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Original poster

Baby won't stop crying

28 replies

Fizzywinelover · 21/07/2010 21:23

He has been crying all day. He has been changed, breastfed, formula fed, winded.

I cannot bear it. I cuddle him he cries, I put him down he cries. Please, any ideas? I have danced around the kitchen, i have left him to cry, i just am at my wit's end.

DH has a really big week at work this week and is already in bed, so he cannot help me.

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IMoveTheStars · 21/07/2010 21:24

How old?

DuncanDisorderly · 21/07/2010 21:28

Have you tried taking him for a drive? The car always settles my babies if all else fails.

greensnail · 21/07/2010 21:29

Could you take him out for a walk or for a drive?

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Original poster
Fizzywinelover · 21/07/2010 21:29

Oh sorry. Nearly three weeks. He seems to eat almost nonstop too.

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Original poster
Fizzywinelover · 21/07/2010 21:31

Oh, this will sound so stupid. No to driving as car at garage, and no to walking because the pushchair we got broke and the replacement is turning up on Friday. I think this latter bit is part of MY problem.... i have been stuck in the house since i came out of hospital.

God, I sound so pathetic.

OP posts:
thisisyesterday · 21/07/2010 21:33

feed him some more? will he take the breast if you offer?

MrsBadger · 21/07/2010 21:34

have you a sling?

get out of the house any way you can

even if you just wrap him up in a blanket in your arms

get out!

the cryign sounds much less bad under a big sky than resounding off the walls

tedebear · 21/07/2010 21:35

Is your health visitor worth a call? she might be able to spot if he is collicky or has reflux? Wonder if he's getting grief from something you've eaten in the last 12 hours?

The above suggestions for a drive or pram about are good too! Even I used to put him in his pushchair with him up on a little incline (in case of indigestion) and sit in front of the tv, pushing it back and forwards with my foot, sometimes it was all I could muster when I was pooped!!

RhinestoneCowgirl · 21/07/2010 21:35

He's so tiny, keep offering boob? Do you have sling?

Original poster
Fizzywinelover · 21/07/2010 21:35

Yes, for about 7 minutes, then off and screaming.

... actually he has started to make those little gurgling settling noises...... fingers crossed it is for more than the 10 minutes he has been napping the whole day.....

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tedebear · 21/07/2010 21:37

oh sorry - just saw your post re broken pram, have you a friend with one you could borrow for an hour or so?

ps - you aren't pathetic at all! Its hard work and you're exhausted and it really is a tough time!

BettyisNOTBlu · 21/07/2010 21:38

So, he's fed, changed, winded and still crying? My best advice would be swaddle him, give him a dummy if you are doing dummies (a latex teat is best, NUK do a good one for newborns), put him on his side in your arms and swing him from side to side shushing into his ear.

Or swaddle him and go for a walk round the block, carrying him?

Original poster
Fizzywinelover · 21/07/2010 21:40

I have wondered about something I have eaten too.... I have had alot of dairy lately and wondered about that.

Good idea to just get out even wrapped in a blanket. I think tomorrow, no matter what we have to do this.

Thank you all so much for replying, i was feeling quite alone.

OP posts:
BettyisNOTBlu · 21/07/2010 21:41

It's so hard, my eldest cried and cried, you have every sympathy.

MrsBadger · 21/07/2010 21:42

oh never mind tomorrow, I meant now!

I have fond vivid memories of carrying a screaming dd round and round the block when I didn;t even have the energy to drag the pram out the garage
obv she was asleep in 5min...

Original poster
Fizzywinelover · 21/07/2010 21:42

Swaddking and dummy great idea..... he is stirring, here goes.....

Thank you so much everyone.

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LBsmum · 21/07/2010 21:44

You dont sound pathetic, alot of new mums have days like this, my two cried for no reason and quite persistantly at times ( think its normal) - some tried and tested 'solutions'; wrap up/ swaddle tight and just walk/ rock for as long as it takes ( singing the grand old duke of york, optional), stand near an extractor fan or hairdryer type noise and rock, walk outside in your garden or down the street fresh air and different light definately help, invest in a sling the change of scene is always good and both mine loved a sling

oh and they do eat all the time to begin with, noone told me this and i was quite shocked how demanding this part of it was - it gets easier

feed, cuddle , rock

thisisyesterday · 21/07/2010 21:44

you know i was just thinking that he sounded like my ds2 who has a dairy intolerance. he used to scream for hours and hours

the swaddling, swinging and shushing method sometimes worked for us.

BettyisNOTBlu · 21/07/2010 21:46

The swaddle/dummy thing really works. Half the time I didn't have to do the whole thing (5 s'ss.. swaddle, soothe, side, swing, shush) but it helps to have them up your sleeve. My midwives gave me the harvey karp book, but basically that's all it is.

www.babyslumber.com/happiestbaby.html

Original poster
Fizzywinelover · 21/07/2010 22:13

Thanks Betty... that article is very interesting.

Have just returned from a promenade around the garden. At least the crying has stopped.

LB, thanks for the info about eating all the time. He is eating at least 50-75% more than what i was told he would be, so I was getting a little worried about that.

I feel so much calmer now.... off to try and sleep myself.

Really, thank you all. So very grateful.

OP posts:
BettyisNOTBlu · 21/07/2010 22:27

You're so welcome. It doesn't last forever, honestly! Hope you get a good few hours sleep.

IMoveTheStars · 21/07/2010 23:50

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ddRkI5wVIqQ

This would have definitely worked with DS - I eventually devloped some kind of sideways rocking movement thing that helped.

Also, overstimulation can be a big thing, try rocking in front of a white/plain wall so that there is nothing to distract them. I discovered this at about 4mo and it does help.

14hourstillbedtime · 22/07/2010 00:25

Some thoughts from One Who Has Gone Before:

3 weeks is a classic age for a growth spurt (others are: 6, 8, 12 and 19 weeks). Basically, he will want to feed loads to increase milk supply and will be more fussy (ha! good euphemism...) during the day.

If he's only slept for 10 minutes at a time, he will be massively overtired and need (though he may, obviously, resist) a nap. A good rule of thumb is that babies can't stay awake for longer than 2 hours without needing a sleep. For both of my sensitive little souls at that age it was more like 45 minutes including feeding before they would need to go down again. Just observe your baby, get to know his tired signs (eye rubbing, fussy, irritable, nothing calms them all of a sudden) and start to put them down for a nap. Don't worry about how long they have been up (as long as it's not past 2 hours, that really does seem to be a golden rule) just start settling them down to sleep as soon as they look tired.

Oh, and swaddle and sling away! DS only slept on me in a sling for the first 16 weeks and then we started training him to actually sleep on a flat surface . Don't worry about bad habits/that it will be like this forever - it won't! - just do whatever you can do sleep your baby frequently throughout the day, whereever they look as if they'll sleep!

And May the Force be With you... it's so, so hard this stage, it really is....

IMoveTheStars · 22/07/2010 00:29

excellent post, 14hours

14hourstillbedtime · 22/07/2010 00:33

Thanks, Jareth! I like to feel that my weeks days of doom and gloom with DS weren't entirely in vain