Please help.. baby wont stop crying

[Justagirlxx]

I dont know what to do anymore. He just screams all day. What should I do? I have been supplimenting with formula because he wasnt gaining weight. I dont know if this is normal or not but I cant handle this anymore. He cries so much all the time and I dont know what to do. Please help.. anyone else have a baby who wont stop crying??

 

[RJsMum]

Does he have a temperature? Is he constipated? Reflux?

It could really be any number of things. Does he cry only during particular times?

I found with my son that when I would lie him on his back he would cry/get fussy and we determined it was reflux. So he wasn't crying for no reason...he was crying because his poor belly hurt.

 

[OmarsMum]

Could be colic. Did u try giving him infacol before feeds. White noise also helps with newborns. Turn on a hair dryer & see if he settles. With RjsMum, babies cry for a reason. Mine started those crying episods at 3 wks & it was colic & reflux. Once we started using infacol & special formula for reflux, he went back to normal. xx

 

[Peardrop]

The first bit is very hard.

Can you give us all a bit more information about when he screams and what things you have tried - is it after a feed, when you put him down etc, etc. This will help those who have similar experiences to help you.

Tiny babies do cry for a reason, even though sometimes it takes trial and error to work out the reason but there are experienced ladies here who can help (I'm not one of those as my baby is still tiny). I can think of a few and just need to wait for them to come on - remember the UK ladies are in bed now.

In the meantime, just hold and feed your baby as much as possible. Supplementing with formula is fine but keep breastfeeding as much as possible to ensure your milk stays and regulates (I spotted your post in BF as well).

The first few weeks takes you to breaking point but it will improve. Sorry I can't help directly but you will get help here.

 

[azzii]

Try white noise. Like a dryer or vaccum.

 

[angel2010]

I agree with the rest. Give us a few more specifics and chances are someone here has had the exact same thing happen and will have some advice. One thing that I did learn though that I would have never thought of is to check fingers and toes and make sure a hair is not around one (for some reason this stuck with me). Good luck, it does get better!

 

[aliss]

I'm sorry this is happening to you - I was there too and it is truly the lowest form of hell when your baby cries and nothing you can do helps.

1. Is it gas? FF babies tend to be a lot gassier. Google "colic hold", put him in this position and burp him - it can take a while, for my boy, sometimes up to 20 minutes. Also hold him by the chin and use your arm to compress his chest when burping - it comes from the chest. Are you tiling the bottle 45 degrees and holding him upright when feeding?
---> I know these might be basic questions but I honestly didn't know better when I had him as a newborn and it all helped me.

2. It can be a medical issue (ie ear infection), you may want to get him checked out. I went to emerg with my boy after an all night screamathon (thought he hurt something) and it was ear infection.

I suspect this is an issue with the formula, whether it is how you are feeding or perhaps he's getting burps trapped very deep.

Was he doing this before the FF? If so, what are his nap times? Is he staying awake more than 1-2 hours and getting overtired?

 

[Bex1p]

My 2 week old is doing this too! He doesn't seem in pain so I dont think it's colic, i'm wondering if he's over tired as he fights sleep all day and it's driving me mad!!!

How is he at nights? Leo is fine then!

 

[Cat lady]

My LO suffers from colic, he just absolutely screams and clenches his fists. Since using Infacol it has improved, we also really struggle to burp him. Takes ages!
xxx

 

[kissikiss]

OP lives in the Unites States, and I don't recall ever seeing Infacol in the US - correct me if I'm wrong US ladies?

justagirlxx I've seen your post in postnatal support and I while I don't doubt your baby is crying constantly, I think your "desperation" in "please help" could be made worse by you feeling down, how are you feeling in yourself? Sorry if this sounds patronising

My son was born large like yours (although not AS big as yours!). I tried BF, and I just wasn't producing enough for him. I wasn't sleeping at all, and it was depressing me - I was so down about everything. My son was born with forceps and I swear, he was crying because he was traumatised by that, plus he was constantly feeling hunger. I too began to supplement with formula on the advice of midwives, and while it took time, he started to settle. The first week after putting him on formula was hard, it took some time for him to start to settle. By the time he was a month old I started to see some improvement, by the time he was 6 weeks he had his first 'sleep through' of 5 hours at night. I NEVER thought he would get there - but trust me, your baby will too. I know it can be frustrating and you don't know what is wrong or why your baby is crying. I should say, that I don't want to discourage you from BF, but in the end, it just wasn't for me or my son. I felt guilty about it for awhile but now, I realise that just because I'm FF, I'm not a worse mother for it. (I too supplemented for awhile, but by the time he was 5 weeks I was exclusively FF)

I will second the white noise. My son, when he still gets in these crying fits where I don't know what is wrong, will settle when I turn the vacuum cleaner on. I swear by this.

Fingers crossed that he starts to settle a bit more soon xxxx

 

[Mum2b_Claire]

Did the crying become worse when you began supplementing? Formula is much harder for them to digest and does sometimes cause wind/gas, constipation etc. Maybe you have an equivalent to Infacol or Colief over there? Might be worth seeing your Dr.

 

[bletherer]

i really feel for you....rule out any medical complaints...gas reflux, ear infection, check temp of baby and room. try swaddling....white noise defo helps, vaccum cleaner, hair dryer, washing machine

also try wrapping LO in you clothes, maybe overtired is LO sleeping well?

