12 Things Your Baby Might Hate
As a dad of two, I’ve experienced the emotional rollercoaster ride of having a son and daughter over the past few years. It’s wonderful seeing what makes them happy and what brings a smile to their face. However, there are certain activities which have resulted in tantrums, tears and distress! In this article, let’s go over some of the most common things that your baby may strongly dislike.
If you’re a first time parent, this might give you some insight into what you can expect. But if you’re an experienced mum and dad, I’m sure you can relate to some of these. Just remember all babies are different and what one child dislikes, another might not mind at all (and vice versa),
What do some babies hate or dislike?
Here are 11 things that some babies m hatye. Which ones sound familiar to you?
Having their face and nose wiped
My son is ok with this, but my daughter hates it. The best way to understand this from a baby’s perspective is to imagine if someone was to wipe your face and nose. Would you like it? I doubt it.
Some babies hate their face and nose being wiped because they don’t like their airways closed off. They may also feel a bit sore around their mouth if you are wiping in that area quite a bit because a baby has more sensitive skin.
To help your baby feel more comfortable having their face and nose wiped, use some warm water and cotton wool. You could also use a wet wipe, but watch your baby’s skin closely when you use it the first time, just to check there isn’t a mild reaction.
Getting dressed
Another frustrating situation for many parents is trying to change their baby. In some cases you get no help from your little bundle of joy as they squirm and scream when you’re trying to put on their clothes. It’s all the more stressful when you’re in a rush to work and you need to drop off your baby at the nursery.
But babies can hate getting dressed for a number of reasons. Some just don’t like being poked and pulled in different directions. Others might just not be feeling well, or have nappy rash. Here are some other factors.
Try to remain calm when you’re putting clothes on your baby. You can also sing or talk to them softly, or place a blanket underneath them if they are lying on a cool surface.
Wearing shoes
Putting shoes on your baby can be a real struggle. Not only is it tough to squeeze their tiny foot into a tiny shoe, you also get no help, as they can’t push their foot in to makes things easier for you. Throw in some crying and tantrums and it becomes just part of the daily struggle of trying to get your baby ready to go outside!
Babies generally don’t like shoes, at least to start with, because it feels odd to them to have their feet enclosed. To get round this problem, try to remain calm and unflustered when you’re putting their shoes on. You can try distracting your baby with a toy or a tasty snack. Also, just accept sometimes they’ll just take their shoes off for no reason and there’s not a lot you can do about it.
I experience this all the time with my son in the car. No matter what I say when I’m taking him to the childminder, I hear the ripping of velcro from the back seat and I just know he’s taking his shoes off. It just delays everything by a minute when you arrive and have to put them on again!
Diaper changes
One of the most common things your baby may dislike is the dreaded diaper change. Babies can kick, cry and scream when you’re trying your best to wipe their bottom clean. You often need the patience of a saint when they’re squirming all over the place, as it makes it so much harder for you.
Babies often hate diaper changes because they may feel cold as you remove their clothing. They may also have nappy rash on their bottom which is very sensitive to touch. To make things a little easier, you can give them a toy or object to distract them for a minute. Also, make sure you always talk with a soft and calm voice and get everything ready in advance i.e. wipes, changing pad, diaper and cream.
Blankets
This isn’t an issue for young babies as you shouldn’t be using blanket until your infant is at least 12 months (ideally 18 months old) because it presents a suffocation risk. Therefore, it only really affects toddlers. However, some of them can’t stand having blankets on them. Both my two children were fine with it, but it seems fairly common that some babies dislike wearing blankets as they can find them heavy and uncomfortable for the lower body.
To help your toddler get used to having one at night, place the blanket no higher than chest level and ensure their feet are at the bottom of the crib. Providing you have a mattress that fits snugly in the crib, you can tuck the blanket around the ends and sides of the mattress.
Car seats
Many babies quite like going out in the car, as they like the change from being at home. Also, driving in the car is often a great way to help your baby have a nap, as once the engine starts they usually go out like a light!
However, car seats aren’t for everyone and some babies just don’t like them.
- It might be because the straps are too tight, or they’re not sitting in the right position at the right angle.
- Your baby may also be too hot or cold so check they have the right amount of clothing for the time of year.
- Furthermore, they may just be bored sitting in the car seat or they feel alone, especially if there is no one on the back seat with them. You could keep some soft toys in the car for them to play with.
