8 wk old won't stop crying!

[zannary]

in need of advice or just some reassurance. I have an 8 wk old 1st baby & I'm breastfeeding. She's got colic but everything I've tried doesn't work, She's actually better without it. She's been relatively good and sleeps well at night but for the last week she screams all day, I can't do anything without her screaming. I have to hold her constantly, standing up, swinging her. as soon as I sit down she screams again... I feel like I'm losing it!

Have you seen your GP? There are several medications for colic that can make a world of difference.
Have you tried a sling?

My 1st baby had colic & it was awful. I found infacol helped but also found it took a while. Fresh air and a sling also helped & I spent some evenings walking the streets! It lasted until she was about 4 months (but does incrementally improve).it does pass but I remember how awful it was in it.
There are loads of threads on here which might be worth searching for.

I spoke to my gp but they just shrugged it off.
I have a sling but she screams when I put her in it. I have a chicco baby carrier arriving tomorrow so praying that works.

I feel like I'm getting it all wrong. everyone else seems to be coping so well and I'm falling apart!

you are not the only one struggling, trust me. Even the easiest baby is like being hit with a sledge hammer.
Go back to your GP and insist on some help. Have you tried infacol? It's available over the counter I think, could help.
See your Health visitor if you think they'll be helpful.
I find having a good cry at the doctors can work wonders to get some help.
This is quite common and if you do a search on here there is lots of good advice.

I have an almost 8 week old with colic and she is my first so I am no expert but in the past week she has really improved we are using the full dose of infacol at every feed, we give her a bath in the evening and do baby massage rubbing her tummy in a clockwise direction and cycling her legs.
Sleep wise we have raised the crib and Moses basket up on blocks of wood at the head end because she does not like being flat on her back.
Noise seems to help distract her as well we have a Ewan the dream sheep and the White noise sound seems to help settle her.

I hope things improve for you very soon because it is bloody hard work listening to a colicky crying baby.

It's so hard! I love her so much but get so frustrated at the same time. It's day in day out, I want to take her along to mummy and baby groups but I just can't have her screaming the whole way through, it wouldn't be enjoyable for either of us.

I think a phone call to my gp in the morning is needed. I've tried infacol and it seemed to help at first, I then tried Dentinox but she screamed every time I gave her that. We're now trying gripe water. I hate that every time I feed her she gets so upset after. I would say I spend 90% of my day trying to calm her down

I was in a similar situation to you. First thing I'd say is don't compare yourself to others. What you see of them is only a snapshot and, especially if looking on Facebook etc, you'll only see what they want you to see. I still need to take heed of this advice and DS is nearly 8 months.

Could it be something like silent reflux causing pain and discomfort, resulting in crying?

Here's a link which explains a bit about it but doing a search on here may be better.

www.nct.org.uk/parenting/what-reflux

If anything on that link rings a bell, have a search on here before going to your GP about it as, in my experience, they're likely to just fob you off with Gaviscon as they don't like prescribing the other medicines (due to cost I believe)

Thank you, that link has helped. It's horrible seeing her so distressed. she is constantly squirming and kicking her feet like she's having a tantrum.

she is almost always so sick after each feed I worry she isn't getting enough but she refuses the other breast when I offer it and is sick if I give her any just a short while after. night times (around now) start to get easier.

fingers crossed my new sling will help and I'm trying gripe water in the hope that helps.

I am so grateful for all your advice. its horrible feeling like you're being a bad mum because you can't make them happy.

Have you looked at "wonder weeks"?. This book saved my sanity!!! If you read this book you'll have a much easier time in the next 2 years!

No, never heard of it...I will look it up, I'm willing to try absolutely anything at the moment!

My DD was the same at that age. I felt like such a failure. Not helped by the fact that my mother kept telling me that because I was breastfeeding she must be hungry She had colic, but moreover I reckon it was the traumatic way she entered the world (lengthy induction, back to back, got stuck, ended in emergency c-section and she wasn't breathing when she came out). I've spoken to lots of Mums of similarly induced babies who have similar stories and who compare them to much more chilled out second babies who were not induced. I think she just was not ready to arrive and probably had a massive headache for the first few months of her life! Nothing really worked for me apart from the passage of time. By the time she was 6 months she was a total delight and is now a hilariously lovely 2.5 year old. But at the time I felt so alone and hopeless and everyone kept saying what a shame it was that she was so unhappy I just ignored (and cried when alone!), slinged her in the Moby or Connecta (both brilliant) as she wouldn't be put down and still went along to baby groups. Yeah she screamed, but I met other Mums who were struggling too and they have saved my sanity and are great mates now. Hang in there. It really does get better.

Second the recommendation for Wonder Weeks - there is an app. Helped me understand that sometimes you just can't put things right and have to ride the storm for a short while. Tricky for a control freak! Babies are buggers for making you realise that you actually can't be in control of everything!

One of mine was sick after feeds and refused second breast. For us the issue got resolved by keeping to one breast per feed. If she wanted more within half an hour, same breast.