 

[Justagirlxx]

He sleeps all night between feeds and then is awake all day being fussy. i can usually get him to take half an hour naps during the day but thats about it. do you think maybe its because he sleeps all night that he is being fussy all day? he has been doing this before we introduced formula (my doctor told me i need to suppliment because he is almost 2 weeks old and weighs 14 ounces less than his birth weight) even though my LC says my latch is fine and everything. Bex your baby sleeps at night between feeds but fussy all day also?? he takes like little cat naps during the day but not much else. i guess i should be greatful he sleeps at night atleast. oh also he just went to the doc to get all checked out and everything is fine, no infections or anything. thanks for your advice and sorry for little detail its really hard with him crying to get on the computer for very long,. also someone mentioned PND.. I think I definitely have this so am calling my doctor today to get some help for it because its definitely making things worse.. also Will definitely be trying white noise. the only things that calm him down during the day are if i sing to him or walk around with him in the sling.

my main question is how much should he be sleeping? if he sleeps from 7pm to 7am between feedings (every 3 hours eats and falls right back to sleep) and then from 7am to 7pm takes little cat naps but is very fussy and has an all out screaming episode around 6pm till he falls asleep.. does that sound normal??

 

[aliss]

He sleeps all night between feeds and then is awake all day being fussy. i can usually get him to take half an hour naps during the day but thats about it. do you think maybe its because he sleeps all night that he is being fussy all day? he has been doing this before we introduced formula (my doctor told me i need to suppliment because he is almost 2 weeks old and weighs 14 ounces less than his birth weight) even though my LC says my latch is fine and everything. Bex your baby sleeps at night between feeds but fussy all day also?? he takes like little cat naps during the day but not much else. i guess i should be greatful he sleeps at night atleast. oh also he just went to the doc to get all checked out and everything is fine, no infections or anything. thanks for your advice and sorry for little detail its really hard with him crying to get on the computer for very long,.

No, his night sleep being good should not make the day fussy. For an adult, yes, but not a baby with their sleep cycles.

Sounds like his naps are not good enough (not deep enough or long enough). Have you tried letting him nap in a swing? That's what helped me.

 

[Justagirlxx]

He sleeps all night between feeds and then is awake all day being fussy. i can usually get him to take half an hour naps during the day but thats about it. do you think maybe its because he sleeps all night that he is being fussy all day? he has been doing this before we introduced formula (my doctor told me i need to suppliment because he is almost 2 weeks old and weighs 14 ounces less than his birth weight) even though my LC says my latch is fine and everything. Bex your baby sleeps at night between feeds but fussy all day also?? he takes like little cat naps during the day but not much else. i guess i should be greatful he sleeps at night atleast. oh also he just went to the doc to get all checked out and everything is fine, no infections or anything. thanks for your advice and sorry for little detail its really hard with him crying to get on the computer for very long,.

No, his night sleep being good should not make the day fussy. For an adult, yes, but not a baby with their sleep cycles.

Sounds like his naps are not good enough (not deep enough or long enough). Have you tried letting him nap in a swing? That's what helped me.

yeah i tried the swing which he loved for 1 day and then the next day wasnt having it. right now he is passed out on my lap which is usually what happens during the day. its just so tough holding him all the time during the day because i have no time to eat or take care of myself at all. i will try the swing again today though.

 

[aliss]

Do you swaddle him when he is napping or sleeping? Mine has never slept longer than 30 min without swaddle. I use a kiddopotamus swaddle me. In Harvey Karps baby on the block book, it talks about how some babies need swaddle (high needs baby) to be comforted during the day. You can also use a regular light blanket. When my LO was your LOs age, he had to be in a sling or swaddle to stay calm

 

[RJsMum]

I honestly found the only time my son would nap when he was that young was when I was wearing him in the Moby wrap in the "hug hold." It's nearly the same sensation as swaddling.

I know you mentioned a sling...do you have a wrap? You can probably make one cheap and easy if you have a store like JoAnn Fabrics or something.

 

[OmarsMum]

I used to swaddle Omar during naps as well. It really helped. If it's gases, u can gently massage his tummy with little warm olive oil (the one u use in for food) then swaddle. I used to keep his arms free during naps. Hope u get it sort it out soon hun. xx

 

[XfairyhopesX]

I'm sorry this is happening to you - I was there too and it is truly the lowest form of hell when your baby cries and nothing you can do helps.

1. Is it gas? FF babies tend to be a lot gassier. Google "colic hold", put him in this position and burp him - it can take a while, for my boy, sometimes up to 20 minutes. Also hold him by the chin and use your arm to compress his chest when burping - it comes from the chest. Are you tiling the bottle 45 degrees and holding him upright when feeding?
---> I know these might be basic questions but I honestly didn't know better when I had him as a newborn and it all helped me.

2. It can be a medical issue (ie ear infection), you may want to get him checked out. I went to emerg with my boy after an all night screamathon (thought he hurt something) and it was ear infection.

I suspect this is an issue with the formula, whether it is how you are feeding or perhaps he's getting burps trapped very deep.

Was he doing this before the FF? If so, what are his nap times? Is he staying awake more than 1-2 hours and getting overtired?

aiden was really gassy and crying on feeds all the time changed him to aptail comfort for colic n constipation after a week perfectly fine and colief drops are aparently a life saver xxx

 

[Bex1p]

Yeah he sleeps brilliantly at night which I am grateful for! But like you say, when theyre fighting sleep, crying and fussing all day yoiu have NO time whatso ever! Just had my first warm meal in week today, I knew he was due atleast a 15 min nap so timed a takeaway just right! hehe

I hope it gets better for you soon, I just succumb to putting him on the boob most of the day and hoping it's gets better soon!