There aren’t many sounds that get your attention faster than your baby crying. Are they hungry? Gassy? Overtired? In pain? Sick? If you are staring at your little one wondering, “Why is my baby crying?” you aren't alone.
Babies cry for a lot of different reasons. Learning to decode baby crying cues, especially understanding hunger cries vs. pain cries, can help you get your baby exactly what they need. The key is to watch your baby’s whole body, not just listen to the sound.
“No single cry reliably tells you exactly what a baby needs. Parents should look at the whole picture: Crying pattern, body language, facial expressions, timing since the last feeding and environmental factors,” said Zainab Saeed, MD, a pediatrician with Banner - University Medicine.
Why babies cry
Babies cry to communicate, since they can’t use language to tell you what’s wrong. They may cry because they are:
- Hungry
- Tired
- Overstimulated
- Uncomfortable
- Gassy
- Wet
- Cold
- Hot
- Sick
- In pain
- Need to be held
Crying does not always mean something is wrong. Normal newborn crying or infant crying can last for one to three hours per day. Newborns and young infants often cry more in the late afternoon or evening.
An increase in crying in the first two to three months is considered normal development.
What are baby hunger cues before crying starts?
“Babies often show early feeding cues before they cry. Responding to these signs may make it easier to soothe them,” Dr. Saeed said.
Early baby hunger cues may include:
- Waking
- Rooting
- Sucking on hands
- Opening the mouth
- Lip smacking
Later hunger cues may include:
- Fussiness that builds
- Moving and becoming restless
- Turning red
- Crying
- Trouble calming enough to latch or take a bottle
What does a hunger cry sound like?
A baby hunger cry usually starts as rhythmic, repetitive fussing and gradually gets louder. It often comes with early hunger cues or calming when feeding. Hunger cries may happen around normal feeding times or after a longer sleep stretch.
What to try if you think your baby is hungry
Hold your baby close and help them get calm before feeding if needed. Offer breast milk or formula. Track feeding patterns if you are worried your baby is eating too little or too often and call the baby’s doctor if feeding suddenly changes.
What does a pain cry sound like?
A pain cry may be sudden, sharp, high-pitched or harder to soothe than a hunger cry. Signs a baby is in pain may include body stiffening, back arching, pulling legs up, fever, vomiting or changes in feeding or diapers.
Common reasons babies may cry from pain or discomfort include:
- Gas or trapped burps
- Constipation
- Diaper rash
- Teething pain in older babies
- Ear infection
- Reflux
- Hair wrapped around a toe, finger or genital area (hair tourniquet)
- Scratches, injury or pressure from clothing
- Illness, fever or infection
Knowing when to call a pediatrician is key. Contact your baby’s doctor or get emergency care for persistent, inconsolable crying.
Hunger cries vs. pain cries: Key differences
The main difference between a hunger cry and a pain cry is the pattern:
- Hunger cries usually build gradually and come with feeding cues
- Pain cries are often sudden, intense, high-pitched or hard to soothe and may come with other symptoms
Other common reasons babies cry
Babies often cry when they:
- Are tired or overstimulated
- Have gas or need to burp
- Have a wet or dirty diaper
- Are too hot or too cold
- Want comfort or reassurance
- Want interaction
How to soothe a crying baby safely
“No caregiver can correctly identify the reason for every cry. Even experienced parents sometimes need to try several soothing strategies,” Dr. Saeed said.
Try these steps:
- Check for hunger cues
- Check the diaper
- Burp your baby
- Look for signs of discomfort, such as hair wrapped around fingers or toes, tight clothing or rash
- Hold your baby close
- Rock, sway or walk with your baby
- Use gentle white noise
- Offer a pacifier if your baby uses one
- Try a calm, dim room to settle a baby crying at night
- Place your baby on their back in a safe sleep space if they are tired
Never shake a baby. If crying feels overwhelming, place your baby on their back in a safe crib or bassinet and step away for a few minutes. Call a trusted person, your baby’s doctor or emergency services if you are afraid you may hurt your baby.
When crying may be a sign of illness or something serious
“You should trust both observation and intuition. If a baby's behavior seems significantly different from their usual pattern, seek medical advice,” Dr. Saeed said.
Call your baby’s doctor for:
- A cry that sounds very different from normal
- Crying that is hard to soothe or does not improve
- Poor feeding or refusing to eat
- Fewer wet diapers than usual
- Vomiting or diarrhea
- Fever
- Rash
- Signs of ear pain, such as pulling at the ear, especially with fever or poor sleep
- Unusual sleepiness or low energy
- Symptoms that are getting worse
Get emergency care for:
- Trouble breathing
- Blue or gray lips or face
- Pauses in breathing
- Limpness or extreme sleepiness
- Seizure
- Fever in a baby younger than 3 months
- Repeated vomiting, green vomit or signs of dehydration
- Swelling, injury or pain when touched or moved
- Crying with a stiff body or extreme irritability
- Signs of a serious allergic reaction, such as face or lip swelling or trouble breathing
How to track your baby’s crying patterns
Tracking crying patterns can make it easier for your baby’s doctor to understand what may be causing the crying.
Track:
- Time of day crying happens
- How long it lasts
- What the cry sounds like
- Feeding times and amounts
- Wet and dirty diapers
- Sleep patterns
- Burping, spit-up or vomiting
- Temperature
- What helps soothe the baby
- New symptoms
- Recent changes in formula, diet, medicine or routine
Bottom line
Hunger cries and pain cries can sound different but the sound is only one clue. Hunger often builds gradually and comes with feeding cues. Pain may cause sudden, sharp or hard-to-soothe crying with body tension or other symptoms.
Not sure what your baby’s cry means? Banner Health pediatric providers can help you understand feeding, sleep, growth and symptoms so you can feel more confident caring for your baby.
Frequently asked questions about hunger cries and pain cries
How can I tell if my baby is hungry or in pain?
Hunger usually comes with cues like rooting, sucking, hand-to-mouth movements and fussing that builds. Pain may cause a sudden, sharp or high-pitched cry that is harder to soothe and may come with body tension or other symptoms.
Is crying always a late hunger cue?
Crying is often a later hunger cue. Earlier hunger cues may include lip smacking, opening the mouth, rooting, sucking on hands and stirring from sleep.
What does a baby pain cry sound like?
A pain cry may sound sudden, intense, high-pitched or different from your baby’s normal cry. Your baby may also arch, stiffen, pull their legs up or be difficult to comfort.
Why does my baby cry after feeding?
Crying after feeding may be related to gas, needing to burp, reflux, overeating, food sensitivity or being tired. Call your baby’s doctor if crying after feeding is frequent, severe or comes with vomiting, poor weight gain or trouble breathing.
Can gas sound like a pain cry?
Yes. Gas can make babies cry sharply or seem uncomfortable. They may pull their legs up, squirm or calm after burping or passing gas.
When should I worry about my baby’s cry?
Call your baby’s doctor if the cry is unusual, hard to soothe or comes with fever, poor feeding, vomiting, diarrhea, fewer wet diapers, rash, swelling or low energy.
What should I do if I cannot calm my baby?
Check basic needs first: Feeding, diaper, burping, temperature and comfort. If your baby still cannot be soothed or something feels wrong, call your baby’s doctor. If you feel overwhelmed, place your baby safely in the crib and take a short break.
Should I go to urgent care for a crying baby?
Seek urgent care if your baby’s crying is unusual, severe, hard to soothe or comes with symptoms like fever, poor feeding, vomiting, diarrhea, fewer wet diapers or signs of pain. Seek emergency care for trouble breathing, blue lips, limpness, seizure or fever in a baby younger than 3 months.
