Five frequently asked questions about 1-month-old babies

Your baby cries a lot because he has a lot to say. Crying is one of the few ways a baby has to express himself. Newborns spend anywhere from one to four hours crying each day.

As a mom, you'd love to know what your baby is trying to say with each cry. But that's not always easy. He may be telling you he's wet, hungry, tired, cold or just plain bored. With time, you'll probably be able to guess what he's trying to tell you. But remember that all babies spend time crying for no reason at all.  Don't beat yourself up if you can't figure it. It's part of what he's programmed to do!

If your otherwise healthy baby cries or screams for more than three hours a day for weeks on end, he or she may have colic. Colic affects as many as one in four healthy babies. It usually starts before your baby is 6 weeks old and lets up when the baby gets to be 3 to 4 months old.

If your baby has colic, she might cry for several hours each day, usually in late afternoon or early evening. She may pull up her legs, bunch her fists, or making faces. She may swallow air when crying, which leads to more gas and discomfort, and even more crying. If your doctor thinks your baby has colic, try some of the soothing and distracting techniques he or she recommends.

If your baby is well and happy the rest of the day, you probably don't need to worry.  But it’s probably a good idea to check in with your doctor to be sure there isn’t anything else going on. You can talk about strategies for helping your baby and you.

You may have heard that different formulas, or the diet of a breastfeeding mother, can affect your baby's stomach. This might help some babies with gas or fussy spells, but it's not likely to prevent colic. Check with your doctor before making any formula or diet changes.

Babies poop a lot! Most newborns have between three to five stools each day. If you're breastfeeding, your baby may poop even more often. By 1 month of age, poop frequency varies. Formula-fed babies usually poop less often than breastfed babies. Some babies may go as long as three or four days between bowel movements. As long as the poop is soft, and your baby has a good appetite and seems comfortable, everything is fine. Talk to your baby’s pediatrician if the time between bowel movements is longer than three or four days, or if your baby seems very uncomfortable or isn’t eating well.

Some parents prefer to use a bassinet or cradle rather than a regular crib for their newborn's first months of life. Bassinets and cradles hold the baby in a secure, smaller space, which may seem more comforting for some newborns.  Also, bassinets are portable, so they can fit in your bedroom for convenient middle-of-the-night feedings. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that babies sleep in the parents’ bedroom (in their own sleep space, not in the same bed) for the first six months.

Bassinets are designed for newborns, who are small and don't move around much while sleeping or awake. Babies quickly outgrow their bassinets as they get bigger and begin moving around. If your bassinet rocks or is on wheels, you might want to move your baby to a regular crib as soon as he or she starts rolling over. Once your baby can sit up without any help, it's definitely time for a crib.