Why do babies fuss?
What does current research tell us?
How does this fussiness affect families? 
How can Fussy Baby Support Services help?  

Why do babies fuss ?
All babies cry. Babies cry for many reasons. Most often, crying informs us that the baby is hungry, cold, tired, wet or in pain. This type of crying is normal and tends to peak at 6-8 weeks of age.

However, some babies cry for hours and they are inconsolable. Infants fitting this description may have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep. They may also have trouble feeding. When a baby cries for more than three hours, three times a week, it is considered  colic. This excessive crying has other names like Irritable Infant Syndrome (IIS), fussing, or persistent crying. Excessive crying is the most common pediatric problem in the first year of life. Approximately 20% of infants suffer with it.

For 95 years researchers having been studying why babies cry excessively. Many theories have been proposed and discounted. It still remains a poorly understood condition. We do know that colic is not caused by anxious parents or gas(although a gassy belly is often the result of a colicky episode).

What does current research tell us?
One view that is gaining prominence is that colic is related to the baby's ability to regulate arousal states.

The newborn baby shifts among different states throughout the day. These "states" include sleep, quiet alert, active and crying. Some infants transition easily between states, but some have trouble moving out of cry mode. Often these babies are easily over-stimulated, difficult to calm, and have trouble adapting to changes in their environment.

How does this fussiness affect families?
Whatever the cause of the “colic”, the results are the same: a fussy, irritable baby and stressed-out parents. For most cases the crying lessens at around 3-6 months of age, however the effects are not necessarily benign. Studies show that the impact of excessive crying can be long-term for the infant, parent and for their relationship. Families of fussy infants are more likely to be exhausted, feel isolated and/or depressed, and doubt themselves as parents.

With all we know today, there is no reason for families to struggle with this issue alone or "wait it out." 

How can Fussy Baby Support Services help?

The same research that has shed light on the cause of infant fussiness also shows that there are ways to help. Parents can help their babies learn to shift smoothly from one mode to the next. In turn, parents can feel more in control and more confident of their parenting skills. 

Fussy Baby Support Services helps families enjoy and understand their babies, lessens the duration and intensity of crying, and links families with each other for emotional and concrete support.