What Causes Stress in Newborns?

Making the big move from the womb to the outside world can create some stress for a newborn. Stress in a newborn baby often can be attributed to hunger, discomfort and over- or under-stimulation, according to the PBS Parents website. Your little one will give you cues about how she̵7;s feeling so you can provide comfort and care, which should help alleviate some unpleasant anxiety for everyone.

  1. Physical Discomfort

    • Life in the womb is comparatively simple for an unborn baby ̵1; the little one doesn̵7;t feel pain, cold, hunger, tired or over-stimulated. Once born, a newborn transitions to a life that can involve feeling physical discomfort for the first time. The first three days for a healthy baby outside the womb are the principal days of organization, with the baby learning how to suck, swallow and breathe effectively. The newborn will also adapt to feeding intermittently instead of via the umbilical cord. Even after the initial transition to life outside the womb, newborns will react with anxiety when they feel hungry, cold, wet, tired or afraid. Responsive care to alleviate discomfort often helps diminish a baby̵7;s stress.

    An Unresponsive Face

    • Newborns have shown a preference for looking at the human face and hearing the human voice, especially the mother̵7;s face. If interaction between a newborn and another person involves an unresponsive or depressed face, the newborn can show signs of anxiety, according to authors of ̶0;Infants of Depressed Mothers are Less Responsive to Faces and Voices: A Review,̶1; published in ̶0;Infant Behavior and Development.̶1; Newborns will show this stress by appearing less attentive and cuddly and they may be more fussy.

    Separation Stress

    • Contact with caregivers enables a newborn to manage the stress of life, according to the Kangaroo Mother Care website. When a parent or other caregiver soothes a baby, the baby can feel some comfort just from the knowledge that he is not alone. If a newborn experiences separation from caregivers and cries alone without attention, the little one may feel panic and anxiety. The baby̵7;s brain and body floods with adrenaline and cortisol in response to the stress. Prolonged exposure to these hormones could lead to permanent neurological impact that may affect brain development, cautions the Ask Dr. Sears website.

    Environmental Stress

    • Newborns may experience difficulty as they adjust to life outside the womb, particularly if their environment is noisy or bright. New and loud sounds may cause startling, states social worker Cathy Rodrigues. A newborn can show you that she's feeling stressed by crying, squirming, arching her back, grimacing, closing her eyes, hiccupping, yawning, refusing eye contact and passing gas. A newborn baby may need a few weeks to adjust to the typical activity of a household. Keeping the environment quiet during the first weeks of a baby's life may help avoid unnecessary stress in the newborn.

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