Do babies have ‘off’ days or is something wrong?

[areandare]

I’m a first time mum to a 5 month old little baby boy. He is the happiest most content baby and I absolutely adore him.

However, today he seems very grizzly and unsettled. He slept from 7pm - 6:30am, and has had a few quick naps throughout the day but he just doesn’t seem happy. Hes usually happy to play on his playmat and sit in his bouncer but today he has just cried and grizzled, he has been happy for short periods but will then start crying for no apparent reason. He usually only cries when he needs something - milk, nap, nappy change etc.

He doesn’t have a temperature or seem unwell in himself, I suppose my question is do babies get ‘of’ days where they are more upset than others or could something be wrong? I’ve been quite anxious since having him and things like this make me really worry about him.

Thanks in advance

Is he teething? Could he be coming down with something?

They absolutely can OP

Does he have any teeth yet? Could be teething? Mine didn’t have the usual signs, not much drooling or red cheeks and started getting teeth at 4 month old

He could have a headache or a tummy ache that’s making him a bit uncomfortable. Doesn’t mean there’s anything terribly wrong but just might be feeling under the weather

Thank you both for your quick responses!

It could be teething. He has been dribbling LIKE MAD for a while, and absolutely everything goes in his mouth at the moment he constantly is chewing on his hands. He has multiple teething items and chews on those too, but I can’t see anything coming through yet I’m not entirely sure how to tell.

Its so pitiful to see him upset and uncomfortable, I really hope he isn’t coming down with anything 😔

Yes, definitely.

Developmental leap, growth spurt, teething...

Of course they do, and it sounds like you've been incredibly lucky so far that this is the first "off" day you've had! Plus that amazing night sleep. Many more 'off' days to come - it's completely normal, they're humans not robots.

@Peonies12I must admit, I’ve been incredibly lucky with him so far. The newborn stage was extremely difficult but since around 2 months he’s been an absolute dream!

Hes had the odd off day, but nothing like today. I think he might be teething. If I know what the problem is then I don’t mind, I can do whatever I can to help him. I’m just so anxious about something being wrong and me not picking up on it!

He sounds like a very chilled baby!

Have you tried giving him some pain medication?

@Clutterbug2026i haven’t given anything yet. I have ashens teething powder here but might pop out and get something else if anybody has any suggestions!

My health visitor seems to think he may be ready for weaning, he’s only 5 months but he’s a big baby and has always been a hungry baby. I’m adamant to wait until 6 months but wondering what others think about this?

Google “The Wonder Weeks” @areandare. But also yes, teething!

Stay strong!

The only thing in teething powder which will help is the sugar, which is is mostly made from. But that only helps for a minute.

Nurofen and anbesol liquid which will be behind the counter at the pharamacy are the best things to use.

It could be teething, coming down with a cold or he just woke up cranky. Babies are people too. Sometimes they just wake up with the hump.

I’d try some calpol or baby nurofen and see if that helps - it’s likely teething and he’s clearly uncomfortable.

Your health visitor needs reporting to her superiors, the NHS guidance is based on gut readiness at 6 months, a baby being ‘hungry’ doesn’t make any difference. Glad you know well enough to wait.

They change all the time in the first year or 2, development and growth is so rapid, you just need to go with the flow really

Thanks everybody, and for the info on the ashens powder! I got given it as a gift in my baby shower. He’s on and off, one minute he’s happy and smiling and the next minute he’s grizzly and crying. He very rarely cries so I know he must be feeling uncomfortable, 5 months and all the symptoms point to teething I think

@BuffaloCauliflowerall of the health visitors in my area are like this, I know so many people who have started weaning their babies at 4 months. The first time I met my health visitor and we spoke about weaning she said that the guidance is 6 months, but gave me tips on how to do it safely from 4 months I was really shocked!

Mine said they say 6 months because people will always do it earlier. if they said 4 months people would start from 2.

We had the Teetha teething granules and they were honestly magical with our little girl!

I have to say, we found the Wonder Weeks app also very accurate with our first, but not at all with our second, so it might be worth a punt but equally it might be total nonsense!

It’s really weird when you have a content baby and suddenly they’re not for no apparent reason. It took me a couple of years to make the connection with DC1. Those slightly cranky days or the days when she was a bit clingy at toddler groups etc I eventualy learned were followed by her coming down with something or a clearly starting teething. Eventually I learned to lean into it and just have a quieter, cosy day and not expect much. Do keep an eye on any signs that he might have ear ache - pulling on his ears or anything like that as it can be quite hard to notice but is really painful for them.

They do work but only for a minute or so. They give glucose water to prem babies before taking blood to reduce the pain and trauma.

Please report your health visitor for going against NHS guidance: there is no reason to starting weaning before 6 months!

Anbesol liquid, from thy pharmacy counter, is brilliant stuff. My kids used it when primary school age if they had sore gums for random reasons, it's so good! Don't be scared to give pain relief. Some people seem to think calpol is not good to give a grumpy baby, but you wouldn't suffer toothache with no pain relief, so I used to give some if I'd tried other things first to calm baby.

Weaning. If you start weaning now, the sort of food you will give will be vegetables (minimal calories, not very filling) or cereal mixed with their usual milk (probably not much more filling than just having milk) so I'd continue to hold off until nearer 6 months.

My son is 25. When he was a baby the standard health visitor advice was to start giving solids from around 4 months (but to avoid any foods with gluten until 6 months), so that's what I (and all the other mums I knew at that time) did.