Babies sometimes continue to cry even though their parents have tried everything to calm them down. You may be familiar with this: nothing you try seems to help. If a healthy and well-developed child cries for more than 3 hours a day on more than 3 days a week for a period of more than 3 weeks, this is called excessive crying.

Excessive crying also means:

• The baby cries without an apparent reason and cannot really be calmed down.
• The crying only stops for a short time and only if you keep trying new things to calm him or her down.
• The baby can’t rest even though he or she seems very tired.
• The baby seems overwhelmed and is extremely sensitive.
• The crying usually starts in the afternoon or evening and can last for several hours.
• The baby pulls his or her legs up when crying, and his or her skin turns red.

Babies who cry excessively are usually healthy and develop well. The crying often decreases by the end of the 3rd month of life. The previous continuous crying is not dangerous for further development. However, if you are worried about whether your child is in pain or might be ill, you should definitely speak to your pediatrician.

For you as parents it can be very exhausting if your baby keeps crying. Perhaps you are desperate and don’t know what to do.

Very important: No matter how desperate you are, never shake your child! This is very dangerous! Shaking can lead to severe injuries and even death of your baby. It is important that you can stay calm when your baby is crying. If you are unable to do this, please seek help immediately. In the Emergency & Help section you will find an emergency plan and emergency numbers.