What are the 18 Signs That Can Help You Understand Your Baby Better?

For first time parents, there are 18 signs that can help you understand your baby better.

After bringing home a baby, one of the difficult aspects of being a parent is that babies have limited ways of communicating. Aside from the crying and laughter, trying to figure out what your baby is thinking seems an impossible task. Luckily, it does not have to be this way with the right knowledge.

A close look at the 18 signs that can help you understand your baby better

Remember that babies showcase a lot of signs, both in body language and behavior to let us know how they are feeling.

Calling cry

The main purpose of this type of cry is calling the parents. This is usually the case when your baby crises of 6 seconds and pauses for up to 20 seconds. The baby is awaiting a response. Nevertheless, if there is no response, the baby gets frustrated and after the waiting period, it turns into a continuous cry.

Hunger cry

With this type of crying, it starts like a calling cry but turns louder if not fed. The baby will also express hunger by turning his/her head and making smacking sounds with their mouth.

Pain cry

This is a loud, monotonous and constant crying. If the pain is increased, there are hysterical bursts along with it.

Physiological process cry

Any natural processes in the body such as pooping or bloating can upset a baby. Discomfort is expressed by whining or squeaking.

Tired cry

When a baby is very tired but unable to sleep, it leads to an irritated and intermittent cry that is accompanied by yawning. The baby might also rub their eyes and ears.

Environmental cry

This is the most difficult to understand since it represents a variety of things. It simply means that your baby is not happy where he/she is or as a way to show that he/she is bored or frustrated.

“Neh” – hungry

This sound is made by pushing the tongue up to the top of their mouth. This is how the baby tells you that he/she is hungry.

“Eh” – going to burp

This is a response from a baby which states that they are about to burp.

“Owh” – tired

The baby often makes this audible sound which is a sign that your baby is ready to sleep.

“Heh” – pain or discomfort in the tummy

This shows that something is going on in the stomach of your baby where he/she will often strain and jolt.

“Eairh” – gas and pain in the tummy

This happens if there is something painful going on in the stomach. The sound is produced as the baby strains on their tummy and exhales at the same time to lessen the pain.

Arching the back

For a baby below 2 months old, it shows that they are suffering from colic or pain. It might also indicate that the baby had enough to eat which is useful to know if you are breastfeeding. If older than 2 months, it is a sign of tiredness or in a bad mood.

Rotating head

This is what your baby does to calm down.

Holding or grabbing the ears

It shows that your baby is getting to know their bodies which is a good sign.

Clenching of fists

This is a sign that your baby is hungry.

Lifting the legs

When a baby lifts their legs, it might be a sign of tummy pain and colic. The action is done in an attempt to relieve it.

Jerking motion of the arms

The jerking, sudden motions indicate that your baby is frightened. It can be triggered by bright light, a loud sound or if abruptly woken up.

Final thoughts

With the help of the 18 signs that can help you understand your baby better, you now know what the actions or sounds mean and take the right action.

Read also:

• [When and How To Let Your Baby Self-Soothe?]
• [7 Effective Ways on How to Deal with an Angry Baby] 
• [Help Understand your Baby by Learning these 7 Essential Baby Cues]