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Behaviour/development

Talk to others about child development and behaviour stages here. You can find more information on our development calendar.

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Original poster

Help! 12 week old suddenly having huge meltdowns, no idea why!

16 replies

KiwiPanda · 17/03/2009 18:15

DD is just over 12 weeks (3 months on Thursday) and over the last 5 days has suddenly become a different baby. She's always been a happy little thing, only really crying fairly gently when she wants food or sleep. Now she keeps having spectacular meltdowns - at least twice a day, sometimes more - for no reason that I can work out - full-on screaming, oh-my-god-the-neighhours-will-call-NSPCC style.

Today for example she had one in the pram after waking from a nap. It was like she was exhausted but had just been asleep. The same thing happened this morning. She actually seems to want more sleep than she did last week, and have less alert happy time.

The only thing I can do to keep her happy (or rather, asleep, which is what she seems to want) is walk while carrying her in the Baby Bjorn. I must have walked 30 miles in the last three days carrying her - my feet ache, my back aches, and I really can't do it every day.

Is it a phase? Please please tell me it will pass! I am SO tired and down. I thought it was supposed to get easier by now...??

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Northernlurker · 17/03/2009 18:20

What happens if you offer milk when she is 'melting down'?

Original poster

KiwiPanda · 17/03/2009 18:24

Northernlurker - it calms her down for a very short while but then it starts up again. The sucking and milk obviously pacify her for a while but I don't think hunger is the problem, more tiredness. For example the other day she ended up feeding at 4,5,6,7,8 and 9pm but really it was because it seemed to be the only thing that calmed her down and she was so overtired she just couldn't seem to get to sleep.

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belgo · 17/03/2009 18:24

I would probably take her to the GP for a check up, to rule out a physical cause such as ear infection.

It could be wind. It could be teething. You may nevert find out what it is. I do know what it's like, dd1 was the same, and I was exhausted. Carrying in the sling is good, at least you are comforting the baby, even if you can't make it much better.

belgo · 17/03/2009 18:26

If she's feeding loads, it could be a growth spurt, in which case it will get better when she takes more milk.

Northernlurker · 17/03/2009 18:29

Sorry to disappoint but sucking all evening can be a common feeding pattern for some babies - especially if they are having a growth spurt. Tbh I think her minds on her food more than it was - or it could be teeth or it could be that now she's a bit bigger you've all stopped tiptoeing around and she is a light sleeper who is waking easily (I had one of those!) As belgo says - most likely you will never know - just hang in there and thank the lord for your baby bjorn - maybe go buy some very, very comfy shoes?

Original poster

KiwiPanda · 17/03/2009 18:29

Sorry I should have said - I did take her to the GP yesterday and she checked all the obvious things - heart, lungs, chest, temperature etc and said everything seems fine. DD was in SCBU for her first week with renal failure so we worry about that but none of the symptoms the specialist has told us to watch out for are present (sleepiness, lack of wet nappies etc) and all her latest blood tests have been fine.

I'm really not sure that she's actually hungry when I feed her, she isn't showing her usual hungry signs, it's more that I'm feeding her just to calm her down. Her previous growth spurts she's fed every 90 minutes or so but this just seem like that. She just seems to want to be asleep!

OP posts:

belgo · 17/03/2009 18:33

Another thing you could try is swaddling, maybe that will help her feel more secure.

belgo · 17/03/2009 18:34

Have you checked her temperature?

belgo · 17/03/2009 18:36

Just reading the bit about her renal failure, I think because of her history, it maybe worth trying to get a urine sample and getting that checked for infection.

Of course it could just be normal baby behaviour as well, babies are very hard work, even the normal healthy ones, but because of her medical history, I suggest getting her urine checked.

Original poster

KiwiPanda · 17/03/2009 18:39

We swaddle her at night which definitely helps her sleep - though she's a bit of an escapologist and often manages to wiggle a hand out! - though I don't do it much in the day (mainly because I can only seem to get her to sleep out and about in the Baby Bjorn!) I suppose I could also try swaddling her in the pram? I've never tried that.

Today, when she woke up in the pram and started yelling away, her eyes were still shut - it was like she was REALLY spectacularly cross that she had woken up!

Yup her temperature is fine, have taken it several times over the last few days and the doctor did it yesterday too.

My sister has just told me that her DD had the same thing at 12 weeks and that she read that it's a common time for a fussy phase because they are taking in a lot more at that stage. So I'm hoping it's because she's making some amazing developmental leap ....

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Joeymac · 17/03/2009 18:39

Some believe that they have these developmental weeks at 5, 8, 11 and 26 weeks (think I've got the weeks right). It's when they have some kind of brain developmental breakthrough and they just get really twisty that week with lots of crying. Maybe you could google it to find out if that might be it?

Also has she just had an immunisation jab - DS2 went mental on the days he'd had these done - full on screaming all day.

justchilli · 17/03/2009 18:42

Could it be colic or is she too old for that now? Poor you and dd.

Original poster

KiwiPanda · 17/03/2009 18:42

Belgo - would have to take her to hospital for a blood test rather that urine as it's how they track her urea and creatanine levels are ok. She's actually due another one next Tuesday so I've been reluctant to subject her to one this week too (poor little mite virtually had track marks down her hands at one point from the number of blood tests she's had..) but it might be the best thing.

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Original poster

KiwiPanda · 17/03/2009 18:45

Joeymac - alas no, she's got next lot of jabs due Thursday and she also went mental after the first lot so god only knows what'll happen after these ones!?

Justchilli- with colic, am I right in thinking they bring their legs up to their chest etc? She's not doing that.

I just fed her and 20 minutes later she was off again, fortunately DH is home and got her calmed down straightaway!

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Northernlurker · 17/03/2009 18:53

Perhaps you could ring the hospital and see if you can bring that blood test forward. I think everything she's doing can be explained by normal baby behaviour butas she was ill after birth I think it would be wise to double check everything.

The fact that she calms down being held is interesting - does suggest that it's the warmth/sound/smell of you that is helping - that would explain why a bit of a comfort suck is soothing to. You could try 'wearing' her blankets under your top for a bit so that they really, really smell of you and see if that helps?

Original poster

KiwiPanda · 17/03/2009 19:27

Yes she definitely seems to just want to be near/ on me or DH. Just now he was holding her, she was all calm, then he put her down for 30 seconds to go to the loo and she screamed in protest! It's a bit like she's "regressed" (which sounds so mean, it's not like she can help it!) to her newborn behaviour, and is much more "needy" again.

I think I will take her to hospital tomorrow, thanks for advice. Unfortunately I think that means we have to go to A&E - let's hope no one in the waiting room has a migraine ..

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