Permanently grumpy baby

[Haz1516]

Hi,

I have a 6 month old baby who has never been a happy baby, and lately seems more miserable than ever. Nothing makes him happy for more than 1 minute, he will just start whinging and whining. He was very wanted, I had a great pregnancy, but now I just feel so sad. I've never said it outloud, but sometimes I feel like I made a big mistake. I love my baby but it feels so unfair that everything is so hard all the time.

When he was tiny he was put on ranitidine, but I don't know how much difference it really made - crying lessened alot around the 12 week mark anyway. Lately I'm thinking of going back and asking for the doctor to prescribe again, just so I feel like I'm doing something. His only real symptom is being grumpy, and he doesn't love milk if that makes sense... never comfort feeds. He's also always had mucousy poo (although never bloody), but I've read that can be normal for breastfed babies anyway. Tried quitting dairy with no difference (but maybe never done it for long enough?), tried cranial osteopath and no difference whatsoever. He's meeting milestones (rolling, sitting up), sleeps well at night now generally, and has always gained weight well.

Really I just want some stories of hope that things will get better, or some advice of something different to try. I just want him to be happy and he never seems to be, and as I said I'm starting to feel so sad and resentful.

Thanks for any help.

I’ve not heard of mucus in poo being normal for BF babies and I’ve fed two. Have you got a link to that please?

I’ve always thought that mucus was a sign of an irritated gut, usually from an allergy. I have CMPA and it can be a sign of a reaction in me, although like about half of other people with CMPA I can react to Soya as well.

Can I ask how long you cut out dairy for and was it completely? Have you read this on Kellymom too?

Thanks for your reply. I've googled about baby poo a great deal over the last 6 months, and have basically read that mucus can be a sign of something or can be normal for some breastfed babies. Links like this: www.healthline.com/health/mucus-in-baby-poop
parenting.firstcry.com/articles/mucus-in-babys-stool-is-it-a-concern/

I quit dairy for 3 weeks when he was 7 weeks old (and used to cry allllll the time) and saw no improvement whatsoever. Other symptoms I've read about like vomiting, nappy rash, general rashes, super frequent bad smelling poop, he's never had any of either. I don't know though, I'd be willing to quit again if you think it could still be it?

He also had yoghurt in his breakfast today and has actually had a slightly more chilled out day than normal.

Well, not all babies with CMPA will have a rash, some will have the non-IGE symptoms mentioned in the Kellymom link but if you’ve cut out dairy for 3 weeks completely, then you’re right, it might not be that.

I’ll have a look at the link in a minute

Well it's not really relevant since all babies are different but my granddaughter was grizzly & unsmiling until she was about 1 year old. She then became easier to distract but still was not keen on actually smiling let alone chuckling. She's now 9 and a quiet but perfectly happy soul. No idea what the problem was but it drove us all to distraction. I do feel for you!

3 weeks is not long enough to quit dairy and see if it makes a difference.it takes longer than that to get it out of your system totally

I really feel for you OP. My son hated being a baby and was almost permanently miserable for the first 7 months of his life. Then he learnt how to crawl and it transformed him. Looking back I think he was deeply frustrated by his immobility combined with some reflux issues which went away when he could sit up.

He’s a very happy 12 month old now with a cracking sense of humour. Still tendency to be a whinger but I’m finally enjoying motherhood. I found those first 6 months very challenging and isolating as I didn’t dare take him out. I developed PND as a result. Take it one day at a time. I promise it will get better x

My son has mucus poos and reflux too... he's on ranitadine and I'm eliminating dairy! He was miserable for the first two months of his life but we tried a really structured routine a few weeks ago and he has transformed into a happy smiley little boy! Turns out he was miserable because he was overtired!! Possibly his torticollis also played a part. But basically I was told there is usually an underlying reason for a grumpy baby... there was for me! I was really resenting him and was starting to regret him but not anymore. I hope tj8ngs turn around for you!