14 week old crying, wants to feed standing up

[Utini]

DD is 14 weeks old and has been increasingly unsettled the last couple of weeks. Not sure if something is wrong or it's just a phase, but she cries a lot at times unless she's being walked or rocked. Sometimes she's fine, all smiles on the play gym or changing mat, then sudden sad face and screaming. I have to stand and rock / feed, often with the hoover on, to calm her down again. She's always been a velcro baby, but holding and feeding always used to keep her calm, she's only really cry when hungry or put down.

She's also fussing at the breast a lot, often refusing to feed properly, twisting and pulling or popping on and off, unless I stand to feed her, which is hurting my back!

We had norovirus a couple of weeks ago, although she was only very mildly affected, and her 12 week vaccinations a week ago. Don't know if it could be an after effect of either of those.

GP says she's physically healthy, and that it could be reflux or colic. He suggested infant gaviscon, which we've been trying for a couple of days, but it's hard to give to a very snacky bf baby. Her poo is also now much thicker and she was quite squirmy in the night, I'm worried she's going to end up constipated and don't know if we should continue giving it.

I don't know if she's in pain, or overtired / overstimulated, as she doesn't nap well and won't sleep until very late at night.

Has anyone else experienced similar? Not sure whether to just wait it out or to go back to GP?

[littledinaco]

I think 12/14 weeks is a big development leap and they often become fussy feeding and more difficult to settle.

Have you tried biological nursing position? Look it up to see photographs. Or feed in a sling if she likes you standing up? You may have to try a few different slings and it can be a bit tricky to get the hang of at first.

It will probably just be a phase and she'll go back to feeding better after a while.

Have you read about colic/reflux? Does it sound like that's what she's got? I would only carry on with the gaviscon if you think that's what it is as like you say, it's really difficult to give and an extra stress for you to keep trying to get her to have it ontop of everything else!

[peardroplets]

Yes! I had a weird phase like this around that time with my dd. Exactly the same and the only way to call her was to feed standing and swaying in a quiet room. A few months later my friend's baby was exactly the same age and she found the same thing calmed her.

I think it only lasted a couple of weeks and was a phase thankfully. If you're worried though always go to the GP.
Hope it gets better.

[sleeplessinderbyshire]

My DD2 was like this. She was huge abc for a couple of weeks would only feed with me standing up and swaying. It was a nightmare. Fortunately at night she'd feed lying down. It settled although if she was ever ill she'd insist on feeding with me stood up. My arms really felt it by the time she was 8-9 months old!

[Utini]

Wow thanks, sounds like it could just be a weird phase then! She's been a bit better the last couple of days, more settled, sleeping more and not insisting on standing until early evening. Hopefully it'll continue to improve.

littledinaco sling is a good idea, I need to get to our monthly sling meet. Even before this she wouldn't be put down and feeds frequently so a good sling I can feed in would be handy. I have my eye on the Ergo but it's quite expensive so hopefully our sling library has one I can try out.

I've tried the biological nursing position before but it doesn't work too well for me, my breasts / nipples point way out to the side so I have to roll part way over to make it work, and can't get comfortable.

I've decided not to give the gaviscon unless she gets worse again. She's always been a sicky baby but it's never bothered her, so I don't know why it would suddenly start now. I know frequent feeding and fussiness can be reflux, but I'm not convinced in her case.

She seems to be getting plenty of milk anyway, and like yours sleeplessinderbyshire she will feed lying down at night. Guess I'll just go with it, try and keep her happy and hope it's a phase that's over with soon.