I've posted a couple of threads in the past week about my 2 week old. She had been such a good baby the first week, then came home wailing when one evening a week ago. I know it's normal for them to become more alert a few days after leaving the hospital, but she changed drastically literally in one evening.

She stayed up until 6 that morning crying. I took her to the doctor last week, and she said the baby was healthy, it was probably just something I ate combined with taking her out that evening.

The next few days were a little better, so I stopped worrying so much. But for the past three days, I've had to hold and nurse her all day. She won't let me put her down for anything. At night I try to slip her into her crib when she finally falls asleep, and she's awake 5 minutes later crying. (We've been cosleeping, which is the only way either of us is getting any real sleep).

And that's another thing. It seems like she isn't hardly getting any sleep at all. It seems she's always wide awake, and may drift off for about 10 minutes after I'm finished nursing her, only to wake up and want to be nursed again. Her grandma was over last night and commented she was very gassy and seemed like she had a tummy ache.

does this seem normal to anyone? I'm calling the pediatrician when the office is open, but I'm afraid like last time they'll sum it up to something I ate.

Has your pediatritian mentioned colic? This sounds like a classic case of colic to me. My son had colic and it started when he was about a week old. Fortunately he only had it for about 3 weeks or so, and my pediatritian did give me some meds to help relax him which made the constant crying stop. This allowed him to actually get some rest as well, which in turn, allowed me to get some sleep. Most doctors won't treat colic with meds now because the medication is a strong narcotic. Mine did allow the meds, but I ONLY gave my son half the dose, and only gave it to him once a day as opposed to the 3 times a day it was prescribed for.

I wish you the best of luck. I know it's exhausting when your baby cries constantly, but you have to do your best to stay calm. Let us know what the doctor says!

My baby was the SAME at 3 weeks and I was pulling my hair out and crying along with him. My lactation consultant told me to get the video, The Happiest Baby on the Block. IT SAVED OUR SANITY! I was able to rent the DVD at my library, but I know you can also buy them on-line. I wasn't able to find it at any baby store. There is a book, but I didn't have time to read it, so I was lucky to rent the DVD.

Anyhow, babies are often cranky when they come home for many reasons and the DVD/book goes into details. The DVD shows you how to calm your baby. Here are some things that help...

gently - but loudly - "sssshhhhhh" your baby - near his ear (not in the ear)
play "white noise" while baby sleeps (the womb was very loud!)
if you have a swing, use it.
Use a pacifier since babies like to suck
swaddle your baby tightly (very tightly!)

I know many people have mentioned this book/DVD on this site and we all only talk about it b/c it works! Even look up the reviews on-line - it is amazing.

I thought my son was colicky was well, but once we learned to calm him, he was a totally different baby.

Awww this time is so hard :( You are just getting to know your baby and your baby is just getting to know you, and she can't tell you what she wants or needs or anything. Here are some tips on how to soothe your baby :) (and on a side note, I think the book "the happiest baby on the bock" was a very helpful read (when I had a few moments to myself!)

- I had this bouncer that would vibrate. My son LOVED it. He would sit in it and play with the little toys that came with it It also had these little tunes on it too.

- Try a swing! Movement is comforting (I know my son liked it when he was a newborn, but wasn't too hot about it later)

- Swaddling is awesome. If your little one can't stand the swaddling around their arms, only swaddle up around to their waist.

- If you suspect something like gas, I used those anti-gas drops for the first few months.

- Another thing that I did when my DS was small enough--I got one of those slings that you can just slip the baby into and you can go about your business without disrupting your baby. I would do laundry, prepare bottles, etc etc. I think at that young age, it's important for the baby to feel safe and loved, that way when they get older they will be more confident, and believe it or not, less clingy. I wish I could snuggle with my DS like that now!

If nothing seems to work, and you have that mommy "gut feeling" that something is wrong, don't be afraid to get a second opinion. Assert yourself and remember, it's better to be safe then sorry!

Awe, I'm sorry you're having a tough time. It's really hard in the beginning. What everyone here mentioned were excellent tips, also just wanted to chime in with one thing as far as gas goes........When ds had bad gas, we laid him down on his back (which makes it hurt more....but for this it's necessary) and pumped his legs like he was riding a bicycle. It works gas out. Also, there is a baby massage technique called the I Love You movement worth looking up online to get gas out. It could be colic, but to me, it seems lilke your baby is just finally waking up from baing born. Hang in there, I'll be in the same position again in 6 months!:angel:

So... let me tell you about my horrible night last night.

