Why newborn babies cry through the night
Meeting your baby for the first time is magical, although it’s likely he or she will turn your life upside down for some time. Newborn babies are bound to be fussy due to a huge shift in their environment.
Here is an excerpt from a video interview of Dr M.Chandra Sekhar, MD (Paediatrics), India’s Premier Institute AIIMS (New Delhi) on newborn babies, and methods to handle them with ease during the first 6 months of their life.
Q. Why do babies cry more in the night time?
A. During pregnancy, the baby is used to a certain rhythm inside the mother’s body. It sleeps in the day and is awake in the night. When the baby is delivered, the same rhythm is continued and hence the baby is awake in the night and tends to be more cranky due to no movement in the night.
It is perfectly normal for a newborn baby to cry through the night until he/she adjusts to the new routine.
Q. Are there any disadvantages due to bottle feeding?
A. Bottle feeding is a potential hazard to babies. Bottle feeding is a passive process as the milk drips into the baby’s mouth on its own and not sucked by the baby. Also, there is a lot of mixture of air and milk that the baby swallows in the process which might cause pain and indigestion issues.
Bottle-fed babies are prone to infections and cry a lot due to the pain. Breast-fed babies are active and intelligent compared to bottle-fed babies.
The effects of bottle feeding are seen in children even in the later years of their life. Their performance is mediocre and other activities like sports also get affected, due to bottle feeding in the nascent years of their life.
Q. What are the food habits that can be followed for newborn babies?
A. Breastmilk is more than enough to sustain and keep the baby healthy for the first 6 months. Additional fluids like honey water or plain water don’t have to be fed to the baby as all the nutrients and water present in breastmilk is enough to build the baby’s immunity and for hydration.
Feeding the baby additional fluids or water in the first 6 months of their life can prove to be dangerous and hence should be avoided at all costs.
Q. Why do babies cry while passing urine?
A. This is a normal phenomenon and nothing to worry about. As they do not have any control over their urinary bladder, babies cry so that their abdominal muscles compress which in turn compresses their bladder, hence allowing them to pass urine.
If the baby is crying continuously even after passing urine, then a doctor visit can be scheduled.
Q. How does keeping babies warm help them feel safe and enhances their growth?
A. Before delivery, the baby is used to being surrounded by the amniotic fluid inside the mother’s womb which keeps it warm and safe. After delivery, the baby is incapable of adjusting to a colder environment all of a sudden and hence has to be kept warm and covered at all times. This helps the baby cope with a new environment and feel safe.
Q. Is it normal for a baby to pass stool several times in a day?
A. As the baby does not have control over the excretory system, it is completely a normal phenomenon and healthy to pass stool soon after a feeding. This is a sign that the baby is getting adequate nutrition from the breastmilk.
Although, if the baby passes stools more than 7-8 times, a doctor visit can be scheduled.
Q. Which foods are best for a nursing mother?
A. As a new mum, you don’t need to eat any special or different foods while you’re breastfeeding. Just do your best to follow a balanced diet, which is a combination of healthy foods. A balanced diet includes:
-Starchy foods, such as bread, potato, pasta and rice. Choose wholegrain varieties of cereal-based starchy foods for added nutrients and fibre.
Meeting your baby for the first time is magical, although it’s likely he or she will turn your life upside down for some time. Newborn babies are bound to be fussy due to a huge shift in their environment.
Here is an excerpt from a video interview of Dr M.Chandra Sekhar, MD (Paediatrics), India’s Premier Institute AIIMS (New Delhi) on newborn babies, and methods to handle them with ease during the first 6 months of their life.
Q. Why do babies cry more in the night time?
A. During pregnancy, the baby is used to a certain rhythm inside the mother’s body. It sleeps in the day and is awake in the night. When the baby is delivered, the same rhythm is continued and hence the baby is awake in the night and tends to be more cranky due to no movement in the night.
It is perfectly normal for a newborn baby to cry through the night until he/she adjusts to the new routine.
Q. Are there any disadvantages due to bottle feeding?
A. Bottle feeding is a potential hazard to babies. Bottle feeding is a passive process as the milk drips into the baby’s mouth on its own and not sucked by the baby. Also, there is a lot of mixture of air and milk that the baby swallows in the process which might cause pain and indigestion issues.
Bottle-fed babies are prone to infections and cry a lot due to the pain. Breast-fed babies are active and intelligent compared to bottle-fed babies.
The effects of bottle feeding are seen in children even in the later years of their life. Their performance is mediocre and other activities like sports also get affected, due to bottle feeding in the nascent years of their life.
Q. What are the food habits that can be followed for newborn babies?
A. Breastmilk is more than enough to sustain and keep the baby healthy for the first 6 months. Additional fluids like honey water or plain water don’t have to be fed to the baby as all the nutrients and water present in breastmilk is enough to build the baby’s immunity and for hydration.
Feeding the baby additional fluids or water in the first 6 months of their life can prove to be dangerous and hence should be avoided at all costs.
