Presentation Information

Kimberly Bepler

Understanding Infant Crying

  • Speaker: Kimberly Bepler , IBCLC, CPD, CLE, CNPE
  • Presentation Type:
  • Duration: 60 Mins
  • Credits: 1 CERP, 1 ACM CPD, 1 ACNM CEU, 0.1 Midwifery CEU
Abstract:

How much crying is too much crying? When parents reach out with questions about their babies crying, what parameters are available to help guide them to understand their infants? This session will aim to guide professionals who support the newborn family, including offering guidelines for number of hours that are considered normal, descriptions of high and low criers, timelines of expected crying, and solutions and alternatives when the typical approaches don’t seem to work. Utilizing the research on the Crying Curve--a pattern of crying beginning at about 42 weeks of gestation, peaking at 6-8 weeks of age, and sharply declining by 12-15 weeks--parents can navigate newborn life according to their gestational age. 15 different studies have concluded that this pattern is common across infants of all cultures, gestational ages (based on a 40-week gestation), and parenting styles—and the applications are many in the early parenting world. Help families learn to utilize this model to help assess their newborn. Multiple models of interpreting newborn crying from body language to sound and tone to help interpret newborn needs will be shared. Let’s move beyond reassuring parents that “colic” will end by 3 months and offer them solutions and alternatives.