Talk

Do you try feeding when he cries? You say "look for hunger signs" but I would always just offer a boob as a first resort before trying anything else. Also if a dummy works, use it! You really don't have to fret about the possibility of them being hooked on it later. Babies need to suck.

Have you go a good wrap sling? I expect your baby just wants to be near you. Moby wrap is fantastic!

Also, dummies are not the work of the devil. Use one if you need to.

The only thing that worked for my baby was to be put on huge boob. She was the same when with others and out and about because she was interested with what's going on, but when at home on the settee she just wanted to feed.

Thanks all. Really reassuring to get such a quick response! Unfortunately not able to BF because of tongue tied complications - tried everything but it just wasn't working. I try as hard as poss to work out when he needs bottle but sometimes he catches me out. I have been using the dummy at this point if he has to wait for bottle. Again, this doesn't seen to be a problem when we're out.

Cuddling him doesn't seem to help but haven't yet tried a sling - good idea.

Take your point about the dummy, there are pros and cons to everything. It's so hard to know what to do for the best.

If he's not breastfed then he's even more likely to need a dummy. Babies have an instinctive need to comfort suck, and they can't do that with a bottle in the way they can at the breast - a dummy is a substitute.

Really typical that babies just want to feed/suckle/cuddle at home but will go longer periods when out and about.

Thanks BMO. Good to know it's typical behaviour at least!

Does the need to suck diminish ie when we start introducing some solids? Just really paranoid I'm going to give him dental issues later in life if I use a dummy. But then I didn't have a dummy and I sucked my thumb and ended up with braces. Can't win!
Thanks again for your support. X

Dd has a dummy that we binned at 18m

Friends son had a dummy that she binned at 9m

I totally agree,
Some babies are more sucky than others!

The great thing about dummies is you can just get rid of them. So long as they are just kept for bedtimes after about a year then don't worry about dental issues.

If the dummy works, use it. He'll get hooked on it but that's the point of them - comfort!

I find dummies fall out when a baby enters a deep sleep, but they carry on sleeping.

Thanks everyone it's been really encouraging to have your support today. X

Our 5 week old is very much the same, screams blue murder at me but looks doe eyed at others. I think its different faces. I think that the majority of the time it's being overtired that does it, so i endeavour to put her down before she gets cranky. At the moment she spends about 30mins in total a day where shes not screaming/sleeping/feeding. The majority of time spent feeding.
I figure its just babies, dont beat yourself up x

Thanks Kate. Good luck with everything x