I can't take this anymore.

[Writerwannabe83]

DS has had screaming episodes in the past - screaming for 8 hours was his record - but it was always sporadic. Most nights he'd be fine and then we'd have the occasional bad night but I accepted that's just what babies do.

However, the last 3 nights have been unbearable. I'm sitting here now, absolutely crying my eyes out because I just can't take it anymore.

Sunday night he screamed for 4 hours non-stop, last night it was over 3 hours and so far tonight it's been going on for 5.5 hours and there's no sign of it stopping.

He seems in so much pain and nothing I do is helping. I just can't listen to it anymore, I feel like I'm cracking up.

We have tried Infacol and Gripe water but it doesn't seem to make any difference. A&E prescribed us Gaviscon but it isn't like he's vomiting and because he's breast fed it's not the most practical option. We have tried as mummy but that soothes him temporarily, maybe giving us a few minutes break from the screaming, but then it starts all over again.

He's like it in the day too . That's what makes it so hard, I know that the night will be horrendous and the I'll just have to listen to it all day tomorrow too. I'm actually jealous of my DH who gets to go to work.

I absolutely love my son but I feel myself getting angry and frustrated, but it's just because I'm so upset to see him so distressed and I just don't know what to do.

I wish I could stop crying but I can't.

[Writerwannabe83]

That's meant to say that we have tried a dummy.

[AtrociousCircumstance]

Oh god, you poor thing.

Could be silent reflux - my DS2 had it. He was prescribed a drug called omeprazole. It really helped. The reflux seemed to go away on it's own when he was around six months.

Go to your doctor and stress just how seriously this is affecting both your baby and you.

Hang in there. I know it's hard but this too shall pass

[ImperialBlether]

You poor thing. That must be really terrible. I think you need to get through tonight somehow and make an appointment to the doctor first thing in the morning. Everything is obviously not right if he's screaming like that.

This period of time seems to last so long but it really will end. One day you will be sleeping through the night and so will you too! Unfortunately, you then have adolescence…

Hope you all manage to get some sleep tonight.

[tgrayson]

I know exactly how you feel. How old is our little one

[AtrociousCircumstance]

Ps silent reflux is reflux without vomiting.

[Writerwannabe83]

Thank you everyone. DS is just over 5 weeks. My DH has taken him out in the car just to give me a break. I think he thinks I'm cracking up too.

[kinkytoes]

Have you looked at the Cry

[kinkytoes]

I'll try again.

Have you looked at the Cry-Sis website? www.cry-sis.org.uk/

There's a helpline too.

[mummyxtwo]

Agreed about silent reflux - my ds1 had it badly. Gaviscon only really works for mild cases and doesn't make a difference for 50% or so. Ranitidine is the next step followed by omeprazole if that isn't helping, although that step is prescribed by a paediatrician. Poor you, I totally sympathise and also felt at the end of my tether with it. Do go to your GP and ask to try ranitidine and for an urgent paeds referral. Cow's milk protein allergy could also cause similar symptoms. Go easy on yourself - as a mum, the sound of your baby screaming is designed to be the worst noise you could possibly hear. Just a few minutes of dd2 screaming sends my blood pressure soaring. I'm glad your dh has taken him out to give you a break. When he can't do that, take a few minutes away from the crying still, go and stand in the garden and look at the stars or shut yourself in the furthest room away from the noise. It's an awful thing to go through but it will pass. x

[Writerwannabe83]

My HV thinks it's just trapped wind that's causing the discomfort. I think it's partly that but surely trapped wind wouldn't cause him to scream in pain for hours on end?

He's currently asleep in my arms after wearing himself out. I'm too scared to move him into his Moses Basket in case he wakes up

[KatyN]

Hope your gp can help, either with your little man, or to reassure you. Keep going back until they can help. You may need to spell out quite how distressed you are.

Can you arrange with your hd to have a few hrs alone to sleep? A couples of hours will make a massive difference to both of you. Don't worry about cracking up, sleep deprivation is crazy and the stress from the screaming must be taking it!s toll too.

Finally, I am NoT qualified to say this, but my understanding about napping on the sofa was if you lay down you may trap your baby down the cushions so we sat up with our baby in our arms and used to nap there. My son would sleep happily in our arms and we could grap half an hour... But you have to decide if you are happy to do that yourself.

Good luck, katyxx

[CaptWingoBings]

Have you been to your GP?

