6 month old won't strop crying!!!

[Mummytojl]

I'm at my wits end. My little girl has just turned 6 months and I keep expecting the crying to subside but it just doesn't. She has reflux, is taking omeprazole and she has eczema which she is under the dermatologist for. She doesn't seem particularly bothered by the eczema or reflux but she's clearly not happy. She wakes up happy but after she wakes from her first nap she spends the rest of the day crying, feeding, sleeping. I'm breastfeeding and that's taking its toll, all she wants to do is be on me. I also have a 3 year old daughter so it's not like i can lay in bed breastfeeding all day, which I'd gladly do to keep her happy. I'm not quiet sure what I'm asking, but can anyone else with a deeply unhappy baby tell me it gets better? My mental health is already in the pits, I don't know how much more I can take.

How exhausting for you!

I don't have much advice but couldn't just read and run. I remember my first being like this as a baby and found it so tough. My second was thankfully a dream baby but my god does she whine like hell now she's a toddler.

Do you have anyone to help you take over for a bit? Does going to the park and putting the baby in a sling or the pram help?

And if all else fails, and baby is fed, changed etc then put baby somewhere safe and take yourself off for 5/10 mins to calm yourself. I get how triggering the constant crying is!

It does get better, and hopefully soon. My first was about 8/9 months when he finally stopped the constant crying and screaming

Hang in there op 🤍

Have you tried putting her in a carrier during the day and seeing if she is happy in that ? Have you spoken to HP maybe to see I'm the dose of omeprazole can be increased maybe ?

I know I'll probably get roasted for this but but just sharing my story , my baby is 13 weeks and since 5 weeks has been a nightmare won't sleep during the day fights sleep , cries and fights me all day etc I literally can't leave the house because if she misses a nap there is hell to pay and she wins sleep in night or car . we ended up bringing her to a well known chiropractor who treats babies turns out she had a birth injury (her head wasn't symmetrical) which was causing lots of other issues with muscles and weakness anyway long story short she had 3 sessions and her head is round now you can see the difference and she is like a different baby . It's early days but I have seen a huge difference .

Hi OP. It definitely gets better. It feels like it lasts forever at the time but you'll look back and barely remember it.

How is your baby on omeprazole? My son was on it but he was so uncomfortable and would cry a fair bit. In fact, I think it caused him more discomfort than the reflux when he was unmedicated because he settled when he came off it. We spoke to the paediatrician and she prescribed lansoprazole instead. He was far far better on lansoprazole. Mentioning just in case it might be relevant.

Agree with PP though. Sometimes you just need 5/10 mins to regroup. Pop baby down somewhere safe and take a breather.

My daughter was like that but it changed at around 8 months. Could you push her in a buggy rather than bassinet? Helps the reflux and being outside is a good distraction for her and for you! Second suggestion is earplugs - if you've done all you can and she's still screaming there's nothing to be gained from hearing the screams.

I'm sure you've tried all these but just in case - in no particular order -

Ask for help to give you a rest / some alone time with 3yo. If no one in family ask local children's centre for advice - in some areas volunteers can come round to help for a bit

See a breastfeeding consultant - again council may have some free or pay to see an ibclc, just in case.

Try an osteopath if you can afford it.

Dummy

Maybe soon with weaning it will get better, maybe they are ready for solids?

Get a second opinion on medication as pp said

Post in parenting chat for success stories!

It will get better! But right now try to prioritise some time for yourself even if it's a shower while someone else deals with baby / baby is in a safe place.

Hi op, is the reflux being caused by anything? I only ask as my son was on omeprazole and it sort of helped the pain of the refkux but it turned out he had a dairy allergy too, which sometimes has an excess like rash. Have they ruled that out?

Has anyone suggested allergies?

Thanks everyone for your advice. I started weaning at 5 and a half months in the hope to help her reflux. So far it's just caused her sick to be a different colour and stain 🤦‍♀️The omeprazole does seem to help but maybe it is worth a review. CMPA has been mentioned a few times so i did completely cut out dairy for a few months, but it made no difference to her skin or reflux. So far we've avoided dairy whilst weaning just in case. I bought noise canceling head phones pretty early on when she had colic, I could see her scream, I didn't need to hear it too. I think I've tried most things suggested other than the osteopath, I will definitely look into this. We've had a not so bad day today. She's spent most of the day in the sling whilst me and the three year old went to the library and the park. I hope once she moves a bit more she might get better but at the minute I'm struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It's comforting to know that's others were in the same boat and it did get better.

My friend had a baby that cried all the time. She took him
to cranial massage for babies and it totally sorted him out. They massaged his little head and whatever the issue was went away. She swears by it.

When you cut out the dairy did you cut out soya too because most cmpa babies are also allergic to soya.

It's really tough, I hear you.

When you cut out dairy, did you cut out soya too? It's in so many things, e.g. a lot of bread, and a lot of CMPA babies can't tolerate it.

Might it be possible for your 3 year old to start at necessary a few mornings a week if they've not already so that you then only have one child to wrangle?

This too shall pass.

My daughter was like this. She needs the highest dose of omperazole plus gaviscon with lactulose for the constipation and domperidone as well as me removing all of her allergens from my diet - her final list has 20 although we didn't finalise the list until after I stopped breastfeeding

Do you have any support? It absolutely destroyed my mental health and it contributed to my admission to a mother and baby until at 10 months. I have a history which put my at risk but the endless crying was awful

Am hugely sympathetic, I had a crier and it’s exhausting. Another one who had great success with cranial osteopathy, some minor trauma during birth is not uncommon and can be easily corrected.

I've only just read some of these replies, but to anyone reading my post after googling in desperation, it did get better. DD is now 1yo and is the happiest girl. It was definitely the reflux causing issues, she massively improved when she started eating a good amount of solids. I do wish professionals offered more help and understood the affect it has on mental health, I was admitted to a mother and baby unit too, and that is going to stay with me forever. I'll forever feel guilty for leaving my 3 year old and taking my baby there. Colic and reflux is bloody hard! It should not be fobbed off. Thank you everyone that replied and offered support.