Baby crying?
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The full narration of the video.

For a baby, crying is the last resort. Three in the morning. He's been fed, he's been changed, and he's still crying. But before the crying starts, he's usually already dropped a hint — just a very quiet one.

Think of a baby as a printer. Out of paper, jammed, out of ink — it's the same red light every time. Someone who knows printers doesn't take it apart. They start with the most common, easiest check, and rule things out one by one. The most common one is hunger. First, check how long it's been since the last feed.

Hunger gives the earliest hints: the mouth opens, the head turns side to side searching, little hands go to the mouth. Touch his cheek and he turns toward it, mouth open, looking for milk. This is called the rooting reflex. Feed him when you see these signs — it's easier than waiting for tears. A baby who's worked up into a wail often won't feed well.

Not hungry? Check the diaper. Wet or dirty, he'll squirm — a fresh one fixes it. Next, is he tired? A blank stare, yawning, rubbing his eyes — those are the sleepy hints. Miss that window, and an overtired baby gets even harder to settle.

Crying right after a feed usually means trapped air. Hold him upright and pat his back gently; a burp brings relief. Then feel the back of his neck. Sweaty means too hot; cool means too cold. Cold hands and feet don't count — a baby's hands and feet are always cooler than the body.

Another kind of crying comes from too much going on. Bright lights, lots of people, lots of noise — he turns his head away. Don't try to entertain him now. Take him somewhere darker and quieter, rock him gently, and shush. Or maybe he needs nothing at all, and just wants to be held for a while.

But a baby isn't quite a printer. Fix a printer and the red light goes off; a baby can have everything he needs and still cry. In the first six weeks, babies cry about two hours a day on average. It peaks around weeks six to eight, and eases off after three or four months. Some babies cry over three hours a day, more than three days a week, often in the evening. That's called colic. Nobody fully knows why, and most babies grow out of it within a few months.

But some crying needs a doctor right away: a baby under three months with a temperature of 38°C, a cry that sounds very different from usual, not feeding, hard to wake, or vomiting again and again. And if you're at the end of your rope, lay him safely in his crib, step out for a few minutes, then come back. Never shake a baby. Crying is just the red light. Remember the order, and the nights get a little less frantic.

When does your baby cry the hardest — what time of day?