[Gileswithachainsaw]

Please take him back to gp. It could be silent reflux or lactose intolerence or cows milk protein intolerence.

Sounds excessive for trapped wind.

[Writerwannabe83]

I've been to a breast feeding support group this morning and spoke to everyone about all the problems I've been having regarding his feeding, attaching and wind and there was a women there who'd had the exact same problems and it turned out her son had a tongue tie. As a result I have an appointment this Saturday with a lactation consultant to discuss all my problems and if there is a tongue tie she will fix it on the day.

[HavingAnOffDAy]

Sounds like DS, who also had silent reflux. He seemed to reach a peak at 5 weeks, which when I finally admitted to myself that this wasn't normal and took him the OOH surgery.

He was prescribed Gavison too, which helped enormously. He was FF though so it was easier to get it down him.

DS wasn;t vomiting at all - more just a 'leak' when he laid down after feedong - no matter how long I help him upright for.

[Theyaremysunshine]

I'm sorry you're going through this. My dc1 was a crier. Probably had reflux and I realised after weaning at 6m that actually he probably wasn't getting enough food from bf. Born skinny 2nd centile for weight, straight up to 50th, stayed there til weaning then up to 98th. He's v tall.

Have you tried the tiger in the tree hold? DS used to settle with it.

Also, despite the flaming risk, I'd try a formula top up. And I say that as a mum who ebf 2 children past 6m.

And get some noise cancelling headphones and put your iPod on. Seriously. It will help. You'll still be comforting him but the crying won't "hurt" you quite so much, which will help you keep calm. Keep having breaks when you can, if there's someone to give you even a half hour break.

Hope the lactation consultant can help.

[BertieBotts]

:( You poor thing. It sounds horrendous.

You could try cutting out dairy from your own diet to see if it helps - although appreciate this could be hugely stressful on top of everything else. One to think if it will add to your stress or be worth it.

[iamusuallybeingunreasonable]

Could be silent reflux or an allergy to dairy via your milk

Have you tried Dentinox - works a treat on mine, and I have had one with silent reflux but that took 15 weeks to diagnose before we got her medicated

It's truly horrible for you x

[chocolatesolveseverything]

FX that the lc is able to help this Saturday. If a baby has a tongue tie they may not be able to make a proper seal when swallowing which means a lot of air gets in. (Try drinking some water without lifting your tongue to the roof of your mouth and that will give you an idea.) My ds is 9m and suffers from terrible painful wind. Gaviscon and omeprazole just don't seem to help with it. He's now on a waiting list to correct his tongue tie, and like you, I am crossing my fingers tightly that it helps!

[widdle]

Hi Writer I have read a lot of your posts and I'm so sorry that you are struggling. I think you are doing a great job in very trying circumstances. As they get older babies do outgrow this.

My friend had a very refluxy baby and she found that the car seat helped her baby sleep because he was upright - she would drive him around at night until he fell asleep then transfer the seat to the bedroom until the first feed of the night (although maybe someone with more experience can tell me whether this is safe or not).

Also keeping the baby upright for at least 20 mins after a feed so that gravity has time to work also helped.

Please also look after yourself - it's very easy to give everything to your baby and run on empty. If you have good support get them to bring over lots of casseroles, help with the housework and try to get as much rest as you can.

Hope things calm down soon - you are doing a wonderful job!

[Psycobabble]

My son was really bad with colic screamed every night with terrible wind and projectile vomited entire feeds up the midwife advised swapping to comfort milk whic is low lactose as sometimes there stomachs can't cope with it when so young . He literally changed after the first feed on the comfort milk such a relief !!!! Obviously check with your doc though it could be another reason xx keep smiling you'll get it sorted x

[Hopefully]

Is he comforted by feeding at all? Or does he scream and refuse to feed? No experience at all of a really screamy baby, but have heard that a refluxy baby will often be comforted by feeding as it soothes it.

[Writerwannabe83]

Thank you widdle - that's a lovely thing yo say

hopefully - he actually isn't that comforted by a feed, he will scream more, arch his back and use his arms to push away from me. When he hits the point of exhaustion he will semi-latch one, but purely for comfort. He won't feed, he just lies there with my nipple in his mouth until he falls asleep.

[Kerryp]

If it was trapped wind the Infacol should have helped, I would pester and pester the gp until they have a proper look

[iamusuallybeingunreasonable]

Ask for a referral to paed's, because in general GP's don't acknowledge this kind of problem in my opinion, go straight to the horses mouth - sounds like silent reflux to me