Of course, newborns cry, and there can be many reasons for this, like hunger, gas, and so much more. However, if these crying sessions have come to a point where you are afraid to go out with your newborn anymore, it’s natural that you are at a loss. And especially after noticing that crying attacks during diaper changes have become a habit, many parents ask, why does my newborn cry during diaper changes?
So, yeah, you are not alone, and there is not much to be anxious about. Because in this article, we will be talking about the reasons for this and what parents can do to lessen these crying sessions. The methods we will discuss are the solutions that have worked for many parents and caregivers and made diaper changes easier. As you can see, almost all newborns detest diaper changes and give their parents challenges!
Why Does My Newborn Hate Diaper Changes?
First of all, let’s talk about the obvious: when you think a problem is bothering your baby, your worries can get the best of you, especially if you are new to parenting. So, it’s natural that your first instinct is to get medical help, however, in the first step, it might be better to understand what may be the cause of this situation.
According to pediatricians, one of the reasons newborns cry during diaper changes is because they are cold. The temperature may not be that bad for you, but considering babies are always cozy in their soft, warm onesies, the sudden nakedness combined with cold wipes might make them feel utterly uncomfortable. So, next time, try covering your baby with a blanket or take them to a warmer room to change.
Another reason that can cause your baby to cry during changes is the biggest reason to make babies cry; hunger. As parents, it’s only natural that you don’t want your baby to be in dirty diapers when being fed, thus, going for a quick change just before feeding them. However, since newborns don’t have that kind of understanding, they just get more and more irritated because of hunger.
This irritation only gets stronger until they receive the nutrition required to satisfy their grumbling bellies and eventually turn to tears. To avoid this, there aren’t actually many things you can do. Of course, checking them just before your newborn usually eats might help. Apart from that, the only thing you can do is to let them stay in their dirty diapers a little longer.
You tried feeding and covering with a blanket, but it didn’t work, and crying sessions continued. If this is the case for you, your newborn might suffer from acid reflux. And when babies suffer from acid reflux, how they are positioned can make a huge difference in how uncomfortable they are. According to health authorities, the healthiest position for babies with acid reflux is one that is inclined.
Because when they recline, it may cause the acid to go upward, leaving a painful trail behind. So, there will undoubtedly be far less weeping if parents can slightly lift their newborns’ heads while changing their diapers. Again, this is merely due to a reduction in the quantity of stomach acid that the esophagus is exposed to during diaper changes, which makes them considerably more bearable.
Now that we have covered all the physical reasons babies cry during diaper changes, let’s talk about the other, more abstract possibilities. According to pediatricians, babies constantly improve their developmental abilities as they become more active and learn skills more quickly as they practice them. As a result, taking babies away from their practice of trying to roll over, crawl, push themselves up, or in other ways, in the name of changing a diaper, might make them upset.
Since your baby typically practices their developmental abilities through play, it should be no surprise that they do not want to stop playing to get their diapers changed. And well, there’s not much you can do about this other than to be patient. Because you know, this is only a phase that they will grow out at some point. So, as a parent, you have to learn to be more flexible and understanding towards these actions.
Remember, newborns are new to the world around them, and thus, they are always attempting to understand their surroundings. They are also attempting to understand how their bodies work. Therefore, it’s understandable for them to cry when they don’t get what is happening. For this, parents can use the chance to spend quality time with their babies while changing their diapers to help them become accustomed to the process.
Slowing down during the altering process is one way to accomplish this and make it less frightening for young children. And again, this is just a phase, so you know that your baby will eventually become more accustomed to the process as more diapers are changed. To reach that point in a shorter time, pediatricians advise explaining the process to your newborn in a soothing voice.
How to Make Diaper Changes Easier
As a parent, you can still do many things to make things easier and more fun for you and your baby. Letting your newborn play with toys or things that attract their attention while changing their diaper is an example. Make crazy faces, tickle your baby, blow on their belly to make them giggle, or play or sing a song they might like. This way, you can even make them look forward to the sessions as a result.
Make a beautiful, sensory-rich area where you can change your newborn’s diapers. A baby mobile can be hung over the changing pad, the changing table can be placed by a window, or a nearby wall can be painted with a mural. Of course, when you need to change them outside, you will need other distractions. However, if you can maintain constant eye with your newborn while changing their diaper, you can make them feel respected, and according to pediatricians, this helps a lot.
Conclusion
To sum up, there is no need for diaper changing sessions to be that stressful and hard. The key is understanding your newborn’s needs and feelings, which may not always be in line with yours. Of course, you already knew that, but sometimes we can get carried away and forget that they are just newborns trying to figure out the world around them.
However, now that you know what can cause your newborn to act like that, you can make things easier for both of you. Just remember, rushing will make your baby feed off your stress, which won’t be enjoyable for either of you. Spend this time alone with your baby to strengthen your relationship. Talk to him throughout the entire procedure, and remember to praise him for “helping.”
Keep in mind that no one strategy will always be effective, so be willing to give other approaches a shot. And after trying everything, if you are still worried, you can always get a doctor’s appointment for a clearer, definitive, definite opinion.
