Do babies cry in the womb?

[severen]

Do babies cry in the womb, because they sure do when they come out.

[WaldoMcFroog]

The Metro ("Yesterday's News Today") carried a story on this just this week, but I regret to say I can't find a link to it. Basically, some researchers said that by playing certain sounds to the baby, they could see it crying.

[andy hughes]

I would suggest that crying in the usual sense of the word requires oxygen - indeed the new-born's reflex action of crying starts the breathing process that works instinctively for the rest of the baby's lifef.

Within the womb, where baby is not consuming oxygen, it may grimmace as a reflex action in respons to certain stimuli, but I would say it is stretching credibility to equate this gesture with 'crying'.

[Clanad]

Surprisingly, the emotional turmoil which crying expresses can already exist in the womb and may be vocalized if air reaches the area around the fetal larynx. This intrauterine crying is termed "vagitus uterinus"(literally, squalling in the womb) and is well documented in medical literature. Over one hundred cases have been reported.
This documentation of crying behavior in third-trimester infants may have developmental implications because crying is a complex behavior that requires coordination of various motor systems. It also requires reception of a stimulus, recognizing it as negative, and incorporating an appropriate response. Many observations of non-vocal crying have also been observed in ultrasound images... 

[spudqueen]

They definately get hiccups in the womb, usually when I was trying to get to sleep and my tummy was going hic.....hic......hic

[Piper-AK]

lol spudqueen - my little one still hasn't stopped and she was born 3 months ago!  Can't say I noticed any caterwauling while she was in my womb though.....