1 week old - either on boob or yelling!

[marmitelover]

I'm not sure I'm looking for any answers, just some sympathy ...

My dear boy is 6 days old. And totally perfect. Except today he has fed pretty constantly or has been yelling his head off. I'm sure there is wind or uncomfiness in his tum as the yelling is accompanied by arching back and other signs but not much burping coming out despite winding. Even think he's taking too much milk maybe and making it worse. (He's bf so boobs getting sore!)

I'm reluctant to rush into any panic as I don't think he's ill - this is no 2 and we'd forgotten how much hard work newborns are! Any tips? Could he now just be so tired he's getting hysterical?!

[SimLondon]

Congrats - how long are you winding him for? i used to take up to 20 minutes to get a burp out of DD - that on top of the actual feeding time and every two hours, you have my sympathy and you will sleep again one day :-)

[HearMyRoar]

When dd was new born these were known in the house as screaming and feeding days. It is normal, dd would do this for 2-3 days and then grow like magic overnight.

It is exhausting though. My recommendation is to sit in bed with lots of water and snacks and sandwiches to hand, and watch box sets. I watched a lot of Spooks. Do not under any circumstances plan on doing any constructive as you will end up tired and stressed. Just sit back, sleep when they sleep and concentrate on getting through the day.

[marmitelover]

Perhaps that's the key - be a bit more patient with the winding in the first place and see if that has longer term benefits!

[TheScience]

They just go through days like this sometimes - it's one big on and off growth spurt at the beginning. Personally I wouldn't worry too much about winding - if they're going to burp, they will.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

All sounds very normal. If its getting too much send OH out with him in the car/sling/wrap.

Congratulations

[marmitelover]

Thanks all. Pretty exhausted but baby is happy and bonny which is the important thing. Although frequent breastfeeds mean ether sore boobs! Oh the glamour of parenthood!

Have taken the advice just to give up, retire to bed with water and biscuits. Just would like a bit more sleep at nighttime!

[Peacenquiet2]

My dd was like this most days and eventually it got to a point where i couldnt leave home or do much for constant feeding. I put her on bottle feed at 6 weeks and she suddenly became more settled and had a routine of 3/4 hrly between feeds.
Now im not advocating to stop bf as its obviously best for dc but at the same time if it carries on feeling as though its too much its worth considering at least combination feeding so that dp can step in now and again.
I felt so much better in myself and could go about my life alot better once dd was bottle fed and shes a very healthy, very intelligent 7 yo now so stopping the bf didnt have any negative effects.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Is there a bfing support group you can get too? Might be worth getting a BFC to observe a complete feed and see if they have any suggestions, although Lo is still tiny and regular feeding is normal

[Margotartsinger]

Check if you are giving him plenty of water. Most mums think that the liquid in bottles or breast is enough. It isn't. Check for nappy rashes. Check that you are burping him correctly, that is, little head on your shoulder so that his stomach is pressing against your body. Rock him and tap his back gently. Two good burpings are just the thing to make sure.
Yelling has to end. If not, star anise tea or other carminative for children bought at the chemist will help, because that has to be a little cholic. Everything tried, of course, take the baby to the doctor if there's no improvement ! Ah, a lot of kissing also helps soothing yelling babies.
Courage and patience !

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Please don't give your batboy water. There is absolutely no need to give a bf baby water. You will just be filling the tummy up with water and not milk.

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Batboy? Meant baby

[bevbennett100]

have you tried infacol or something similar? helps them to burp a bit more easily.

i also found putting my baby is a sling really helped, a lot of the time he was just tired, but couldn't sleep

[summertimeandthelivingiseasy]

Can you see a breastfeeding councelor to see if he is latching on and feeding properly, as that might explain the soreness as well.

Otherwise, plenty of verticalness, on the shoulder, and sitting up with head supported and back rubbed (fathers/gps are good for this!)

[sugarandspite]

With our DS there was about a week or so from my milk coming in until he was able to actually bring his wind up properly - I think it's all to do with the immature digestive system and the physiology of the oesophagus.

We found, gently bouncing on a gym ball / birthing ball with him really helped with the wind, holding his chin up while back patting to make the oesophagus straight to allow the wind out and the 'tiger in the tree' hold was good.

But in our case, he only wanted to be on a boob all the time and his latch was good enough that I could go with it. Things improved at about 3 weeks and we started getting some discernable gaps between feeds but until then, if you can, life will be easiest to just do it his way.

Good luck xx

[sugarandspite]

Also someone (sorry can't remember who) did some research that suggests 3 S's for colic - swaddling, swinging them and saying Shush repeatedly.

Apparently it works - maybe worth a google on your next middle-of-the-night-feed

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

The technique sugar mentions will come up if you google youtube Richard and Judy Happiest baby

[Martorana]

"Check if you are giving him plenty of water. Most mums think that the liquid in bottles or breast is enough. It isn't."

Sorry, but this couldn't be more wrong. You mustn't give a week old baby water- they have tiny stomachs and need milk. Water will just fill them up without feeding them and it will also screw up your supply- particularly as it's still sorting itself out.

[Poshers]

It's actually dangerous to give a baby water at that tiny age

[SauceForTheGander]

Again - you don't need water.

Has this been since day one? Newborns should sleep a lot too between feeds rather than scream.

Poor you and your poor boobs.

I needed a BF counsellor to help me with number 2 baby - things improved dramatically and immediately. She fed faster, took more, slept more and no pain for me.

Assuming you've checked tongue tie - though I know babies who were missed - and really recommend BF help. Could also be the crazy feed prior to growth spurt?

Congratulations - I hope you can enjoy the new born bliss soon.

[marmitelover]

We seem to have turned a bit of a corner ... He's over birth weight already so he's feeding okay and he's not been as bad again as when I first posted. I still think he sometimes doesn't get his wind up all that well so infacol is worth a try.

Boobs are coping! I remember with ds1 that I found it took a bit for my boobs to feel comfy. They're not used to so much attention . Mw has checked latch and all that so I think it is just a case of being patient and letting us all get used to things. Like I said, it's so much better already.

On the water issue - I've always been told that you should never give tiny ones water as they don't need it and it fills their tummies up.

[SauceForTheGander]

Thanks for the update.

and loads of new born sleepy cuddles

[JiltedJohnsJulie]

Glad things are going better