Ashwin Lewis
A baby crying is their way of communicating their needs to their caregiver. While it is normal for babies to cry, it can be distressing for parents, especially if the crying occurs during sleep. Occasional crying during sleep is not usually a cause for concern, but persistent crying could indicate an underlying issue.
There are several reasons why a 3-week-old baby may be crying in their sleep, ranging from hunger, teething pain, or discomfort from a cold to something more serious, such as an ear infection or colic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Baby crying in sleep | Occasional crying during sleep isn’t usually a cause for alarm |
| Reasons for crying in sleep | Hunger, separation anxiety, emotional distress, illness, teething pain, cold or flu, ear infection, nightmare, night terror, over-tiredness, discomfort due to food sensitivities, colic |
| Colic | When a healthy baby cries for more than 3 hours a day for 3 or more days in a week for 3 weeks in a row |
| Soothing techniques | Massage, warm bath, gentle noise, comforter, holding, singing, rocking, walking, music, white noise machine, humming fan, pacifier, breastfeeding, swaddling |
| If nothing works | Put the baby on their back in an empty crib, check on them in 10 minutes, seek medical advice |
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What You'll Learn
Hunger or feeding difficulties
Hunger is one of the most common reasons why a baby will cry, especially if they are a newborn. A newborn baby's stomach is small and can't hold much food, so it won't be long before they need another feed. If your baby is crying due to hunger, they may need to calm down with a snuggle and a suckle before they can feed properly. This is called responsive feeding. If you are breastfeeding, offer them your breast, even if their last feed doesn't seem that long ago. Your baby will let you know when they've had enough, by coming off your breast in their own time, and seeming content and settled.
If you are formula-feeding, your baby may not need another feed for at least two hours. However, every baby is different, and they may prefer to feed little and often. If your baby regularly drinks less formula than you're offering, this may be the case.
If your baby is crying and seems unsettled around the time of a feed, there may be other feeding difficulties causing their distress. If you are breastfeeding, improving your baby's positioning and attachment can help them settle. You can go to a breastfeeding drop-in group and ask for help, or contact the Breastfeeding Network to find your nearest group.
Crying during feeds can sometimes be a symptom of reflux, a common condition where babies bring back milk after feeds. Speak to your health visitor or GP for more information and advice.
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Colic
- Avoid smoking around your baby and do not let others smoke around them.
- Avoid feeding your baby every time they cry, as this can lead to overfeeding, which can make them more uncomfortable.
- Burp your baby often while feeding to remove air from their stomach and reduce gas.
- Massage your baby's stomach and gently rub their back.
- Place your baby on their left side to help with digestion or on their stomach for support.
- Play constant, calming sounds, such as white noise, a humming fan, or a recording of a heartbeat.
- Take your baby for a ride in a stroller or car.
- Rock your baby in a rocking chair.
- Give your baby a pacifier. Many babies are soothed by extra sucking.
- Hold your baby upright to help them pass gas and reduce heartburn.
- Try placing a warm towel or warm water bottle on your baby's stomach.
- If you are breastfeeding, avoid stimulants such as caffeine and chocolate, dairy products, nuts, and certain medicines, as these can be passed through your breast milk and trigger colic.
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Illness or pain
If your baby is crying constantly and you cannot console or distract them, or the cry does not sound like their normal cry, it can be a sign they are ill. Other symptoms of illness include:
- A high temperature or fever (above 100.4°F (38°C))
- Rapid breathing or making a throaty noise while breathing
- Being violently sick (projectile vomiting)
- High temperature but cold hands and feet
If your baby is unwell, contact your health visitor, GP, or call NHS 111. You can also contact the Cry-sis helpline for free on 0800 448 0737. They can put you in touch with other parents who have been in the same situation.
Colic
Colic is common in newborns and usually starts when a baby is 2–5 weeks old. It is characterised by excessive crying that sounds miserable and distressed, which stops for a moment or two and then starts up again. This suggests it could be caused by waves of stomach pain. Colic is not caused by anything a parent did or didn't do, and babies will outgrow it.
If you are concerned about your baby's crying, you can keep a record of how often and when they cry. This can help your health visitor or GP to work out if there's a particular cause for the crying.