She started screaming and crying out in pain around 9:00. I was so freaked out, she wouldn't even nurse which isn't like her at all. I called my mom, then called my bf at work to come home immediately and take her to the hospital because I just knew something wasn't right.

So we headed to the hopsital in a blizzard (I'm not exaggerating that). I was so freaked out what could be wrong with her. She just wasn't crying like she usually does, I could tell she was in pain.

Two doctors examined her. She had bad gas.

They asked me if I was burping her good. I told them I burp her a lot, and usually nothing comes out. The nurse laid her over her knee and got a burp immediately. So I guess I'm not doing that right.

My bf was so pissed at me for making him drive us to the ER when there was a winter storm warning out. He told me I was 'unexperienced' and I need to just ignore her cries. I understand that she cries a lot, but I'm w/ her 24 hours a day and I can tell the difference between a regular cry and a painful cry.

Anyways, I feel like an idiot and a bad mom now. But the good news is they don't think she has colic.

Ament, you are not a bad mom, you'e a good mom! And if you ignored her cries, it would just be plain unnatural. I'm sorry your BF made you feel that way, that's not fair. That's why we give birth and not them, ya know? Just hang in there, you're doing a wonderful job, these little ones don't come with a manual!:angel:

So... let me tell you about my horrible night last night.

She started screaming and crying out in pain around 9:00. I was so freaked out, she wouldn't even nurse which isn't like her at all. I called my mom, then called my bf at work to come home immediately and take her to the hospital because I just knew something wasn't right.

So we headed to the hopsital in a blizzard (I'm not exaggerating that). I was so freaked out what could be wrong with her. She just wasn't crying like she usually does, I could tell she was in pain.

Two doctors examined her. She had bad gas.

They asked me if I was burping her good. I told them I burp her a lot, and usually nothing comes out. The nurse laid her over her knee and got a burp immediately. So I guess I'm not doing that right.

My bf was so pissed at me for making him drive us to the ER when there was a winter storm warning out. He told me I was 'unexperienced' and I need to just ignore her cries. I understand that she cries a lot, but I'm w/ her 24 hours a day and I can tell the difference between a regular cry and a painful cry.

Anyways, I feel like an idiot and a bad mom now. But the good news is they don't think she has colic.



Please don't feel bad at all--I mean, I don't understand why he was so mad--he should have been relieved that it wasn't anything serious. Would he have felt better if it was? Like I said before, better safe than sorry....so never feel guilty about being worried about your little one. What if in the future there is something really wrong, but you ignore her because you are afraid you will feel "stupid" again (which I doubt you would do, but that's something for your bf to think about.) I mean, you aren't a mind reader, your baby can't tell you "hey it's just gas, burp me." You are NOT a bad mom. A bad mom would have just ignored her cries.

Anyways, ask your doc about those gas drops. Maybe they can help as well?

Since you are breastfeeding, you definitely have to take a look at your diet. I know my son got gassy when I had sauerkraut juice in my pork. I didn't even eat the actually sauerkraut, but he was really gassy from it.

It's common for babies to have gas and your baby will get it from time to time. However, it can be hard to tell the difference between regular cries and just gas.

I remember those first few weeks being so hard. I doubted everything I did. Was I feeding him enough, why was he crying, did he have gas, etc?? I thought he was gassy most of the time from his cries, but it turns out he was just going through typical newborn stuff. My DS loved to be swaddled most of the day and it helped to keep him calm. He also loved to be in his swing.

Don't worry, it will get better.

Since you are breastfeeding, you definitely have to take a look at your diet. I know my son got gassy when I had sauerkraut juice in my pork. I didn't even eat the actually sauerkraut, but he was really gassy from it.


Interesting that you mentioned that. Yesterday I made a frozen dinenr type thing w/ brocolli (which the lactation consultant told me caused gas). Anyways, my bf picked the brocolli out but there were still tiny peices in it when I ate it. I guess even tiny amounts of stuff makes a big difference. :( Suppose I have to be a lot more careful from now on. Never had any idea that breast feeding could be so challenging.

You are not a bad mom. You did the right thing. How are we to know what is wrong when our babies cries are painful? That is why God created medical professionals, LOL!

If you want her to sleep better and longer do one of the following. DH and I found after having two babies in the tummy sleeping era and one much later that they do not sleep well flat on their backs, especially if the have gas or colic. Being flat on the back is the most painful position for anyone with gas.

