Crying

We all know that babies cry, and they do, a lot. Sometimes when you are a mum you think you should understand what they are crying about. The chances are, they dont know what they are crying about, they are just cyring.

May be in time you will get some idea, but at first there is really no way to know what is going on. So here are a few things to keep in mind

Your bub is crying to say that they arent content. They arent sad, they just arent content. The only way they know how to get your attention is to scream themselves stupid. Dont take this as a negative commentary on your mum skills. Just the opposite is true. Having said that, a baby that is happy isnt a negative either.
Offer food- so offer boob or bottle... if that doesnt work
Burb? walk around in the bop up and down way, and see if you can get a burp, or a spew. It must be very strange for them to feel this at the same time.
check their nappy, if that isnt the cause
change their clothes (have you ever worn an outfit and it itches a bit, well a baby cant say "hey, thank Aunty for this scratchy jumpsuit, it feels strange on my skin, what was she thinking, get it off, get if off, get it off me now." So just change what they are wearing.
Have a bath: they lived in water for so long its nice. no bath, no problem, go for a shower or a sink.
check for itchy bites. I once took my little girl to hospital because I didnt know what was wrong with her, I had never heard her cry like this before. She had two mozzie bites. Which to her was a very big deal. First of all she had never felt itchy before, and secondly she didnt know she had hands, and thirdly she couldnt scratch even if she tried.
fever, 37.5 is normal, anything over that they might be fighting off a bug. If they are old enough, have a slight fever and they are crying panadol is good.
Sometimes babies cry. You may never know what is going on. I do have a theory that is not based on any science. Their whole world of inside the womb has been shattered. They havent worn clothes before, they havent eaten before, digested before. Their brains are making new neural pathways, and I think that just makes them a bit cranky.
This is also not based on science. I have observed that kids get really cranky and cry right before they develop a new skill. In my mind, I think that either they are trying to work out how to grab, find their feet, roll over (they are on their backs a lot, and that must get annoying). May be their brain is developing something, may be they are thinking about it, I dont know. I just know that after a few days of being a little shit Maddy would develop a new skill.

I can totally see how babies get shaken. They can drive you mad with constant crying. If you are feeling the urge to shake them, you arent alone, but dont obviously. Put them safe in their cot, and walk away. You arent a bad mum because you wanted the baby to shut up. You are tired, and wow that kid has lungs. They will be fine in the cot while you collect yourself.

Dad

Babies cry. They dont come with instruction manuals, and the mum might feel as though she should know why the baby is crying. no one knows. so check a few things

Fed?

Burp?

Nappy?

clothes?

rash?

dribble and fever? (could be teething)

mozzie bite?

nappy rash?

If there is no fever and you have ruled out all of the above, they just dont feel content. In my experience babies go through a few hours a day of screaming the house down. This will normally happen when you come home from work. It isnt your fault. It just happens between 4pm and 8pm. Walk around the house doing the baby jiggle and see how you go. Tell Mum you are ok to hold the baby so she can have a shower.

I can totally understand why people shake their babies. crying non stop is torture. So dont shake the baby. if it is driving you both mental, then put the baby in their cot and take a break. Hold each other. This too shall pass.