Q. Why do babies cry while passing urine?
A. This is a normal phenomenon and nothing to worry about. As they do not have any control over their urinary bladder, babies cry so that their abdominal muscles compress which in turn compresses their bladder, hence allowing them to pass urine.
If the baby is crying continuously even after passing urine, then a doctor visit can be scheduled.
Q. How does keeping babies warm help them feel safe and enhances their growth?
A. Before delivery, the baby is used to being surrounded by the amniotic fluid inside the mother’s womb which keeps it warm and safe. After delivery, the baby is incapable of adjusting to a colder environment all of a sudden and hence has to be kept warm and covered at all times. This helps the baby cope with a new environment and feel safe.
Q. Is it normal for a baby to pass stool several times in a day?
A. As the baby does not have control over the excretory system, it is completely a normal phenomenon and healthy to pass stool soon after a feeding. This is a sign that the baby is getting adequate nutrition from the breastmilk.
Although, if the baby passes stools more than 7-8 times, a doctor visit can be scheduled.
Q. Which foods are best for a nursing mother?
A. As a new mum, you don’t need to eat any special or different foods while you’re breastfeeding. Just do your best to follow a balanced diet, which is a combination of healthy foods. A balanced diet includes:
-Starchy foods, such as bread, potato, pasta and rice. Choose wholegrain varieties of cereal-based starchy foods for added nutrients and fibre.
-Some dairy products, such as a yoghurt or a glass of milk.
-Some protein, such as lean meat, fish, eggs, or pulses.
-Plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Q. Which foods are best for a woman during pregnancy?
A. Making healthful food choices is crucial for women when they are pregnant. Their diet will provide the fetus with the nutrients essential for growth and development.
A nutritious diet plays an essential role in a person’s overall health, helping the body to function effectively and reducing the risk of some diseases.
Most people are aware that a healthy diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. However, they may not realize that specific fruits are particularly beneficial during pregnancy.
Fruits and vegetables- Aim for five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. They may be in the form of juice, dried, canned, frozen, or fresh. Fresh and frozen (if frozen soon after picking) produce usually have higher levels of vitamins and other nutrients. Consider vegetable juices like carrot or wheatgrass for dense nutrition.
Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods- Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods include potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread. Carbohydrates are high in energy and are therefore an important component of a good pregnancy diet.
Protein- Healthful, animal-sourced proteins include fish, lean meat, and chicken, as well as eggs. All pregnant women and especially vegans should consider the following foods as good sources of protein,
Quinoa – known as a “complete protein,” it includes all the essential amino acids. Tofu and soy products. Beans, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and nut butter are a good source of protein and iron.
Fats- Fats should not make up more than 30 per cent of a pregnant woman’s diet. Examples of foods high in monounsaturated fats include olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, canola oil, avocados, many nuts, and seeds.
Fibre- Wholegrain foods, such as wholemeal bread, wild rice, whole grain pasta, pulses like beans and lentils, fruit, and vegetables are rich in fibre. Women have a higher risk of developing constipation during pregnancy; eating plenty of fibre is effective in minimizing that risk.
Calcium- It is important to have a healthy daily intake of calcium. Dairy foods, such as cheese, milk, and yoghurt are rich in calcium.
Zinc- Zinc is a vital trace element. It plays a major role in normal growth and development, cellular integrity, and several biological functions including nucleic acid metabolism and protein synthesis.
Since all these functions are involved in growth and cell division, zinc is important for the development of the fetus. The best sources of zinc are chicken, turkey, ham, shrimp, crab, oysters, meat, fish, dairy products, beans, peanut butter, nuts, sunflower seeds, ginger, onions, bran, wheat germ, rice, pasta, cereals, eggs, lentils, and tofu.
Q. Why do babies cry through the night?
A. There are many reasons for babies to cry in the night. It could be because of a simple reason like cold stress, lack of warmth, less movement, hunger or a full bladder.
Q. Is bottle-feeding a reason for babies to cry? And why is natural breastfeeding a better practice when compared to bottle feeding?
A. Yes, bottle-feeding can be one of the main reasons for babies to cry in the night.
Bottle feeding is a potential hazard to babies. Bottle feeding is a passive process as the milk drips into the baby’s mouth on its own and not sucked by the baby. Also, there is a lot of mixture of air and milk that the baby swallows in the process which might cause pain and indigestion issues.
Bottle-fed babies are prone to infections and cry a lot due to the pain. Breast-fed babies are active and intelligent compared to bottle-fed babies.
The effects of bottle feeding are seen in children, even in the later years of their life. Their performance is mediocre and other activities like sports also get affected, due to bottle feeding in the nascent years of their life.
Q. How much feed is required for a newborn baby?
A. There is no stipulated quantity of feed for a newborn baby. Every baby requires a different amount of feed. As long as the baby actively feeds itself during breastfeeding, it is perfectly fine.