Let her sleep in her carseat. You can put it right in the crib.
Let her sleep in her swing.
Let her sleep in her bouncy.
Let her sleep on her tummy if you are comfortable with it. SIDS rates are extremely low no matter how they sleep.
Let her sleep propped on her side.
Swaddle her tightly, though if she has gas this one will not work as well because it will not help with the pain.

Nancy

Let her sleep in her carseat. You can put it right in the crib.


Nancy

That's funny, because my DS slept in his for the first three months of his life :p He wouldn't sleep anywhere else. I read somewhere that this is "bad" to do because it scrunches them up, but he wasn't scrunched up at all. It was one of those carrier car seats and it was just like a little cradle :)

Sheesh, can I relate. Babies esp that little are soooo hard to burp! It seemed like no matter how much we burped him, it wasn't enough....(sigh). One thing we did that worked was to keep him upright as long as we could and the gas drops seemed to work. We let ds sleep on his side too (right side) and that seemed to help some too.

Have you ever considered that your baby has MSPI? (milk soy protein intolerance) Your baby could possibly be allergic to something in your milk. My daughter had it and she cried a LOT until I had to quit breast feeding and put her on a special formula that is $35.00 a can. Just another thing to keep in mind. I wish you the best.

my son is 4 weeks old and like your child starting off an angel. Week 3 was the hardest yet as he went through a growth spurt and wanted to be nursed every hour. It was exhausting. He is starting to get into a kind of routine where he is content in the mornings and by early evening is very demanding with his feeding and won't go in his crib. I have found that if i allow him to nurse as often as he likes, sometimes for an hour or two at a time. He is nice and full and sleeps better at night. Although this means my evenings are very exhausting so i'v started slipping in a bottle of formula. He eats that and whatever he can get from me and seems a lot more content for it. He is simply a hungry baby. Maybe your little one needs a bit extra to help her settle. good luck!!

Ament, hang in there honey! It gets easier, I promise. My little dd (now 4.5 months) got that way too at 3 weeks. It was a growth spurt along with me still drinking milk. I too didn't realize that breastfeeding was so challenging. I have to be careful of what I eat/drink. No caffeine, no milk, no foods that are known to cause gas. Doesn't leave a whole lot to eat!

Really try the milicon gas drops, they work wonders. Yes, it is a drug, but you need to get thru this little spell. I used it according to the directions on the bottle. That meant at every feeding. Within 2 days, she was back to a sweet little baby. In fact, I still use it here and there if I think she has gas.

I also did the bicycle movements when I laid her on the floor. I just came up with a goofy song about her being my 'super star soccer player' (I play soccer) and that seemed to entertain her while I exercised her. Also DH rubbed her belly a lot.

And let me tell you... she can toot like no other! lol :D

Can I just say I want to shove my foot up your BF you know what? You are NOT a bad mother and I would have done the same thing as you did. We are their mothers and you KNOW if something isn't right. Don't let anyone ever put you down for taking care of your baby. And don't let anyone ever tell you to ignore your childs cries! sheesh!

I'm a first time mom too and this is the hardest thing that I have ever done in my 35 years!

You've got a lot of great tips/advice, try some of them out and find what works for you. Good luck. :angel:

Well, my lactation consultant thinks she's discovered the culprit of my overly fussy baby. She says she's pretty sure its intolerence to dairy. So I get to cut ALL dairy from my diet. Yay. And to make matters worse, even w/ all the nursing I did over the past week, she still didn't gain enough weight!

I was told that I would to nurse at least 15 minutes on both sides. Impossible for my baby. For some reason she falls asleep during nursing, but as soon as I put her in bed she's awake and crying. She's not easy to wake up either (unless, of course, I don't want her to!). I even tried giving her a bath before nursing her today, which she usually finds quite traumatic. She was asleep in 5 minutes after I started nursing.

I've gotten no more than 3-4 hours of sleep each night for the past few days. My bf can't take turns with her because he works 12 hours a day and needs his rest.

Sorry if I'm getting too whiney but I'm about to pull my hair out here. If it's not one thing it's another!!!! :dizzy:

Ament - are you swaddling your baby when she sleeps? Please do! My DS woudn't sleep either when we brought him home. My lactation consultant mentioned those Miracle Blankets b/c DS kept breaking out of his swaddle - AND she mentioned the Happiest Baby video.

I bought two of the blankets. They are expensive, but they work great. DS started sleeping 3-4 hours at a time after that. He is now 3 months and sleeps throught the night in his miracle blanket (8 hours).

I agree with PP. If you're not....SWADDLE SWADDLE SWADDLE! It will make a world of difference.