CRYING BABIES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25798, 20 March 1945, Page 8

CRYING BABIES

By the Department of Health Before a baby can talk his only way of demanding food, company, or attention is by crying. This is his way of telling adults he wants something or is upset or unhappy. A baby who is getting insufficient food will cry almost constantly. A well-fed baby getting attention and company at the right times will alternate sleep and play and be a happy little person almost the day long. If a baby cries unduly or has persistent screaming fits, make sure there is no disease. Your doctor must check the baby over. For example, congenital heart disease may be a cause of screaming that lasts for some minutes and then suddenly subsides. Undue screaming sometimes indicates a mentally defective child. But do not imagine physical abnormalities as a cause of screaming once your doctor has tol'd you the baby is healthy. It is more likely to be plain “ paddy.” or your own forgetfulness in failing to bring up baby’s wind during and after feeding. The normal infant is happy and contented. crying very little. Mothermust see that baby’s needs are satisfied. It is a full-time job looking after a baby, yet one must not go running after baby immediately and eve. y time he cries. If so, he soon learns to turn on a screaming or crying fit as a means of bringing mother to heel. He has got to learn to wait a little — a little frustration is wise discipline. It does not pay, however, to neglect the scream of fear, nor* to allow the screaming of anger to go on till he is exhausted and cried out. Adult reassurance is needed, especially if he is frightened by a noise at pig'ht. A baby does not like noise, day or night Any unaccustomed noise scares him. Screaming is his way of dealing with this anxiety. So mother has to go and reassure him—a touch or the sound of her voice may be enough. Reassurance will be less needed as baby grows older. In the meantime crying fits call for a mixture of attention or discipline, according as mother’s mothering instinct distinguishes the cause.