At about 8 months old, babies often begin to show distress upon leaving their mothers. The best thing to do is just walk away. He or she will soon become distracted and stop crying.

If there's nothing obviously wrong with the baby, it may be a bit of heartburn, or the baby may be coming down with a cold or other slight illness. In those cases, merely comforting the baby is usually the only thing that can be done.

Very young infants often fuss because of their immature systems: They haven't yet adjusted to the big, cold world, and they want to be where they were before they were born. Swaddling is very helpful, as are rhythmic movements such as walking, rocking and swinging in a swing. Noises that mimic the womb, such as those made by white noise machines, can be very helpful. Many parents swear by the vacuum cleaner!

Fo these sensitive infants, it's best to promote a soothing environment rather than a stimulating one. Jones points out that there has been a change in recent years in how parents are encouraged to interact with very young babies. "Not long ago parents thought they had to carry the baby constantly and bounce and carry her around and expose her to bright colors and music all the time," says Jones. "We're getting a lot more sensitive to infants' needs and are discovering that a baby needs downtime just as an adult does. He or she can't walk away from stimulation, so they can become overwhelmed and that translates into fussiness."

Want to see more?

• Bundle of Nerves?: How Your Emotions Affect Your Baby's Attitude
• The Crying Game: Soothing Your Newborn
• Strolling Your Way to Fitness: Make Baby Your Exercise Partner
• Talk about it!