A Dictionary of Dutchness

Huilbaby

Unlike its English counterpart, a Dutch huilbaby or cry baby is not someone who makes a huge fuss about not very much, but a baby who cries a lot. According to Dutch child- rearing experts, to be classed as a huilbaby, a child has to cry for three hours a day, three days a week for three weeks in a row. According to the press, one in 10 Dutch babies is a huilbaby.