Please help - at end of tether now

[Zimm]

My DD us 4 weeks tomorrow and teh last 48 hours have been hell. She will only settle on the breast - she just eats and eats and eats, she has only slept about 5 hours in the last 24. I don't know what to do I cannot face another day of constant crying and feeding, I'm exhausted. She is quite wriggly - could it be colic? If so what do i do? Have others had similar experiences? will this phase pass? I called the NCT lien and they suggested she was using the breast as comfort - if so should i take to a doctor? She seems very well and producing plenty of nappies. I feel so useless as I cannot seem to fix whatever is upseting her. :-(

Sounds like the 3 week growth spurt to me. Usually lasts about 48 hours. My dd did this and then again at 6 and 12 weeks. Apparently there is one at 16 weeks but I'm not there yet! You are giving her what she needs and settling her by feeding. You're doing brilliantly. It goes as soon as it started and often heralds a new development like smiling/rolling over etc. If you've had 24 hours then you can expect another day. Get comfy in bed or nice chair with cake, mn and the tv. Do nothing else or expect nothing else or yourself until the storm passes. And it will pass. The 3 week growth spurt is the hardest as you've not seen it before and assume it's a sign something is wrong. It isn't.

Hth

Excellent advice from Molly.

Have you tried co-sleeping, you may be able to get some sleep that way.

If you think it is collic you could ask the Pharmacy if she is able to have Dentinox, I think its from birth but I'm not sure.

Other things you could try are baby massage as this can help to relax her and bring up wind and having a bit of time without her nappy on just to have a kick about. Obviously these things won't work if she is screaming.

Also, have you got a sling? She may settle in the sling and not feed so much. If you have a DP around they could wear the sling with DD whilst you get some sleep.

You are doing a fantastic job and it will get easier I promise

Agree with mollycuddles that it does sounds like a growth spurt.

You just have to make things easy on yourself and sit and feed, feed, feed.

Can't imagine you need to take her to a doctor- what's wrong with using the breast for comfort? That's what they are there for.

Soldier on, you'll be fine.

Bizarrely she seems to hate the sling which she previously loved :-( DP would never agree to co-sleeping - too worried about squashing her. To be honest I can't BF lying down very well anyway but thanks for suggestion - I'd do it if I could!!!! Baby massage sounds good - will give it a try.

Have a look at this

This might help too, also from Kellymom:

"Take a nursing vacation. Take baby to bed with you for 2-3 days, and do nothing but nurse (frequently!) and rest (well, you can eat too!)."

Zimm - babies do take comfort from the breast, this is normal and lovely. It is normal for them to want to be close to you and to be on/near the breast for as much of the 24 hours as they can and many babies will be upset and cry inconsolably unless this happens. Only a little while ago she was inside you, and your taste, smell, touch, voice are all familiar and soothing.

There is very unlikely to be anything upsetting her and working out ways of keeping her close with as much ease and comfort for you is a lot simpler than fighting against these normal needs. Needs which are met and satisfied tend to become less acute and exhausting - so meeting her needs will make her less needy, if you know what I mean :)

Zimm, neither of you will roll on her, its virtually unheard of with a bfing mother. As long as neither of you smoke, have taken drugs or alcohol and you aren't completely overwhelmed with exhaustion. Bfing mother naturally go into a position that protects the LO and stops you or your DH from crushing them. This gives a bit more info

If you have somebody around you could feed her and get them to take her out in the pram or car. It would give you a chance to eat and get some sleep.

I think its a growth spurt too, it will pass.