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 Ask Dr. Jana
Concerned Baby Is Fussier Than Other Babies | | | QUESTION | | | Dear Dr. Jana,
My baby seems to be much more fussy and cranky than my friend's baby is. I'm worried that she isn't getting enough to eat. How can I tell if my baby is getting enough or too much nourishment?— Bottoms Up | | | ANSWER |
April 26, 2001 | | | Dear Bottoms Up,
The way I read your question, there are two issues at hand, which may be entirely unrelated. The first is why your baby seems fussier than your friends', and the second is whether or not she's getting enough or too much to eat.
With regards to the first, every baby is unique. Just like you and I are likely to have very different personalities and opinions (as well as some similarities), your baby has a temperament unique to her, which means that she will inevitably respond to situations differently than your friend's baby. You may be interested in finding out more in our temperament article.
As for whether or not your baby is getting enough to eat, the best way to tell is not by whether or not your baby is particularly fussy, but by following her growth pattern (as well as her overall development) and taking her for regular check-ups with her healthcare provider. We have quite a bit of information available to you regarding normal growth in our section on growth, as well as a lot of useful information on infant development in our section entitled Child Development Snapshots.
I will tell you that babies who do not receive enough nourishment are often fussy, but that does not by any means suggest that all fussy babies are not getting enough (or are getting too much). Knowing how much is enough is not always simple to figure out, especially for breastfeeding moms.
Aside from actually not getting enough to eat or simple temperament differences, some babies are colicky, some just cry more than others, and some fuss when they have a cold, reflux, or other common infant afflictions.
You can find out more about colic and crying by looking at our sections on these subjects.— by Laura Jana, M.D., F.A.A.P. |
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