Although, as an easy indicator for the mother, if a baby sucks the nipple for 20 minutes continuously, during each feeding session, then it is adequate.
Q. Who do some newborn babies smile while asleep?
A. The smiling is due to rapid eye movement sleep. Newborn babies dream a lot and hence tend to smile. This indicates that the baby is very happy and that the baby’s brain is developing as it is supposed to.
The baby does the same even in the mother’s womb and hence continues to repeat the same just after delivery.
Q. Which vaccines are necessary for a newborn baby?
A. Polio, hepatitis and BCG are the most important vaccines for newborn babies.
-Starchy foods, such as bread, potato, pasta and rice. Choose wholegrain varieties of cereal-based starchy foods for added nutrients and fibre.
-Some dairy products, such as a yoghurt or a glass of milk.
-Some protein, such as lean meat, fish, eggs, or pulses.
-Plenty of fruit and vegetables.
Q. Which foods are best for a woman during pregnancy?
A. Making healthful food choices is crucial for women when they are pregnant. Their diet will provide the fetus with the nutrients essential for growth and development.
A nutritious diet plays an essential role in a person’s overall health, helping the body to function effectively and reducing the risk of some diseases.
Most people are aware that a healthy diet should include plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. However, they may not realize that specific fruits are particularly beneficial during pregnancy.
Fruits and vegetables- Aim for five portions of fruit and vegetables per day. They may be in the form of juice, dried, canned, frozen, or fresh. Fresh and frozen (if frozen soon after picking) produce usually have higher levels of vitamins and other nutrients. Consider vegetable juices like carrot or wheatgrass for dense nutrition.
Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods- Starchy carbohydrate-rich foods include potatoes, rice, pasta, and bread. Carbohydrates are high in energy and are therefore an important component of a good pregnancy diet.
Protein- Healthful, animal-sourced proteins include fish, lean meat, and chicken, as well as eggs. All pregnant women and especially vegans should consider the following foods as good sources of protein,
Quinoa – known as a “complete protein,” it includes all the essential amino acids. Tofu and soy products. Beans, lentils, legumes, nuts, seeds, and nut butter are a good source of protein and iron.
Fats- Fats should not make up more than 30 per cent of a pregnant woman’s diet. Examples of foods high in monounsaturated fats include olive oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, sesame oil, canola oil, avocados, many nuts, and seeds.
Fibre- Wholegrain foods, such as wholemeal bread, wild rice, whole grain pasta, pulses like beans and lentils, fruit, and vegetables are rich in fibre. Women have a higher risk of developing constipation during pregnancy; eating plenty of fibre is effective in minimizing that risk.
Calcium- It is important to have a healthy daily intake of calcium. Dairy foods, such as cheese, milk, and yoghurt are rich in calcium.
Zinc- Zinc is a vital trace element. It plays a major role in normal growth and development, cellular integrity, and several biological functions including nucleic acid metabolism and protein synthesis.
Since all these functions are involved in growth and cell division, zinc is important for the development of the fetus. The best sources of zinc are chicken, turkey, ham, shrimp, crab, oysters, meat, fish, dairy products, beans, peanut butter, nuts, sunflower seeds, ginger, onions, bran, wheat germ, rice, pasta, cereals, eggs, lentils, and tofu.
Q. Why do babies cry through the night?
A. There are many reasons for babies to cry in the night. It could be because of a simple reason like cold stress, lack of warmth, less movement, hunger or a full bladder.
Q. Is bottle-feeding a reason for babies to cry? And why is natural breastfeeding a better practice when compared to bottle feeding?
A. Yes, bottle-feeding can be one of the main reasons for babies to cry in the night.
Bottle feeding is a potential hazard to babies. Bottle feeding is a passive process as the milk drips into the baby’s mouth on its own and not sucked by the baby. Also, there is a lot of mixture of air and milk that the baby swallows in the process which might cause pain and indigestion issues.
Bottle-fed babies are prone to infections and cry a lot due to the pain. Breast-fed babies are active and intelligent compared to bottle-fed babies.
The effects of bottle feeding are seen in children, even in the later years of their life. Their performance is mediocre and other activities like sports also get affected, due to bottle feeding in the nascent years of their life.
Q. How much feed is required for a newborn baby?
A. There is no stipulated quantity of feed for a newborn baby. Every baby requires a different amount of feed. As long as the baby actively feeds itself during breastfeeding, it is perfectly fine.
Although, as an easy indicator for the mother, if a baby sucks the nipple for 20 minutes continuously, during each feeding session, then it is adequate.
Q. Who do some newborn babies smile while asleep?
A. The smiling is due to rapid eye movement sleep. Newborn babies dream a lot and hence tend to smile. This indicates that the baby is very happy and that the baby’s brain is developing as it is supposed to.
The baby does the same even in the mother’s womb and hence continues to repeat the same just after delivery.
Q. Which vaccines are necessary for a newborn baby?
A. Polio, hepatitis and BCG are the most important vaccines for newborn babies.