- Finally, check there is no sunlight shining on their face as some babies dislike this.
Planes
Usually one of the advantages of putting your baby in a car seat is that they can fall asleep fairly easily. I guess it’s something to do with the sound and vibration of the tyres making contact with the road. However, travelling on planes with babies and young children is more challenging and often fills parents with dread! The thought of your baby screaming for hours and receiving death stares from passengers is the stuff of nightmares.
Often the main reason your baby is crying on a plane, particularly on takeoff and landing is due to the changes in pressure and how it affects their ears. Of course there can be other factors too, such as hunger, diaper change, boredom etc, but often it’s the ears.
If your baby hates travelling on a plane and you think it’s because of their ears, try giving them some milk to swallow or a pacifier to suck on. Also, if you can, try flying at night as this will work better with their sleeping pattern.
Touching grass
Summertime has arrived, the sun is shining so you feel what better way to spend the day than to have a picnic on your lawn with your baby. Unfortunately to your surprise, your baby cries as soon as your put them on the grass.
This is actually fairly common as some babies just find the sensation of touching grass very strange the first few times. It’s because of their immature nervous system, as your baby doesn’t know what to expect when they touch this weird green stuff! In their world, grass has sharp edges, but feels soft and can be damp. Basically, it can be too much for their little minds to comprehend!
There’s no real way to get round this problem, as your baby just needs time to adjust to touching grass. In time, it shouldn’t be an issue. Just don’t make a big thing about it.
The sun
You want to keep your baby out of the sun as much as possible for the first few months as their skin is very sensitive. This is often the reason why they may cry when they are exposed to it. If some of their skin feels warmer due to the sun, it can be distressing for them and they’ll cry out for attention. Furthermore, almost all babies will cry if sunlight is in their eyes.
There’s nothing you can really do about this, apart from just keeping them out of the sun until they are a bit older. If you are concerned about a lack of Vitamin D, you can always add some drops to milk or formula. Here’s a more detailed article on why some babies hate the sun and what you can about it.
Tummy time
One useful activity to do with your newborn baby is tummy time. However, most will resist and dislike it, at least to start with. You will likely hear a few cries as they struggle to lift their head up, but it’s a great way to build up their core upper body muscles. Babies usually hate tummy time because they are not used to lying on their stomach, and it always requires a great deal of effort to lift their head up off the floor.
If your baby just isn’t getting on with tummy time, try placing them on your chest with you on your back. You can also try carrying them on a different side of your body when you pick them up, forcing them to use different muscles. Here are some other suggestions if your baby hates tummy time.
Having a bath
Bath time should be a fun activity for your baby, as they get to play with the water and some toys. It’s also a great time to bond with them. However, many babies dislike having a bath and it’s usually because they don’t like the change in temperature. When you take off their clothes, they feel cold. When you put them in the bath water, it might be too warm for them. And then when you take them out, they feel cold again! All these temperature changes combined with a baby’s sensitive skin and immune system can cause them some distress.
There isn’t a whole lot you can do to make your baby feel calmer when they have a bath. However, try to give them a bath at the right time, which means when they’ve eaten enough and they’re not overtired. Also, talk to them with a calm and reassuring voice. Also, try to wrap them up as quickly as possible when you take them out of the bath so they won’t feel cold. Here is some more information on why babies hate baths and what you can do about it.
The pacifier
We all associate the pacifier as a useful device to help calm fussy babies. But it doesn’t always work. Some babies just don’t take to it at all, usually because they are hungry or tired and have developed a negative association with it, or they don’t like the material or the shape of the pacifier.
Why do babies cry?
Babies cry for different reasons and some of the things listed above may trigger the waterworks. But never discount some of the main causes of crying; hunger, tiredness, needing a diaper change, needing a cuddle, or if they’re not feeling well.
As frustrating as it is to hear your baby crying, just remember they can’t communicate any other way. It’s just the way nature is. They can’t tell you what’s wrong, but over time you may get accustomed to the sound of different cries so you can tell if they’re tired, hungry or in a lot of distress.
What are babies afraid of?
Another reason why babies may cry is if they are scared of something. Loud noises can trigger a crying outburst very easily. You may notice this when you’re using the hoover at home, and the loud machine noise causes your baby some distress.
Also, being alone and away from mum and dad can make babies feel anxious. This may happen if they wake up during the night or after a nap. It can also happen if you just go to a different room for a minute or two!