Is It Normal For My Baby Not To Cry? Reasons And Advice
Having a baby who doesn’t cry can be a challenge for the mother, as it won’t be easy for her to recognize when she’s hungry, cold, or otherwise.
The mother is likely to wonder if he has any illness, a hearing or communication problem. It is normal for this topic to make you anguish and ask yourself “Is it normal for my baby to never cry?”.
A baby’s cry is your main communication tool. However, he may not use it yet.
Why didn’t my baby cry at birth?
There is a tendency to believe that all babies cry automatically at birth or when stimulated by the doctor. However, this is not entirely true, although babies born by natural birth experience a lot of stress.
This type of birth causes trauma to the baby that causes the baby to cry automatically and, in turn, activates the respiratory system.
Still, many babies are born without crying. This is because some are more sleepy and calmer than others.
If he does not cry, the doctor or caregiver will encourage the baby to cry in order to immediately clear the airway that is still filled with amniotic fluid.
In fact, babies who are brought into the world by cesarean tend to yawn or cough rather than cry. However, the absence of crying can sometimes be a sign of a health problem. For this reason, it is necessary to further examine to rule out any abnormalities.
In these cases, the neonatologist will give the baby an Apgar test. This test will evaluate, among other aspects, five factors specific to the newborn:
- Muscle tone
- Reflections.
- Skin coloring.
- heart rate
- Breathing.
According to the results obtained, the medical team will decide if it is necessary to supplement the baby with oxygen.
So when you hear your baby cry at birth, it’s a sign that he’s healthy. Soon you can reassure him by putting it on your chest.
Reasons why the baby might not cry
Is it normal for my baby not to cry? Don’t despair, the important thing is that you satisfy all his needs. After all, each newborn is different and may feel hungry or cold without being able to express it with crying.
If your doctor has already said that everything is fine, it may be because your baby is still learning to cry. In this sense, you must begin to decipher what he feels or wants through his movements and gestures.
The fact that a baby never cries does not necessarily indicate that everything is fine. Therefore, it is necessary to monitor their needs. For example, the time to eat, when is the next nap, or when was the last diaper change.
It is essential that the mother meet all the baby’s needs. Thus, she must learn to interpret the way the little one communicates in order to respond appropriately.
How to identify if the baby is hungry
In fact, crying is a baby’s last resort, even if the baby is hungry or has passed for some time. Crying is, then, the most extreme manifestation of being very hungry.
To prevent your little one from spending more time than necessary without eating, pay attention to the following movements and signs:
- The baby turns his head to try to find the chest. Most newborns instinctively reach for their mother’s breast to feed. By observing this behavior, it is possible to understand that he is hungry.
- If you notice that the baby is more agitated or moving around a lot, check it out as it may indicate that something is missing. Maybe he’s not exactly hungry, but he needs a diaper change, has cramps or gas.
- Another way to recognize that your baby is hungry is to notice that he is sucking something with his tongue. Perhaps you will do the same movement you would when nursing from the breast or from the bottle. That’s another sign that it’s time to eat.
Indicators that the baby wants to sleep
If you notice that your child is tense, clenching his fists and rubbing his eyes, it’s probably because he wants to sleep. Or, if your baby yawns frequently or can’t keep his eyes open because of the weight of his eyelids, it’s another sign that it’s time to rest.
How do you know if your baby has a dirty diaper?
Of course, the first sign will be the smell of feces. But if it’s been a while since the little one got his diaper dirty, he’ll probably be uncomfortable and restless. In turn, if you are asleep, you will soon wake up and express tension and irritability.
If your baby does not yet know how to communicate through tears, it is possible to interpret her communication signals without crying. Finally, if you’re still wondering if it’s okay for your baby not to cry, see your pediatrician.
