Why Does My Baby Arch Their Back?

Article Summary

Reasons a Baby Might Arch Back

When your baby is very young, crying is the only way they’re able to communicate anything to their caregivers. So, if your baby is arching their back and crying, you may feel lost and overwhelmed. The cause of this newborn arch back crying may be any one of these listed below, so pay attention to your baby’s physical cues and talk to their doctor about next steps.

Moro Reflex

The startle reflex, also known as the Moro reflex, appears in infants when they’re startled (hence the name) or suddenly moved.¹ In response to a sound, your baby may throw back their head, extend their arms and legs, then pull their limbs back in and relax.¹ This action may or may not be accompanied by a cry.¹ The Moro reflex is a completely normal and spontaneous movement in a newborn that is indicative that the nervous system is working as it should and lasts until a baby is about 2 months old.¹

Rolling Over

Depending on the age of your little one, they may be trying to roll over! This new motor development tends to happen when your baby is about 4 months old. While some babies figure it out right away, others need trial and error, especially while they are still learning how to move their bodies. They may get frustrated and cry out, and the arching back may simply be related to their attempts at moving from back to tummy.

Digestive Issues

Imagine that you haven’t had to worry about anything for nine months and then suddenly you’re in a bright, cold world where you can’t communicate and your tummy hurts. You’d probably cry too, wouldn’t you? Newborns are particularly gassy for their first two months of life, and with that discomfort comes crying.² They may ball up, grunt, turn red, scream and arch their backs in an effort to burp, fart or find some relief.²

Another potential digestive issue is a cow’s milk protein allergy, or CMPA. While most babies outgrow their CMPA, this allergic reaction to the proteins in cow’s milk can cause digestive issues in infants like abdominal pain, mucus in the stool and irritability.³ Your little one will likely be especially fussy after ingesting breastmilk or formula that contains cow’s milk and may arch their back and cry in discomfort.³ If you suspect an allergic reaction to milk or formula, talk to your child’s doctor about how best to care for a baby with CMPA. This may include changing your own diet, if you’re breastfeeding, or switching to a hypoallergenic formula like  Nutramigen^® A+^® with LGG^®.

Reflux

Another digestive issue is reflux, which occurs when the contents of the stomach come back up your child’s esophagus, causing them to spit up.⁴ While spitting up can be normal, there are some situations where spitting up may be abnormal. If you notice that your baby is experiencing poor weight gain, arching their back after eating, irritable, coughing, and refusing to eat, please see your health care provider. These may be signs of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a process where stomach contents go up into the esophagus and cause complications like esophagitis (inflammation of the esophagus) or poor weight gain.⁴

Colic

Colic occurs when a baby cries for three or more hours a day, three or more days a week.⁵ There may not be a specific reason for this extended period of crying, but digestive discomfort may be a factor. During a colic spell, your baby may be very difficult to soothe, cry or scream in a high-pitched way, and arch their back.⁵ In this case, you may consider trying Nutramigen^® A+^® with LGG^®, which starts to reduce colic* in as early as 24 hours^†.

A Symptom of Something Larger

If your baby is arching its back while crying, it’s likely due to some discomfort (ie. hunger, overtired) or mild pain, and parents should pay attention to their little one’s physical cues. However, there are a few instances where infant back arching may be a symptom of something more serious:

• Jaundice is a common condition that is caused by excess levels of bilirubin in the blood, which can be dangerous if not treated. If untreated, jaundice can lead to brain damage, which may lead to seizures and muscles spasms that can cause arching of the back and neck.⁶
• Cerebral Palsy is often characterized by abnormal muscle tone and involuntary contractions, one of which is back arching.⁷
• Neurological concerns of seizures: In rare cases, if associated with other movements such as abnormal extremity movements or eye movements, it would be important to assess for seizures.

Keep a close eye on your little one and don’t hesitate to reach out to your child’s health care provider if you have any concerns about their behavior.

Soothing Your Baby

In many cases, comforting your baby when they’re upset may feel impossible, especially if your child is colicky. That said, here are some ways to soothe your baby and let them know you’re there to provide warmth and comfort:⁸

• Swaddle your baby to make them feel warm and secure. Once your baby can rollover, no longer swaddle them.
• Use a sound machine to mimic the sounds of being in the womb.
• Try a different feeding technique. If bottle feeding, try a vertical position, or if breastfeeding, consider seeing a lactation consultant.
• Changing scenery to minimize visual stimuli.

If you’ve been formula-feeding or supplementing, you may need to change to a formula that’s gentle on your little one’s stomach. One option is Enfamil A+^® NeuroPro Gentlease, which is designed to reduce fussiness, crying and gas. It can help calm baby's tummy in just 24 hours^‡.

Talk to your child’s health care provider before switching formulas and about any physical symptoms you notice when your child is fussy. It’s easy for new parents to feel alarmed whenever their child shows any kind of distress, but talk to your doctors and remember to keep things in context: the likelihood is that your baby is perfectly fine.⁶

1. https://www.stanfordchildrens.org/en/topic/default?id=newborn-reflexes-90-P02630
2. https://www.chop.edu/news/health-tip/how-help-newborn-gas
3. https://www.urmc.rochester.edu/childrens-hospital/gastroenterology/conditions/cow-s-milk-protein-intolerance.aspx
4. https://medlineplus.gov/refluxininfants.html
5. https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/colic.html
6. https://www.birthinjuryhelpcenter.org/baby-crying-arched-back.html
7. https://cpfamilynetwork.org/resources/blog/back-arching-and-cerebral-palsy/
8. https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/baby/crying-colic/Pages/Calming-A-Fussy-Baby.aspx