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Original poster

8 wk old won't stop crying!

41 replies

zannary · 03/06/2015 22:00

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!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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KiltedKoala · 06/06/2015 06:03

I had a reflux baby and it was an absolute nightmare. endless screaming all day. Please ask a doctor or HV about reflux, it sounds like it to me. It does get easier I promise!

KeepSmiling83 · 06/06/2015 06:54

DD2 is 8 weeks old and has reflux. It started about 5 weeks ago with her crying all day and being really unsettled. I was BF and she started screaming at feeds, arching her back and banging on me like she was really angry at me. It was horrible and we tried everything. Eventually took her to the drs and he diagnosed reflux and prescribed gaviscon. It was such a faff to get it into her when BF so we switched to bottles and I have to say the difference is amazing. She is such a happy little thing now and is sleeping long stretches at night (we've had 2 nights 9pm-6am!!) I don't know if it's a combination of the gaviscon and formula (she used to feed all day and night and I always worried my milk didnt satisfy her) but I would definitely recommend going back to GP. It is so tough though. I agree about going to baby groups. Other mums won't mind the crying and it'll give you a reason to get out every day and talk to other mums!

hoarseoldfrog · 07/06/2015 17:44

Sounds similar to mine. In particular the boob rejection.
I am giving him ranitidine for reflux as well but nobody is really sure if that's the problem or not.
Best thing is to get them on boob as soon as they start stirring, mine feeds like a dream then. Also helping to feed lying down for some reason. And to try and get them off to sleep as soon as they start yawning/rubbing eyes. I do this either with sling, pram, car or bouncy chair.
Still so hard though! Impossible to know if what you're doing is actually helping and all babies are different!
Other things that have helped:
Holding him v closely to me/boob for feeds eg cross cradle so he doesn't have to work for it
I have fast let down which seems to choke him so let milk spray into muzzy

Hang in there, it will get better

dependentspouse · 13/06/2015 19:34

I'm just reading this thread and it reminds me so much of the first 8 weeks of my DD1's life - until we got her tongue tie diagnosed. It was the most awful distressing thing I have ever experienced. Just keep looking for answers OP and Flowers

findingherfeet · 13/06/2015 19:40

It will pass but I know that doesn't help right now.

I found a swing to be a life saver and also feeding DD to the sound of the hairdryer worked a dream weirdly.

There's plenty of times for groups etc don't panic wait till you feel more confident (saying that all the baby groups I've been to, there have been plenty of screamers - my kids included, it helped knowing it wasn't just me and these sorts of groups are actually good for public breast feeding practice as lots of mums are feeding)

Bohemond · 13/06/2015 19:50

I had similar at 8 weeks. DS started sicking up curdled breast milk and was grizzly all of the time. I swear he had gone off my milk and was hungry. I made the decision to switch immediately to 100% formula. The difference was instant - no longer hungry equalled happy baby.

Still not sure what caused it - something I was eating or my supply had dropped or something changed in him. I remember bf with fondness but the last couple of weeks were hellish.

Original poster
zannary · 13/06/2015 20:03

Things got progressively worse as the last week went on to a point where I was hysterically crying on thursday night...I had had enough. she screamed all day and all night.

my partner decided to take Friday off of work to help out and we booked an emergency doctors appointment. Turns out she's suffering from reflux not colic poor little mite and I have thrush on my nipples which is where the pain is coming from.
We have been prescribed a few different drugs and so far so good...I'm not holding my breath and it is a hassle giving her this that and the other but she has been a completely different baby since, just the last 2 days she has been smiling and gurgling and it's wonderful to see. fingers crossed things stay this way!

OP posts:
helenske · 15/06/2015 19:46

Glad to read she's improving. My ds2 had reflux, breastfeed too and as another poster said it helped to stay on the same side pre feed. Tricky to do the meds before each feed with a syringe but well worth it. He is now 7 months old & I just wanted to give you hope that it does improve with each growth spurt so Wonder Weeks was great help on that front. Also once you start weaning & keeps food down better than milk this really helps too.

karmagetsyou · 15/06/2015 22:22

A sling! Mine cried for a year solid. Now whinges solid. He's 19 months.

I'm afraid some are just criers and whingers ....

Hang in there ....... Grin

coffeeisnectar · 15/06/2015 22:30

My seat had reflux and was lactose intolerant. Fair to say the first four months of her life I barely went out, she was either throwing up or screaming. Once she was put onto soya it was much better but I will never forget the projectile vomit.

lexyloub · 16/06/2015 10:52

Try cutting dairy out of your diet if your breastfeeding she could have an intolerance to it. Worth a try. Hope things get better for you soon

PuppyMummy · 17/06/2015 19:07

I see you hav a diagnosis now but you don't mention in your posts if you wind after feeding. its a myth that bf babies don't get wind.

ds was really moany and miserable until about 5 months when he could start to get a bit more upright. he always had terrible wind and it seemed to go once he could sit up.
we used infacol and very thorough winding (and a lot of muslins!)

in hindsight I guess he could hav had reflux!

sheeplikessleep · 17/06/2015 19:24

Just to say that I'm sure I read somewhere that 8 weeks is the week when amount of crying peaks (i.e. babies, on average, cry more until week 8, when it peaks and then cries less and less as time goes on). Not sure how much truth there is in that, but I read it somewhere.

Original poster
zannary · 17/06/2015 19:39

dd is now 11 weeks old and as I thought the reflux diagnosis and gaviscon relief was short lived. We are back to screaming whenever she is awake. I have been back to the doctors twice and I am no further forward. my appointment yesterday I was made to feel like I was wasting their time and quickly hushed and moved on.
I can't take anymore. I deal with her all day then my partner comes home and sits with her whilst I take care of dinner, housework, washing etc. When do I get a break?
I'm willing to try anything. I've just spent £12 on the smallest bottle of colief as apparently it's suppose to help but again I'm not holding my breath. will this ever end?

OP posts:
MadameStripes · 17/06/2015 22:59

Could it be oversupply? www.llli.org/faq/oversupply.html

Suz1e2 · 18/06/2015 18:07

Oh OP you need a break. Please call in some emergency favours and have some time to yourself! You can't help your little one if you're collapsing. I had a reflux baby too and I remember a few weeks where I honestly thought I couldn't go on, and thank god he then got better. Get another family member / friend to take a day off work and let you do something else, people will help if you ask I'm sure.

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