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Sleep regression
Sleep schedules don't typically become more predictable until closer to 3-4 months old. At 3 weeks, a baby's sleep schedule will likely still be unpredictable, with sleep times and durations varying, which is normal. Babies at this age may take a 20-minute nap, stay awake for an hour, then snooze for two hours during their next sleep period. There is a wide range of normal when it comes to babies and sleep, so don't fret about hitting a specific number of hours or naps, especially in the first few weeks and months.
If your baby is crying excessively, it could be a sign of colic, which tends to start when a baby is 2-5 weeks old and ends by the time the baby is 3-4 months old. Colic is characterised by excessive crying that sounds miserable and distressed, with short moments of stopping before starting up again, suggesting it could be caused by waves of stomach pain. If you're concerned about your baby's crying, you can contact helplines such as Cry-sis, or speak to your health visitor or GP.
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Nightmares or night terrors
It is unlikely that a 3-week-old baby is having nightmares or night terrors. Nightmares and night terrors are more common in children, usually aged 2 and above.
Nightmares are bad dreams that you wake up from and can remember. You can comfort a child after a nightmare by sitting with them and soothing them.
Night terrors are different from nightmares. Night terrors are more dramatic and happen when a child is sleeping very deeply, usually in the first few hours of sleep. A child having a night terror might wake up screaming and is impossible to comfort. They won't be aware that someone is there trying to help them. Eventually, the child will calm down and go back to sleep, usually within a few minutes. They won't remember the night terror when they wake up.
If your 3-week-old baby is crying in their sleep, it could be due to colic. Colic is common in newborns and usually starts when a baby is 2-5 weeks old. It causes excessive crying that can last for hours and is often indicated by a miserable and distressed cry, with short moments of calm in between. There is little you can do except try to comfort your baby and wait for the crying to pass.
- Breastfeed your baby or give them a pacifier to suckle on.
- Create some gentle background noise or play music to distract your baby.
- Hold your baby close to you or put them in a sling.
- Move about gently, sway, and dance with your baby.
- Rock your baby backward and forward in a pram or go out for a walk or a drive.
- Undress your baby and give them a gentle and firm massage.
- Talk soothingly to your baby and keep the room warm.
- Give your baby a warm bath.
- Limit stimulation by keeping the lights very dim or using a night light.
- Swaddle your baby, but make sure the swaddle isn't too tight.
- Call a friend or relative for support or to take care of the baby while you take a break.
If nothing seems to help soothe your baby's crying, contact your doctor or healthcare provider for advice and support.
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Frequently asked questions
Occasional crying during sleep isn't usually a cause for alarm. Newborns wake more frequently than older babies due to their developing nervous systems and frequent need to eat, which includes more sleep disturbances like crying without being fully awake. Your baby may be crying in their sleep because they are hungry, or they may be experiencing discomfort due to food sensitivities or teething pain.
Here are some ways to comfort your baby:
- Rock them in a rocking chair or a pram
- Play constant, calming sounds like white noise or a recording of a heartbeat
- Sing lullabies
- Give them a pacifier
- Massage them gently and firmly, avoiding oils or lotions until they are at least a month old
- Take them for a walk or a drive, limiting how long they sleep in a car seat to 30 minutes
Colic is when a healthy baby cries for more than 3 hours a day for 3 or more days in a week for at least 3 weeks. Colic usually starts when a baby is 2-5 weeks old and ends by the time the baby is 3-4 months old. It is not caused by anything the parent did or didn't do, and there is no treatment for colic. However, you can try to avoid smoking around the baby and burp them often during feeding to reduce gas.
Persistent crying may be the first sign of a more serious illness, such as an ear infection. If your baby is crying constantly and you cannot console them, or the cry does not sound like their normal cry, consult your doctor. You can also call a helpline like Cry-sis or the National Center on Shaken Baby Syndrome's hotline to speak to other parents or caregivers for support.
Establishing a daily routine and a nighttime sleep routine can help. Toddlers need 12-14 hours of sleep per day, and some may need two naps per day well into their second year of life. If your baby seems overtired, it's okay to speed up or condense your bedtime routine to help them settle quickly.
