How much does a normal baby cry, and when should crying be a cause for concern?
Applies to age: 0–12 months
In short
All babies cry, and crying usually increases around the 2nd week of life and gradually decreases around the 3rd month. Constant crying when the baby cannot be soothed or distracted, or a cry that does not sound like their usual cry, may be a sign of illness.
What is normal
All claims: international norm
- All babies cry, and 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]
- The amount of crying usually increases around the 2nd week of life, and then gradually decreases around the 3rd month.
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]
- There are times of day when a baby often cries and cannot be comforted.
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:
There may be times of the day when your baby tends to cry a lot and cannot be comforted.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
- Excessive crying may be a sign of colic.
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:
Excessive crying could be a sign that your baby has colic.
NHS · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [1]
When to worry
All claims: international norm
- Constant crying when the baby cannot be soothed or distracted, or a cry that does not sound like the baby's usual cry, 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
- Convulsions in a child need 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 child 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]
- Unresponsiveness, floppiness or waking 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, breathlessness 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]
- An ambulance is called when a sick person's condition suddenly worsens in a way that may lead to harm to health.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
nagłego pogorszenia się stanu osoby chorej, który może prowadzić do uszczerbku na zdrowiu
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [2]
- People call 112 (the emergency number in Poland) or 999 (the ambulance number in Poland) when life or health is at risk.
Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Zadzwoń na 112 lub 999, jeśli zagrożone jest życie lub zdrowie.
NFZ i Akademia NFZ · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [3]
See a doctor
Some claims: international norm
Urgent medical assessment needed: international norm
- Crying together with signs of illness, such as no interest in feeding, needs 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]
- A patient who comes to a primary care (POZ) clinic sick should get an appointment on the same day they come in, and if that is not possible, at a time agreed with them.
Source: Portal Pacjenta – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Jeśli przyjdziesz chory do przychodni, powinieneś uzyskać wizytę w dniu zgłoszenia.
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [2]
Polish original
Jeśli to niemożliwe - w terminie uzgodnionym z tobą.
Portal Pacjenta · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [2]
- After the working hours of a POZ clinic, medical help is provided by night and holiday care (NiŚOZ).
Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Nocna i świąteczna opieka zdrowotna to pomoc lekarska po godzinach pracy przychodni POZ.
NFZ i Akademia NFZ · open the source · accessed: 2026-10-12 · license [3]
- When in doubt, it is better to consult a doctor.
Source: NFZ i Akademia NFZ – show the quote
Verbatim quote from the source:
Polish original
Zawsze jeśli masz wątpliwości – lepiej skonsultować się z lekarzem.
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)
- https://pacjent.gov.pl/aktualnosc/kiedy-wezwac-karetke
- https://pacjent.gov.pl/jak-dziala-podstawowa-opieka-zdrowotna
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.