baby crying hysterically

[hazeyb]

I have an 11 week old son who cries / screams hysterically every time I put him down, whether it's in his moses basket for a nap during the day, or at night trying to get him to sleep. There is no routine whatsoever as the only way he sleeps is next to me or in my arms. Should I be concerned about this, could there be an underlying problem or illness or is it just a case of him being a very clingy baby ? Please help !

He is only a fee weeks old and this sounds perfectly normal.
Have you tried a long for day time naps so you can still have your hands free to get on with things

Completely natural, my son was the same and is now almost 4 months old. I use a sling and cosleep, I have no desire to put him down which helps No needs for tears, try a sling.

Completely natural, my son was the same and is now almost 4 months old. I use a sling and cosleep, I have no desire to put him down which helps No needs for tears, try a sling.

I'm concerned as he hasn't always been like this . He was so content and slept regularly up until 7 weeks old, now he barely sleeps during the day unless he is in my arms. He is content for half hour here and there throughout the day on his play mat looking up at the tele but he will not sleep or be left in his moses basket in a quiet room. The way he cries/screams is as though he is in pain or frightened but after being picked up for a few minutes he settles again. Does this sound normal or should I be worried ?

Lots of babies cry hysterically when put into the cot/basket at that age. We used to joke that the best way to wake up our DS was to put him in the Moses basket. If you want to put him down once he's asleep, wait until he is in a deep sleep (floppy arm test - pick up and drop his arm and if he doesn't react, he's asleep :) ) and put him in. Also helps I you warm the basket with a hot water bottle just so he doesn't notice the change in temperature. The other thing that worked for us was making the basket cosier, a HV showed us how to make a best of rolled up blankets around the basket so he don't feel like he was in a vast space (there are instructions on you tube I think too). We did this for bed time; at one point we couldn't transfer him down for naps as he was not sleeping deeply enough.

Now, of course you want to work towards being able to put the baby down awake and let then fall asleep on their own but I wouldn't stress about it as he is still a newborn. Most sleep books like the no cry sleep solution basically say, get the newborn to sleep however you can and work towards them falling asleep alone from 4 months onwards.

Routine, I think that's also difficult with a newborn! As long as you have some loose structure (i.e. They wake up in the morning and go to sleep in the evening!) you are doing fine!

Oh yes I forgot to add. I also found that sleep went out of the window at 8 weeks. It's also when I noticed my DS becoming interested in the world, looking at patterns, shadows etc.

A book that gets recommended here a lot is The Wonder Weeks which explains what babies are going through during key developmental stages like starting to see across the room (week 8, I think!) and how this makes them fussier.

The television may also make him a bit over stimulated. They get overwhelmed easily at that age and this also makes it harder for them to sleep.

Yep this is normal.Try and see the few few months as the fourth trimester. The majority will want to be very close and freak out a bit if put down. It doesn't mean he is clingy, just obviously used to all the love and attention he thrives on and that you have provided.
I wouldn't worry about routines for a long time yet.

Thanks for your replies guys, much appreciated ! It's difficult to know as a first time mum and compulsive worrier what's normal. I speak to friends who say their children were in their own cots and sleeping through the night by this age and a lot younger, but it seems a long way off to me at the moment ! If anyone has any other advice or tips, please share !

Very normal, my son didn't cry for weeks but its as though they suddenly 'wake up' to the world and need you a bit more.
I agree about The Wonder Weeks, I have the app and it definitely makes sense of a lot of the behaviours!

We've had the same problem. As soon as DS became more aware of the world at 9 weeks naps reduced to 30 mins unless on me & have now started co sleeping which was never planned! Actually enjoying all the extra cuddles though, it won't last forever.

Do you have a pram or swing?
My DS was the same. I had him in an upright position in the pram so he could see me and what is going on around him.. He is now 11 month and hates lying down. He will fall asleep sitting upright because he just does not want to miss anything
But at night he takes his bottle and falls asleep in lying position and sleeps through the night..

Assuming all normal checks are done(too hot: temp rash etc, cold wet hungry sore thirsty[sometimes boiled cooled water, they tell u not too...Ipoh up to you....] will mostly be colic/early teething...your choice if u want to use remedies such as infacol or calpol/ gel to see if they help.... But ad say...
Start by Wraping him in a wee light blanket...depending on how ok you can be with this the wrapping can make them feel a little better and not so scary for you, but some mums don't wrap.
chuck him (not literally) face down and hold him tight (not too tight) but firm; so your arm supports his body full length, his wee cheek n chin resting on your forearm at the crook of your arm and your wrist and hand shld be at his tummy and pull him in towards you. Like against your abdomen and use whatever arm that isn't holding his weight to support the rest of this flow.

Firm wise; The pressure you shld apply should be no more than what would take to cause a cereal box to dip but it shld be directed only from your wrist to his teeny tummy.
Like when you have a bad tummy you hold it in pain, well he's a million times smaller but it's so much sorer cos he hadn't ever had pain!!
You just sorta hold it for him, n hold him too, n rock. Sway him into you and sing to him. Stick with consistent movements and eventually he will do the rest. And if it's routine, then rhythm is a start!
You will intuitively know what is working. Your his mumma.

Babies cry for loads of reasons n your little one is no different n if you ain't feeling it then he will kno.
Maybe the pressure of routines is what's feeling bad about the place?
Babies n mothers both develop "personalities" at this time.... You as a mum, him as a "oh man, am a human"

Books are for reading to kids, not reading about kids.

Being a mum is almost as overwhelming as being a baby.
Relax and he will too xx

Ps. You got YEARS left to freak about unidentified crying (yip even boys)
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