The references given here are selected to provide the research evidence behind the key statements made in this website, especially where they may seem controversial or the research is recent. 

Copyright restrictions sometimes make it difficult to get hold of original articles. However, many scientific journals now make articles available free, or for a small charge online. Try putting the name of the article into Google Scholar to see if you can get access to it. If you encounter difficulties, your local librarian may be able to help.

The infant crying peak:
Ronald Barr first brought this to widespread attention: Barr R.G. (1990). The normal crying curve: what do we really know? Developmental Medicine and Child Neurology, 32, 356-362.
The reference for the London babies’ crying peak included in this website is: St James-Roberts I., Hurry J., Bowyer J., Barr R.G. (1995). Supplementary carrying compared with advice to increase responsive parenting as interventions to prevent persistent infant crying. Pediatrics, 95, 381-388.

Even trained professionals cannot stop the crying:
St James-Roberts I., Conroy S., Wilsher K. (1995). Clinical, developmental and social aspects of infant crying and colic. Early Development and Parenting, 4, 177-189.
See too: Prudhomme White et al. (2000). Behavioral & physiological responsivity, sleep, and patterns of daily cortisol production in infants with and without colic. Child Development, 71, 862-877.

Most parents of babies who cry a lot provide highly involved, sensitive and resourceful care – and many have had previous babies who have not cried a lot:
St James-Roberts I., Conroy S., Wilsher K. (1995). Links between maternal care and persistent crying in the early months. Child Care, Health & Development, 24, 353-376.
See too: Stifter C., Braungart J. (1992). Infant colic: a transient condition with no apparent effects. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 13, 447-462.

Most babies under 5 months of age who cry a lot are healthy; only about 1% are food intolerant:
Lehtonen L., Gormally S. Barr R.G. (2000). Clinical pies for etiology and outcome in infants presenting with early increased crying. In: Barr, R.G., Hopkins B., Green J. (eds.) Crying as a Sign, a Symptom, and a Signal. London: MacKeith Press/Cambridge University Press.
Note that the 5% rate for organic causes of crying given in this report and elsewhere is for cases taken to physicians because of their crying. Since that does not apply to most babies, the 1% figure for organic causes in infants as a whole is a reasonable estimate.

Infant crying, especially unsoothable crying bouts, can trigger shaken baby syndrome:
Barr R.G., Trent R.B., Cross J. (2006). Age-related incidence curve of hospitalized shaken baby syndrome cases: convergent evidence for crying as a trigger to shaking. Child Abuse & Neglect, 30, 7-16.

See too: Fujiwara T., et al. (2011). Infant distress at five weeks of age and caregiver frustration. Journal of Pediatrics,159, 425-30.

Dads find crying frustrating:
Sahin F., Tasar M.A. (2012). Shaken Baby Syndrome and prevention programs. Turkish Archives of Pediatrics, 47: 150-156.

Shared parenting reduces the impact of infant crying on parents:
Dayton C.J., Walsh T.B., Oh W., Volling B. (2015). Hush now baby: mothers’ and fathers’ strategies for soothing their infants and associated parenting outcomes. Journal of Pediatrics & Health Care, 29, 145-155.

Evidence that limit-setting parenting methods help infants to sleep for long periods at night:
Sleep J., et al. (2002). A randomized controlled trial to compare alternative strategies for preventing infant crying and sleeping problems in the first 12 weeks: the COSI study. Primary Health Care Research and Development, 3, 176-183.
For a contrary view, see: Douglas P.S., Hill P.S., (2013). Behavioral sleep interventions in the first six months of life do not improve outcomes for mothers or infants: a systematic review. Journal of Developmental & Behavioral Pediatrics, 34, 497–507.