Why do babies cry so much?
Crying is an infant's first and primary language. Before they can speak, it's the only way your baby can communicate their needs, discomforts, or emotions. For parents, especially when extremely tired, deciphering these signals can seem like an insurmountable challenge. Yet, understanding the mechanisms behind crying helps respond with greater serenity and effectiveness.
According to the French National Authority for Health (HAS), it is perfectly normal for an infant to cry between one and three hours a day during the first weeks of life. This figure can even reach five hours during peak crying periods, which generally occur between the second and sixth week of life, before gradually decreasing.
The most common causes of crying
Before looking for a medical cause, it is useful to methodically review the baby's basic needs. Most of the time, crying is due to simple and identifiable causes.
Hunger
This is the most common cause, especially in newborns whose stomachs are very small. A breastfed baby may need to feed every two to three hours. Early signs of hunger—turning towards a hand presented to them, bringing their hand to their mouth, making sucking movements—appear before the crying itself. Learning to recognize them allows you to anticipate.
Physical discomfort
A wet diaper, an uncomfortable position, being too hot or too cold, a rubbing tag: these are all minor discomforts that trigger crying. Also check that nothing is compressing your baby's fingers or toes—a tangled hair can be very painful without being visible at first glance.
Fatigue
Paradoxically, an overly tired baby cries more. When there has been too much stimulation, the infant's immature nervous system is overwhelmed, and crying becomes their only way to "switch off." A calm environment, subdued lighting, and reassuring contact then help to defuse the situation.
Need for contact
Developmental neurosciences are clear on this: physical contact is not a whim, it's a biological need. Researchers like John Bowlby, father of attachment theory, have shown that proximity to a trusted adult is a fundamental condition for a child's psychological and physiological development. Carrying your baby, holding them close, speaking softly to them meets this need directly and effectively.
Infant colic
Colic is characterized by intense, inconsolable crying, often occurring in the late afternoon or evening, in an otherwise healthy baby. It affects approximately 20% of infants according to Santé Publique France and generally disappears before the third month. Its exact cause remains debated—digestive immaturity, sensory hypersensitivity, developing gut microbiota—but its benign and transient nature is well established.
How to respond to crying: validated approaches
Responding to crying should never be considered a matter of discipline or education at this stage. An infant under six months old has no ability to manipulate or "test" their parents. Responding to their cries is an act of care, not conditioning.
Babywearing
Physiological babywearing—in a wrap or suitable carrier—replicates the sensations of intrauterine life: warmth, rhythmic movement, sound of heartbeats. Studies published in the journal Pediatrics have shown that increased babywearing significantly reduced the daily duration of crying in infants.
Movement and white noise
Gentle and repetitive movements—rocking, walking—as well as continuous sounds like the hum of a vacuum cleaner, a fan, or white noise recordings, have a recognized calming effect. They remind the baby of the sounds and sensations they perceived in the womb.
Non-nutritive sucking
Pacifier use or non-nutritive sucking at the breast has a well-documented calming function. It activates the parasympathetic nervous system and helps the baby regulate their emotions. Its reasoned use in the first few weeks is supported by most pediatricians.
Eye contact and voice
Speaking softly to your baby, singing a lullaby, maintaining warm eye contact: these simple gestures send powerful safety signals. An infant's brain is wired to respond to the human voice, especially that of their parents. Creating a calm and safe space also helps reduce sensory overload.
Navigating periods of intense crying: self-care
Unceasing crying, night after night, can exhaust the emotional reserves of even the most patient parents. It's important to acknowledge this without guilt. Fatigue impairs judgment, amplifies anxiety, and can lead to regrettable behaviors.
If you feel overwhelmed, it is legitimate—and even recommended—to safely place your baby in their crib and take a few minutes in another room to breathe. A baby crying alone for a few minutes in their crib will not be traumatized. However, a parent who breaks down can take risks.
The national parenting support helpline Allo Parents Bébé (0 800 00 3456), free and anonymous, is available for parents in difficulty. It is managed by INPES in partnership with perinatal professionals.
Read also: Preparing for the return home with a newborn to better anticipate the first weeks.
When to consult a healthcare professional?
While the vast majority of infant crying is due to benign causes, certain signs should prompt you to consult your pediatrician or general practitioner quickly, or even call 15 (SAMU) in an emergency.
Warning signs not to ignore
Consult without delay if crying is accompanied by: fever above 38°C in an infant under three months, persistent refusal to feed, repeated projectile vomiting, hard or swollen abdomen, pallor or bluish skin tone, a high-pitched and unusual cry different from usual crying, or if your baby seems inconsolable for several hours despite all your attempts.
The HAS reminds us that doubt is sufficient reason to consult. Healthcare professionals—pediatricians, general practitioners, midwives—are trained to evaluate these situations and guide you. There is no such thing as an "unnecessary" consultation when it comes to an infant's health.
Gastroesophageal reflux (GER)
In some babies, intense crying after meals, frequent regurgitation, and visible discomfort can signal gastroesophageal reflux. This diagnosis must be made by a doctor, who can adapt the management—positioning, thickening of milk, or even medication if necessary.
Building a trusting relationship step by step
Responding to your baby's cries, consistently and kindly, is not just about immediate comfort. It is the foundation of a secure attachment relationship, which, according to developmental psychology research, best predicts long-term emotional resilience and relational capacities.
You don't have to be perfect. You have to be sufficiently present, sufficiently responsive, sufficiently kind. This is what pediatrician and psychoanalyst Donald Winnicott called the "good enough parent"—not the ideal parent, but the real parent, who tries, sometimes makes mistakes, and tries again.
If you are looking to enrich your baby's environment to promote their development while limiting sources of sensory overload, the Treelys play mat was designed with this in mind: stimulations adapted to each stage of development, without unnecessary artifice.
