Why Does My Baby Cry So Much?
When my first baby cried for hours, I thought I was doing something wrong.
Was she hungry again? Overtired? Uncomfortable? Did I miss something?
Then my second baby came along just 18 months later and I realised something important:
Sometimes babies cry for a reason you can fix. Sometimes they cry because… they're babies.
That doesn't make it easier when you're pacing the room at 2am wondering what else to try.
But after going through it twice, I noticed a few common patterns that explained most of the crying in our house.
3 Reasons Your Baby Might Be Crying So Much
1. They're Overtired (This one caught me out constantly)
This surprised me.
I assumed tired babies just… slept.
Instead, both of mine became louder, fussier, clingier, and somehow harder to settle the more tired they got.
An overtired baby often looks like:
- crying that escalates quickly
- fighting sleep
- rubbing eyes or turning away
- waking shortly after being put down
Once I started watching wake windows more closely, evenings became much calmer.
2. They're Overstimulated
Babies take in everything.
Visitors, noise, bright lights, too much passing around, TV in the background — it adds up.
My youngest especially would cry for what felt like no reason after busy days.
Looking back, she was overwhelmed.
Sometimes all she needed was:
- dim lights
- quiet cuddles
- less stimulation
- being held close
3. Gas, Wind or Tummy Discomfort
This was a big one for us.
Sometimes the crying seemed random until I realised it happened after feeds or at the same time every evening.
Things that helped:
- holding baby upright after feeds
- slow burping (even when they seemed done)
- gentle tummy massage
- bicycle legs
Sometimes babies are simply uncomfortable and don't know how to tell us any other way.
Here's What Actually Helped Me
After two babies, I stopped trying 20 different things at once.
I focused on a few simple things that made evenings feel calmer.
Step 1: Lower the stimulation
If crying was escalating, I'd make everything quieter.
Less light. Less noise. Less movement.
I noticed both babies settled faster when the room felt calm. Our DreamNest™ GentleGlow Night Light was perfect for this — soft enough to keep things calm without fully waking everyone up.
Step 2: Create the same calming routine every evening
Nothing fancy.
Just the same signals every night so they knew sleep was coming.
For us that looked like:
The consistency mattered more than perfection.
Step 3: Make baby feel secure
Sometimes babies just want closeness.
I stopped fighting that.
Holding them close, contact naps when needed, and creating a cosy sleep environment helped so much with settling.
Products That Helped Us Calm The Chaos
I'm not saying products magically fixed crying.
But a few things genuinely made life easier:
- A soft swaddle or sleep bag → helped both babies settle more comfortably
- Gentle lighting → especially during night feeds so no one fully woke up
- A calming sleep space → less stimulation made a noticeable difference
Small changes really added up.
Final Thoughts
If your baby cries a lot, it doesn't mean you're doing something wrong.
And it definitely doesn't mean you're failing.
Sometimes babies are overtired. Sometimes overstimulated. Sometimes uncomfortable.
And sometimes they just need time, closeness, and consistency.
The biggest thing I learned after two babies close in age?
Try one thing at a time. Keep it simple.
You usually don't need a perfect routine — just a calmer one.
→ Explore DreamNest sleep essentials for calmer nights and easier settling