Parent Questions · Newborn · 8–14 Days
Crying often increases in the second and third weeks, especially in the evenings, and a baby who only settles in your arms is being a completely normal newborn. This guide explains how much crying is normal now, what colic actually is, and the particular changes in crying that should be checked.
Pick the worry that fits your baby and open it for a clear answer, with what is usually normal, when to see a doctor, and when to go straight to hospital.
Crying is a newborn's main way of communicating. By two weeks, 2–3 hours of crying spread across the day is common and usually not a sign of illness.
Baby is consolable, feeds well, and is content between crying bouts.
Crying is unusually high-pitched, baby is hard to console for long periods, or feeding/weight gain is affected.
Crying is accompanied by fever, vomiting, blood in stool, breathing difficulty, or the baby looks unwell or lethargic.
✅ What you can do: Check and address feeding, nappy, temperature and tiredness first. Try skin-to-skin contact, gentle rocking, and a calm, dim environment.
⭐ Zango Clinic’s view: Crying is very often blamed on "nazar" (evil eye) or insufficient milk in Pakistani households. Reassure families this is normal newborn behaviour before reaching for home remedies such as ghutti.
Evening fussiness is very common in the first weeks and often peaks between 2-3 weeks of age, typically easing by around 3 months.
Crying is confined mostly to evenings, baby feeds and sleeps normally at other times, and is eventually consolable.
Evening crying is very prolonged (several hours), or baby seems unwell at other times of day too.
Crying is accompanied by fever, vomiting, or baby looks unwell.
✅ What you can do: Keep evenings calm and predictable, try skin-to-skin contact and dim lighting, and take turns with a partner or family member to avoid exhaustion.
⭐ Zango Clinic’s view: Evening fussiness is sometimes called "colic," but in most babies it is a normal developmental phase, not a medical problem needing treatment.
Many newborns settle best with close contact and motion — this is normal and not a bad habit at this age.
Baby settles with carrying/rocking and is otherwise feeding and growing well.
You're finding it unmanageable, or baby seems to cry even when carried.
Baby is inconsolable even with all comfort measures and looks unwell.
✅ What you can do: Use skin-to-skin contact, swaddling, and gentle motion; share carrying duties with your support network to avoid burnout.
⭐ Zango Clinic’s view: At 8-14 days, wanting to be held is not "spoiling" the baby — it's a normal need for closeness, and responding to it supports healthy attachment.
Sudden crying mid-feed can be due to a fast or slow milk flow, wind, or simply needing a pause — it's usually not a sign of a serious problem.
Crying settles quickly once burped or repositioned, and baby resumes feeding.
This happens at most feeds, baby arches away from the breast/bottle repeatedly, or weight gain is affected.
Crying is accompanied by choking, blueness around the lips, or breathing difficulty.
✅ What you can do: Pause and burp baby, check positioning and latch, and try feeding in a slightly more upright position.
⭐ Zango Clinic’s view: Occasional fussiness mid-feed is normal; if it's happening consistently, have the feeding assessed rather than pushing through it repeatedly.
On average, newborns cry around 1-3 hours across a 24-hour period at this age, often more in the evenings — this is a wide normal range.
Crying is within this range and baby is consolable and otherwise well.
Crying seems excessive, is very high-pitched, or is affecting feeding and sleep significantly.
Crying is inconsolable for a prolonged period with fever, vomiting, or baby looks unwell.
✅ What you can do: Track roughly when and how long baby cries, to discuss at your next visit if you're concerned.
⭐ Zango Clinic’s view: There's no need to compare crying amounts between babies — the wide "normal" range means some perfectly healthy babies cry much more than others.
"Colic" is typically defined as crying for more than 3 hours a day, more than 3 days a week, in an otherwise healthy, well-fed baby — it's common and usually resolves by 3-4 months.
Crying fits this pattern but baby feeds and gains weight normally between episodes.
You're unsure whether this is colic or something else, or the crying is very distressing for the family.
Crying is accompanied by fever, vomiting, blood in stool, or baby looks unwell.
✅ What you can do: Use comfort measures (carrying, gentle motion, calm environment), and don't hesitate to ask family for help managing the intensity.
⭐ Zango Clinic’s view: Colic is exhausting for parents, but it is not caused by anything you did wrong, and it does not need medication in most cases — do discuss it with your doctor to confirm nothing else is going on.
These answers help you know what to watch for at home. When something does not feel right, or a red-flag sign appears, a quick consultation is the safest next step. Book a clinic visit or ask on WhatsApp.
These answers help you know what to watch for. When something does not feel right, a quick consultation is the safest next step.