Why does a baby cry when pooping, passing gas or peeing?
Applies to age: 0–6 months
In short
All babies cry, and the most common causes of crying include a dirty or wet diaper and gas. Constant crying that cannot be soothed, or crying that sounds different than usual, may be a sign of illness.
What is normal
All claims: international norm
- All babies cry, some more than others.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
All babies cry, and some more than others.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- Crying is a baby's way of communicating that they need comfort and care.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Crying is your baby's way of telling you they need comfort and care.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- The most common causes of crying include hunger, a dirty or wet diaper, tiredness, wanting a cuddle, gas, being too hot or too cold, boredom and overstimulation.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
The most common reasons for crying are: hunger a dirty or wet nappy tiredness wanting a cuddle wind being too hot or too cold boredom overstimulation
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- The amount of crying usually increases around week 2 of life and then gradually decreases around month 3.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
The amount babies cry tends to increase when they're around 2 weeks old and then gradually reduces at around 3 months old.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
When to worry
All claims: international norm
- Constant crying that you cannot soothe or distract the baby from, or crying that sounds different than usual, may be a sign of illness.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
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're ill.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
ER / 112 (Poland)
Some claims: international norm
Immediate medical help needed: international norm
- A baby who is crying and has seizures needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
has a fit (seizure or convulsion)
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- Blue, gray, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue of a baby needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
has blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown and black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of their hands or soles of their feet
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- A baby who is unresponsive, floppy or wakes up less easily than usual needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
is unresponsive, floppy or not waking up as easily as usual
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- Difficulty breathing (grunting, the stomach sucking in under the ribs), shortness of breath or very fast breathing needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
has difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage), is breathless or breathing very fast
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- A baby who vomits often and violently (projectile vomiting) needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
is being violently sick a lot (projectile vomiting)
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- A high or low temperature in a crying baby (age and temperature thresholds in the Q048 record) needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
has a high or low temperature
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- A rash that does not fade when pressed needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
has a rash that does not fade when you press it
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- No wet diaper in the last 8 hours needs immediate medical help.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
has not had a wet nappy in the past 8 hours
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- Seizures are among the situations in which the pacjent.gov.pl portal says to call an ambulance (999 (the ambulance number in Poland) or 112 (the emergency number in Poland)).
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
drgawki
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [2]
- Significant shortness of breath is among the situations in which the pacjent.gov.pl portal says to call an ambulance.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
nasilona duszność
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [2]
- Sudden acute abdominal pain is among the situations in which the pacjent.gov.pl portal says to call an ambulance.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
nagły ostry ból brzucha
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [2]
- Persistent vomiting, especially with blood mixed in, is among the situations in which the pacjent.gov.pl portal says to call an ambulance.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
uporczywe wymioty zwłaszcza z domieszką krwi
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [2]
See a doctor
Some claims: international norm
Urgent medical assessment needed: international norm
- Signs that a baby is unwell, such as not being interested in feeding, need an urgent medical assessment.
Source: NHS – show the original wording (EN)
Summarized and translated by the editors, not an official translation. Verbatim quote from the source, in its original wording:
Contact your GP or call NHS 111 if they have signs of being unwell, such as a high temperature or they’re not interested in feeding.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- Night and holiday care (NiŚOZ) is advised, among other things, when vomiting or diarrhea appear, especially in children and seniors.
Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
pojawią się wymioty lub biegunka (szczególnie u dzieci i seniorów).
NFZ i Akademia NFZ · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [3]
- Night and holiday care (NiŚOZ) sees patients Monday to Friday from 18:00 to 08:00 the next morning.
Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Poniedziałek – Piątek: 18:00 – 08:00 rano dnia następnego.
NFZ i Akademia NFZ · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [3]
- Night and holiday care (NiŚOZ) sees patients around the clock on Saturdays, Sundays and holidays.
Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Soboty, Niedziele i Święta: całodobowo.
NFZ i Akademia NFZ · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [3]
international norm “International norm” next to a section heading means its claims come from a non-Polish source, because no Polish source in our registry covers this topic. When this applies to only some of the claims, the foreign ones carry the same label next to their source.
Sources
- NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia)License: Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: NHS (nhs.uk, Anglia). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. The summary is ours and is not attributed to the NHS.
- Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl)License: CC BY 3.0 PL. Source: Portal Pacjenta (pacjent.gov.pl). Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original.
- NFZ i Akademia NFZLicense: Treści NFZ – wykorzystanie ze wskazaniem źródła, bez obrotu komercyjnego. Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ. Content summarized and translated by the editors; changed relative to the original.