Some crying is normal and is to be expected from the average baby. If you are thinking that your baby is going to be all smiles and happiness all of the time, then you probably are going to be disappointed. In between the daily routine of eating and sleeping, there will be times when your baby cries.

This “normal” crying is not what upsets most parents. It is when the crying becomes inconsolable and goes on for hours and hours that parents begin to have problems dealing with it. Even this can be normal, though. As you learned in Chapter 9, many experts believe that the average baby cries for a total of two to four hours a day.

Your baby might become more fussy at around two or three weeks of age. To get ready for this time, you might learn about different soothing techniques and try to get some extra help at home. In anticipation of this time, you should also not make any big changes in your baby's routine, such as changing what he is eating or going on a trip.

Fathers should be especially careful not to blame their partner for doing something wrong and causing the crying. Although you may not always know what is causing your baby to cry, it likely isn't because he is breastfeeding wrong, being spoiled, or because mom is doing something else wrong. Instead of placing blame, do what you can to help. One great way to do this is by giving mom a break from her crying baby.

Your pediatrician should be your first and best resource for getting help for your baby if he is crying more than the normal few hours. With a complete physical exam, a review of your baby's weight gain, and a thorough discussion of your baby's symptoms, you and your pediatrician should be able to get a better understanding of why your baby is crying so much. In addition to ruling out feeding problems and reflux as the cause of your baby's crying, your pediatrician can look for other less common medical causes of crying, such as infantile glaucoma, infections, or raised intracranial pressure.