Excessive crying and sleeping. Please help i feel like such a bad mum

[tortoisefairy]

DS3 is 7 months. He is my 3rd and I would like to think that I know what I am doing by now (on the whole!). But he cries CONSTANTLY.

I might have say 20 minutes during the day without crying. So when I have exhausted all options I put him in bed. And this is the freaky part, he goes to sleep. He sleeps all night like a dream. (6pm until 8.30am, when I wake him) I often wake him from daytime naps so he can eat. He is awake on average 3-5 hours a day. this seems too little?

When awake he is alert, but has just fed and therefore screams. So at first I thought it was his eczema, but I have now cleared this up so it can't be this. Then I thought reflux, but gaviscon not made any difference. He sort of cries whilst I feed him and really howls afterwards.

I just feel so sorry for him to be in so much pain. Have been to my GP weekly re him and carry him all day until I can't anymore and then put him in bed. I have an allergy paediatric appointment in 2 weeks as he is sick alot, has diareah (sp sorry) and bad bottom despite alot of nappy off time. He is not ill or teething.

I have 2 other ds 5 and 2 who are really starting to be affected. When ds3 awake we have to shout to each other to be heard. I can't play as holding him. Plus when it all gets too much I shout at them and it's not their fault.

Just don't feel I can take it anymore.

Any help or hugs appreciated. I am at my lowest ebb.

Thanks

Tortoisefairy , I don't have much to offer in why your son cries so much , just that I read your post and felt very bad for you.

I know how hard it was when my now 4 month ds used to cry for hours every evening , he seemed to have really bad wind with a big tummy and it improved after a month.

It must be relentless for you especially with 3 children, do you have any support so you can have a little break away from the crying until you find the cause or it improves.

It must be very distressing for your family , I hope some other posters have some ideas of what it could be.

Sending hugs.

I was going to suggest an allergy... cow's milk perhaps? or egg?

has he always been the same?

I was going to suggest cow's milk allergy too. Is he bf or ff?

thank you he was exclusive bf for 16 weeks. then all the problems started. the eczema, crying etc. so he is now dairy free has been since friday as i will try anything. seeing a paediatric allergy specialist on 8th march. today he has come down with a bug so fully calpol-ed! up but now screaming whilst mean't to be asleep...which normally he doesnt do. sorrry re spelling no time x

what formula have you been given? some GP's will still prescribe soya formulas which many CMP intolerant/allergic babies can't stand either

you will hopefully be on something like nutramigen, or neocate?

it's so difficult when they're poorly isn't it because you can't tell if it's the milk or the bug making him cry.
I hope that once he gets over his bug he is a bit happier

The crying when feeding and after could still be reflux and gaviscon is not always the best stuff - just the starter. Suggest ranitidine, but I would look to allergies too. I would definitely second Nutramigen for a trial period.

I have nothing to offer other than sympathy. My DD2 cried for a whole year and didn't sleep, it was torture and I will never have another child because of it.

I hope you find out why your poor baby is crying, we eventually found out, by accident, that my DD2 has poorly eyes that are probably quite painful and that is the most likely cause of her being unable to sleep - REM causing pain and waking her up. Knowing the cause has helped us alot, even if it makes us sad to think she's always been in pain.

Good luck and much much sympathy

Thanks for your sympathy. It means alot. I struggle so much with the crying just dread every time he wakes up as i know what is ahead of me.

He is on soya milk, so i will go back to gp re this. I am constantly guesing whats wrong. GP diagnosed perferated ear drum and conjunctivitus yesterday. personally i think they are just guessing...so he is on anti-biotics again as she wanted to be on safe side as his brothers have both just had chest infections.

Noodlesmam - How did you find out - Does anyone know if you can pay to have a total check up of all things that may be wrong?

You could be describing my DS a few months back, almost exactly.

He turned out to be allergy to cow's milk, and like many who are he's also allergic to soy. Finding this out though wasn't the magic solution, he was weak and run down. Once starting Neocate his skin cleared but it's taken months to get back in a better place. He's only happier now his weight is slowly picking up. He's had 4 chest infections, I think there's a lot of guessing too. I've had everything from gastroentritis to throat issues.