In the last few days DS has become almost impossible to settle. He used to drift off on the breast then I would transfer him to the moses basket but he seems to have cottoned on to this and now wakes up and starts crying. Almost nothing seems to settle him - he wants to be held but then continues to grumble and wriggle madly, pulling my hair and kicking. At my wits end and starting to think maybe he is ill or something else is wrong. Think it's way too soon to try controlled crying. Maybe a dummy is the answer? Does anyone have any ideas or if this just par for the course with newborns?

Perfectly normal, he wants to be close to you.

Is he feeding well, plenty of wet nappies, gaining weight?

Could you try a sling to cart him around in the daytime ?

I promise you that this stage will not last forever.

MN is here

Yes Gangle, second that.
I had a screamer. it's grim isn't it?
Just keep muttering 'This too will pass'

Can you latch him on again? Or does he fight that too?

Was just wondering about the growth spurt thing?

What about planning on spending the next two days in bed together feeding solidly? At least 2hourly all day (6am-10pmish).

May sound challenging but it can help.

Oh god! Yes, he feeding like a trooper and gaining 1.5 lbs a week so no problems there. The cry is more of an angry indignant yell then a real anguished wail, I do put him in the sling but do need to take him out at times (back is killing, need to go to the loo etc!) and then the crying starts again, or sometimes when he is in the sling. He just seems annoyed but is quite sunny and happy at other times. Could it be colic? How long before it passes? what about dummies/controlled crying?

If he's having plenty of wet nappies I would try a dummy. He may be very sucky.

I wouldn't go the cc route as mean and damaging imo.
Dummy shouldn't cause a prob though as he is gaining beautifully.

Little electric bouncy chair was a Godsend to me.

Too young for controlled crying. Give it another year until you consider that!

One piece of advice I wish I had been given ....

Babies love love LOVE to be held. If that's what it tyakes to shut them up, do it.

Your priorities in order

1 Meeting the baby's needs
2 Meeting your own needs
3 Everything else\/

This includes the housework.

AND

Orthadontic dummies are beloved by new parents but not so much by the babies sometimes, so don't be afraid of the cherry teat ones because babies truly love them./

Agree with dummy - but be on the look out for reflux symptoms too. Babies often struggle when feeding with this so if he starts squirming and crying while feeding that may be a clue.

Otherwise baby massage of some sort can be great to relax a baby?

Don't be afraid to use a dummy - DS was a very sucky baby, but at 4 months, he's decided it's not for him any more. It was an absolute lifesaver for the first four months though

Mine was a big crier. Still is at times. Dummy was a life saver. As was copious amounts of wine.

It will pass, promise.

Gangle I sympathise, I also have a 5wk DS who is like a limpet, crying every time I put him down. He's also taken to crying sometimes now when other people hold him. Just wanted you to know you're not alone.

does he prefer to be upright a lot? could be reflux as this is the time it sets in.

yes, five weeks was hell for me too, i just wandered the streets crying while lo screamed in his pram, i investigated every possible problem , he grew out of it a couple of weeks later, he never cries now. sympathise and just go with it and keep cuddling and try and rest yourself

My DS screamed for Britain. Try a dummy. It can't make it any worse and it could make it a whole lot better. My DS absolutely loved his (although I never worked out to keep it in his mouth for more than a minute or two at a time). I got rid of it without any problems at around 12 weeks, so don't worry about it being a "slippery slope".

It will get better. Promise.

Other things you could try if dummy dosent help and he is not showing ny signs of being unwell/refluxy.

- baby massage
- colic drops
- bean bags, mould around baby so can think they are still being cuddled (goodcatholicgirl tip)
- electric/battery operated swing (the only thing that worked with DD1 in swing in front of tv with football on)
- failing all else a pair of ear plugs

You have my every sympathy my DD1 screamed for 18 months (until she was able to do/get things for herself, luckily we had no terrible twos) it does pass. I think we made her worse be keep picking her up every 5 mins and didnt really give her a chance to try and settle and sort herself out.

Second what someone else said re cherry teat dummies, LO's seem to find it easier to keep them in.

Hi Gangle - have you considered taking your lo to a cranial osteopath or chiropractor? It worked wonders for our lo who cried constantly for the first 3 weeks of his life , turns out he had a jammed neck from a ventouse delivery, 3 treatments later and he was like a different baby. If you do go down this route try to find one the specialises in babies. HTH