My baby won't stop crying.

[Marteena]

I know. Every mum goes through this. But I'm on the verge of tears. My baby is 7 weeks old and has been crying for two hours. He does this every day. He's rooting and hungry. I put him on my boob and he sucks for 30 seconds like he's incredibly hungry, then just gets wound up and starts screaming at my boob.

I don't know what to do. He's already on baby gaviscon. He's so unhappy. My heart breaks for him. I just want to cuddle him and for him to stop crying.

I've tried the bath but he hates it. I've tried a dummy, white noise, a finger to suck, a bouncer. Everything!

Is there ANYTHING else I can try?

Ah bless you. It’s fucking hard!

We had plenty of moments like this with both. Ds in particular - he had silent reflux and I snapped and went to the GP every week until they prescribed ranitidine instead of gaviscon.

But sometimes the crying was over tiredness. We’d stick him in the sling and walk. And walk. And walk. DH did this once at 3am!

After that we worked hard at making sure he wasn’t made overtired and would religiously nap him after 45 mins of awake time in the morning, 90mins awake for the next nap then similar for his last nap.

It won't help to say all babies do this, and that it'll pass, it's just a phase. But it's true.

Try putting the washing machine on and putting him in front of it on your lap, or a bouncy chair or something. The noise helps.

It’s hard but sling and walking or bop to music when indoors (headphones if needs be). I have 4 kiddies now and by 3rd/4th I became convinced so much of the babies distress was over-tiredness, for whatever reason, but it makes them hysterical - so much so that they look like they are in pain. I have walked miles on end to keep the baby resting. Exhausting. But my babies needed so sleep most of the time for the first 3 months and if they didn’t they got jittery.
But they all experienced an inconsolable evening period of crying that eases between 6-10 weeks I think.
Keep going! Enjoy the peace when it comes. The worst will pass. Good luck.

Had this for six months. Turned out DD was lactose intolerant and a couple of days after going onto lactose free formula it was like having a new child

Sling always works for mine. Or lying down and feeding. It will pass. So tough right now but will get easier

Agree with another poster, we often found it was over tiredness.. we often found that when ours did this the only thing for it was to put him in the pram and walk. Bit hard at this time of year though

My baby did this, she has silent reflux. Baby gaviscon rarely works, she was fine when put on ranitidine.

It's horrendous isn't it?

I found walking whilst holding her worked well
Also not letting her get over tired, think they should only be awake for about an hour at a time (ask Google for specifics for each age)

But it will get better, I promise! You're doing great, and you will forget how bad it is

I find that if my 6 week old screams on the boob it is normally trapped wind, in either direction - but that’s just us so can’t pretend to be an expert. It is hideous though, makes you feel so powerless when they’re just so upset x

My daughter did this when she was over tired. She was so hungry but was so tired and worked up she couldn't latch on properly. I would have to hold her or rock her until she calmed down before latching her on and then she would fall asleep. Often my husband would take her out in the carrier until she had calmed down. I feel for you, it's horrible.

I always needed to leave the house - walk with pram/sling, car drive, anything really! It won’t necessarily stop the crying but it helps with the claustrophobic feeling of being in house with a crying baby.
I know everyone says this but they do grow out of it - this is prime age for what they used to call colic (but for a lot of babies was priobablg undiagnosed reflux or intolerance). It seems bloody interminable but hang in there - lie baby upright on your chest or facedown on your arm to help with tummy pain and stick some headphones in for a bit. It’s ok to take a break from actively trying to soothe him, he knows you’re there cuddling him

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/parenting/3398261-Parents-of-Criers-Support-Thread-Respite-from-the-Screaming

Come join us. Mine is 8 months and still hasn't grown out of it so please don't feel alone or like a failure if the pram/sling/white noise/patting/rocking that everyone else does or suggests isn't working.

Another vote for the sling here. If you have a partner take it in turns to have him so you get a little break. It’s normal and it will pass, try not to stress about it, baby isn’t unhappy, he’s not hungry. You’ve done all you can for him. Babies do just go through a phase of crying and crying in the evenings and then in a few weeks they’re like a different child.

Any chance he could be tongue tied?

Oh yes and try running a hairdryer nearby - seriously! The noise can be very soothing for them and it also calmed me down.

Mine is six weeks. I've heard thrush suggested if he screams at the boob? I start with feeding lying down in bed in the dark which usually knocks him out but if not I just keep walking and walking with him upright.

please don't feel alone or like a failure if the pram/sling/white noise/patting/rocking that everyone else does or suggests isn't working

^^This all over. Sometimes babies just cry and all we can do is distract ourselves/then until it’s over. You’re doing a great job

Your baby is either
Hungry
Tired
In pain
Babies do not scream and scream for no reason. There is always a reason.

Headphones. You need good noise cancelling headphones and loud music.
I had a screamer. It’s not your fault. You’ll feel soooo much better if you can’t hear the screams.
Hang on in there OP. Just because other people’s babies settle and sleep doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. Wish someone had told me that.

You have my greatest sympathy. I had 4 children under 5 at one point and when my DD called and needed help with her 1st child I said I will be there no problem.

What we didn’t know at the time was that he had silent reflux , in my previous experience I was sure a long walk in the pram would sort him out. After hours and hours he was still screaming. ( and so was I nearly!)

A very helpful GP and lovely paediatrician sorted it out Gaviscon, ranitidine, tilt the head of the sleepyhead up and when it’s really bad put him in a buggy with the back reclined and rock that buggy.

It is really horrible - like torture for you and them. Sometime the only thing that worked was putting him face down and watch him sleep - obviously not suitable for night time.

This does pass eventually.

Baby night time colic? Try giving him a wee full body massage, try prop him up a bit more for feeding. (Not sure how the would work for bf as I never done it). How's ur flow? Maybe he's not getting it quick enough and sucking to hard/fast. Could be making his reflux/wind worse.Try squeezing to help the flow x

Oh it's so bloody hard isn't it. I agree the pram or sling worked for me sometimes but it doesn't always. The fussing at the boob thing happened for us too. Do you have a really fast let down? That can cause fussing I think, sometimes expressing a little by hand before a feed can slow the flow to make it more manageable. As can feeding lying down.

You have my sympathies. Am currently lying down, listening to lullabies with 12 week old DD3 who has been a right grumpy bum the past few evenings.

Things that have helped - with her and the older two:
White noise/lullabies on YouTube
Tiger hold with rocking motion
Lying down and snuggling close/whilst breastfeeding
Standing outside for a bit for some fresh air
Sling
Short car ride
Being held by a different person

Like a previous poster, I think a lot of it is over stimulation so trying things that are calm and gentle with dim lights has worked. And trying to stay calm myself (difficult I know) so they can't feel the tension coming from me.

I promise this will pass though.

@Marteena this was my now 20 week old DD at 7 weeks. Her screaming was so bad I was on the verge of PND. Turns out she had terrible reflux (she's still on ranitidine now) and CMPA. Gaviscon just made her scream more. If you suspect reflux, ask for ranitidine. It has helped my DD loads. I have also been dairy free since week 7 or so, and she's so so much happier. Little babies also really struggle with wind in the early days. I promise you it gets better!

Oh and do you have someone with you to take shifts so you aren't always the one with the screaming baby? DH, mum, or a friend? Baby crying is a sound that's designed to be unignorable and it is so hard to listen to.