Remember that crying is really your baby's only form of communication with you. He does not have the skills or resources to deal with anything on his own yet and things that seem inconsequential, or minor trifles to us, are worrying and scary for your newborn.

Diet does seem to have an impact on your baby's wellbeing. If you are breastfeeding, remember that your diet will have a knock-on effect on your baby. If you have eaten a spicy curry, this will go through into his milk and possibly upset his stomach. Likewise, if he is eating solids, new foods should be introduced one at a time, to establish whether they affect him negatively or not. If a food does not agree with your child, then the only way that he can show his discomfort to you, is through his tears. Attending to his needs does not mean you are spoiling your baby.

If your baby is over-tired she will almost certainly start to cry as babies find being tired a positively overwhelming feeling.  Sometimes, babies get themselves worked up into such a state that they cannot stop crying, especially when the reason they started crying in the first place was due to needing a sleep. Also, bear in mind that babies are taking in so much information and learning so many new things all the time that they need lots of sleep to recharge their minds and bodies. 

   What should I do if my baby's overtired?

• If your baby is tired and crying for this reason then make sure you can put her down to sleep somewhere safe and comfortable. This could be a cot, buggy or even a sling.

• Watch our video guide on how to soothe a crying baby for top tips.

• If you have any concerns about this subject, please consult your doctor or health visitor.

Why not chat to other mums about this, or other topics, by leaving a message on our chat forum. Alternatively, if you want to meet other mums in your area with similar age babies, visit our people section of the site to find out what is happening in your area, or join or start one of our groups.

If you have any unanswered questions, use our questions page to gain wisdom from other mums or our resident experts for all those pregnancy or baby-related niggles. Also, have a look at our Kit section where we list our top-rated baby equipment.

The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.

Last Modified: 20/06/2007