Is non stop crying a sign baby is unwell?

[everyweekiwonder]

So my daughter is usually so placid. No tears really ever. She's 4 months.

She hasn't stopped screaming for 1 hour now. Very unlike her. I've tried everything warm bath, nappy free time, checked it's not her teeth, it doesn't seem to be, she doesn't seem to have belly ache. Not raising legs upwards or anything

However she's no temp. So can it still be a sign she's unwell? I've read it can be a sign a baby is unwell but she has no temp

Bump

Yes it can. Have you stripped her and checked for rash etc?

The Lullaby Trust do a baby check app for signs of illness. Temperature is just one.

Is she over tired? Too hot?

Have you tried a walk in the pram?

Yes it definitely can. Also check her fingers and toes in case a hair has wrapped round.

I'd take her out for a bit and see if that helps then if she doesn't settle then seek advice. Is she pulling at/ rubbing her ears?

Could be- could be uncomfortable, when did she last pass a stool? Last have a feed ?- burped?

With an older baby at that stage I'd be giving a dose of Calpol in case they were in pain and that helped, and take it from there. I can't remember the age you can give Calpol without the GP but I think you can at 4 months?

Have you offered her a feed? Sorry I know it sounds obvious

As said above, offer a feed. Has she been to toilet recently? Has she had vaccinations in last 2/3 weeks?

If she doesn't calm soon, I'd phone your GP or 111. I had something similar when DD was little, they could hear she was stressed offered an appointment later that day, but said if she was in any way worse to phone straight back. GP later checked her over and said he thought it was something from her MMR kicking in.

It can be. My daughter at 3 months did the same then settled down was none

Have looked for that on hands and feet (hair)

She has scored 0 on the Lullaby Trust app :/

No recent vaccinations no.

Offered her a feed 2.5 hours ago which she took. She won't accept milk before a 3.5/4 hour window anyway so she is going to refuse unwell or not. She's like clockwork

She's asleep now. Fell asleep through exhaustion

Is she breastfed? Maybe you've eaten something that doesn't agree with her? I'd try a tummy massage and bicycle kicking her legs. It could just be trapped wind. It can be very tricky to get out of them.

She won't accept milk before a 3.5/4 hour window anyway so she is going to refuse unwell or not.

I know you are stressed but this is a really weird thing to say. She may have taken it. She may have simply needed it.

Yeah I know trapped wind can be a nightmare a friend ended up in hospital thinking she was in serious trouble and then she passed wind

She is combi fed but only breast before bed at night

Rest of the time she's formula

I tried a few extra ounces though. With the view she may still be peckish. But she won't have it

It's just so odd for her as she's very much a 1950's Truby King type baby. She very much acts like clockwork usually... certainly never cries unless about to have her bottle sometimes. Never fussy

My son was breastfed for 3 years and was the opposite!

I think you're going to have to alter your mindset wrt to feeding . Baby's routines change by the hour and what was working the previous day might not work today. Rule of thumb is offer a feed even if they've just fed, if they're having a growth spurt they can suddenly need more.

**also when they're crying like that they'll be using up more energy and could we'll need to be fed sooner than anticipated.

Oh I definitely would if it appeared she was fussy or upset. But she never is and in addition to that, extra ounces was the first thing I tried when she first started screaming

I agree with PP, that irrespective of your child's usual feeding regime, offering milk is the first thing to do when a baby is crying.

Are they hungry?
Are they clean?
Are they weeing normally?
Are they overtired?
Are they pooing normally/does their tummy feel hard?
Are they hot?
Are there any marks on their body (things like a hair wrapped around a finger or toe that can cut of circulation)?

If the answer to all of the above is 'no' - then the next question for me is:

Are they drooling a lot? DD teethed at 4mo, she got two bottom teeth on the same day.

Like your DC she wasn't a crier, but that day she cried for hours, I called 111, I was about to make an out of hours doc appt, when I saw two tiny teeth... she went from zero teeth, to two teeth in an evening of crying.

I agree with PP, that irrespective of your child's usual feeding regime, offering milk is the first thing to do when a baby is crying.

But like I say, this is the first thing I did

cut *off circulation