UK tops survey for biggest cry babies

Babies cry more in Britain than almost anywhere else in the industrialised world, new research shows.

The UK, along with Canada, Italy and the Netherlands, came top in an international baby bawler survey conducted by scientists.

Researchers analysed 8,700 infants to find out how upset babies in different countries get in their first 12 weeks.

The biggest cry babies were found in the UK, Italy, Canada and the Netherlands, while lowest crying levels were seen in Denmark, Germany and Japan. On average, babies cried for around two hours per day.

Professor Dieter Wolke, from the University of Warwick, said: “We may learn more from looking at cultures where there is less crying and whether this may be due to parenting or other factors relating to pregnancy experiences or genetics.”

The highest levels of colic – defined as a baby crying more than three hours a day – were found in the UK (28 per cent of infants at 1-2 weeks), Canada (34.1 per cent at 3-4 weeks) and Italy (20.9 per cent at 8-9 weeks). Lowest colic rates were reported in Denmark (5.5 per cent at 3-4 weeks) and Germany (6.7 per cent at 3-4 weeks).