I was told that the later in the feed, the thicker. The cream is at the very end. By transferring they're just getting more of the watery milk from the beginning of the feed. Worked for us anyway.

Finally if all else fails stick her in a baby carrier and get on with the housework or go for a short walk, until she drops off.

My new baby carrier had just arrived and after a stressful hour trying to figure out how it works (so many straps and clips) She's in and fast asleep and I sort of have my hand free, more than before anyway! I guess it's like being pregnant again, only so much you can do with a huge bundle attached to your front! although I think my back may suffer she's happy and that's all that matters, my sanity is worth a sore back!

Thank you for all your advice, reading it in the night through the feeds massively helped me, it's made me realise I'm not alone.

Definitely read up on silent reflux as my dd had this and it was a very tough time. I remember we took her to A&E once as she cried pretty much non-stop for 4hrs. I'd have never believed it possible. We did all the things mentioned such as holding her upright for 15mins after a feed, tilting the crib and used infacol etc. we ended up on various reflux medications such as ranitidine and domperidone, and I gave up dairy as my dd turned out to have a cows milk protein allergy. They specifically suspected CMPA because her symptoms kicked in so soon after birth. Get yourself referred for specialist support if they suspect this.

Above all else, give yourself a break. You are coping - you're seeking support, and you're caring for a tiny baby, and clearly doing a great job. I found it so hard at time that I'd wake crying knowing another day was ahead. This too shall pass. That phrase helped me a lot and it was so true. I promise you this phase will be short-lived but it won't feel that way right now. Let us know how you get on xx

Find a good, experienced cranial osteopath who specialises in babies.
It could stop the crying instantly.

So - I'm not sure it's 'colic' could be silent reflux as pp noted. A sling is your lifesaver but I think a wrap one is best for you and baby as they're in a good position and it's easier on your back as the weight is well spread. Do go back to the dr- in all likelihood they will offer gaviscon. It may not work and you may have to try a few things. We ended up with omeprazole and me eliminating cows milk proteins and soy from my diet (bf) which made a huge difference. It will get better though, but some things can make it easier until it does. Good luck

Sounds like refux and or CMPI. My dd had this and she was a nightmare until about 13 weeks - cried ALL THE TIME!!! We went to an osteopath with her and he helped relax her tummy and neck muscles. We took her at 11 weeks but wish we took her sooner. What a help it was with winding her... The burps erupted whereas before she suffered badly with trapped wind (along with reflux and CMPI!)

Sounds like reflux. Mine had it up to 5 months old. Hers was silent. But if urs is bringing up milk it's reflux. DD used to cry 8-10 hours per day, it was awful. She was prescribed gaviscon, which helped, but not totally. Took ages to get Dr to listen, they just put everything down to colic. We spent that much time picking her up and trying to settle her, we now have problems with her being too clingy!! Would only nap on my knee, wouldn't have anything to do with partner, made life really difficult!! I'd ask ur Dr about it again. Poor babies. Really stressful for the parents too x

Also, to ease any pain from wind she may have, we changed to Dr brown bottles

Aw really feel for you OP. She sounds just like my dd, who had dreadful reflux. It's horrid seeing them in pain isn't it. Have you tried a dummy? I was DEAD against dummies until we'd tried everything else but the doctor suggested we try one to soothe the pain and it worked wonders. I felt terribly guilty I hadn't tried it sooner. Longer term, they do grow out of it, you just have to hang on in there for the first few months

Cmpi?

It really is awful. I feel like it's getting worse, not better. We've had an ok day today with her, seems more content, smiling and gurgling a lot but now when I try to bf her she has started rejecting me and screams and cries! what on earth is going on!!? I was out and her feed was due so I went to feed her and she started screaming. I thought it was because she wasn't comfortable (I struggle bf in public, it's just awkward when I'm out) so I popped to the car for my privacy but it didn't make any difference so I went home but she still didn't want it. She finally went on when I offered her the other breast. A couple of feeds after she was fine but now she's screaming again. I've just finished the most traumatic night feed we've ever had, she us usually an angel at night but as soon as I offered her my breast she screamed and we couldn't calm her down. I then gave her Dentinox and she latched on straight after. I wanted to cry and feel rejected, am I doing something wrong or missing something. I love bf, it was so difficult at first but I persevered and got through it, I really don't want to give up.

All I feel like I do at the moment is spend my time trying to find out what's wrong with her. my gp surgery is useless and make me feel like I'm wasting their time and it's always so difficult to get an appointment. when I was pregnant I had to wait weeks to see someone.

I've downloaded the wonder weeks book which I'm enjoying reading and helping with understand growth spurts but I feel this is something else. I'm worried sick!

It is so so hard my ds had awful colic from 5pm-whenever he fell asleep every night from 4-12weeks. He was often fussy in the day too. Bizarrely, often getting out and about really helped and at mums groups there is no one judging just supporting and sympathising! She may not scream the whole time- fresh air helps too! Ds hated carry cot for long time so a sling saved us! Worth investigating reflux as others have said-I also found most stress free feeds were straight after a nap so perhaps try offering then? It does get better and you will get through this lots of tea and cake and make sure you have support