D
diaper change
E
environment
(create a calmer setting)
F
feed the baby
G
gassy
H
heartburn, headache
I
irritated
(change activity)
J
just needs to be held
K
keep calm
(baby can sense stress)
L
lay on tummy
M
music
N
needs attention
(feels alone)
O
over-stimulated
P
position change
Q
quiet, too noisy
R
Rash
(check for diaper and heat rashes)
S
sick
T
tired
U
under-stimulated
V
verify diaper is not too tight
W
warm
(baby may be cold)
X
eXamine for scratches/redness
(may be hurt)
Y
you've tried everything...
Z
zilch, baby may need to cry and that's okay

5 comments:

Valerie said...

lol my favorite was letter "Z" haha

interesting read!!

Merka said...

That's a great list, Winkle. You should make them into alphabet cards for nurseries. That way they are at a mom's disposal when she can't remember, which is always :)

Love it.

Kelly Drill said...

What an awesome post! I'm taking care of my niece during the week these days and I'll definitely be referring to your list.

Beat Black said...

o boy,
sounds like a tough job!

Leah said...

Great list! I hate it when they just need to cry and nothing helps. Luckily most of the crying seems to be due to hunger or being tired...at least at my house...

LinkWithin

Blog Widget by LinkWithin