Babies cry to communicate that they are hungry, wet, tired, too
warm, too cold, lonely, or otherwise uncomfortable. When you
respond promptly to these cries, you help your baby feel
confident and safe. After your baby's need is met, the crying
usually stops. The more consistently you respond to your baby
when he or she is upset, the greater chance that your baby will
cry less at age 1 and show less aggression at age 2.1 Letting a
newborn baby "cry it out" usually makes the situation worse and
the crying more intense. It is often harder and takes longer to
calm an extremely upset baby than one who has just started to
cry. Most babies cry the most during the first four months of
life. Starting at about 2 weeks of age, your baby may cry for no
apparent reason and can be hard to console. Many babies have a
fussy time of day, often during the late afternoon to early
evening when they are tired and unable to relax. This crying is
a way for your baby to release the tension that naturally
develops from a full day of