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There's nothing more unsettling than watching your helpless infant thrash his arms and legs about while he's crying. Flailing, which almost always goes hand in hand with crying, is thought to be the result of your baby's immature nervous system. The less technical way to think about it: Your baby is pulling out all the stops. He's saying, "I'm really not happy right now and hopefully you'll figure out what I need, fast!"

Common causes of flailing (with crying): hunger, a wet or dirty diaper, being too hot or too cold, being overtired, being overstimulated, having an upset stomach, or if he's in pain (baby shots are notorious for bringing on episodes of flailing)....

There's nothing more unsettling than watching your helpless infant thrash his arms and legs about while he's crying. Flailing, which almost always goes hand in hand with crying, is thought to be the result of your baby's immature nervous system. The less technical way to think about it: Your baby is pulling out all the stops. He's saying, "I'm really not happy right now and hopefully you'll figure out what I need, fast!"

Common causes of flailing (with crying): hunger, a wet or dirty diaper, being too hot or too cold, being overtired, being overstimulated, having an upset stomach, or if he's in pain (baby shots are notorious for bringing on episodes of flailing).

Your infant might also flail his arms and legs when he's delighted and happy. "Whether it's a response to a positive or negative emotion, flailing is tied to strong emotions," says Marsha Gerdes, Ph.D., co-director of the neonatal follow-up program at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. "As your child grows, he'll improve his ability to regulate his emotions, which means you'll notice less of this behavior."

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