Why has my four week old LO started crying so much?

[xxhoolesxx]

My little girl is 4 weeks + 3 days old and for the past few days has been crying more and more. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!!

She basically seems to go from happy and content to full on crying / screaming in seconds for seemingly no reason. I try the usual things (feeding, nappy, wind, playing a different game, cuddling - she doesn't like the sling - etc) but often none of the above seem to work.

Could this be a growth spurt? I know there is one around 4 weeks, but she was overdue and the Wonder Weeks app seem a to suggest she should be at the end of this now as it goes from her due date.

It's so upsetting not being able to console her :(

Many thanks in advance if anyone can help or has been through the same thing.

4 weeks is about the age that the dreaded "colic" kicks in. Is it worse in the evenings?

Colic. Happened to DS from 8 weeks until 12 weeks

Thanks both, I had thought about that. It seems to worse early in the morning and during the day rather than the night time through?

Aaaargh! Colic!! Feel your pain. X

What is she doing when she cries? Is she arching her back, straight stiff legs?

Thanks Crispmonster! No, she doesn't tend to arch her back. It just seems to coincide with when she's hungry / bored / tired etc but she skips grumbling and goes straight to full on crying. Does that still sound like colic?

Possibly getting too tired? The first few weeks they often just sleep all the time, but at that age she might be starting to need a little more help as she becomes more interested in the world and finds it harder to just drop off.

Thanks KingfisherBlue, I've wondered about that as well after seeing an article on over-stimulating babies. Funnily enough I've been trying to do that the last few days too and found it had helped a bit. She fights against it though and it's hard on days we're out and about as she's even less inclined to sleep then bless her. Fear of missing out! Any advice on encouraging good quality sleeps out and about?!

DS has never been good at sleeping in the buggy - definite FOMO going on! Not everybody likes them, but a sling worked well for us at that age.