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Original poster

should i give capol, please help

25 replies

tinky19 · 29/08/2010 22:18

My 5mo is screaming after 30 mins sleep. He is normally excellent. Bottle, beast bed 9pm (i have to combination feed for medical reasons) then sleeps through till 7am . but the last 3 nights the only thing to stop him crying is being clamped to my breast so I have had vertually no sleep. I know he is not just hungry as i have offered more milk. We think he is teething as he is drooling a lot and wants to chew (on my boobs). DH thinks calpol but i am worried that i'm just 'copping out on tears??' Please help.
BTW sometimes his cries sound more like shouts - at what age do they start getting stroppy?

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piprabbit · 29/08/2010 22:22

Personally, if you have good reason to suspect that your DS is in pain from teething then I would go with Calpol.
Calpol won't cure an angry baby - but it will help if he is in pain.
Don't beat yourself up, you would take paracetamol for a headache wouldn't you - not just grin and bear it?

Mistymoo · 29/08/2010 22:23

If you think it is teething then I would give calpol. I have been giving my ds some recently as he seems to be teething, (dribbling, chewing on fist, rubbing ears and a red cheek)and it may just take the edge off the pain. I only give 2.5 ml.

It may be worth a shot.

AllSheepareWhite · 29/08/2010 22:23

Sounds like teething, you could try a dab of teething gel on the affected area if that helps you will know it is definitely his teeth. That way if he is still unsettled once the effect of the gel has worn off you will know that Calpol might be in order.

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mamasunshine · 29/08/2010 22:23

Assuming there's no temperature/illness? Is he teething? I would give calpol.

TriplePachyderm · 29/08/2010 22:23

I would give him calpol
from what you've said he sounds like he may be in pain

like pip said, you would stop your headache

hope he feels better soon and you all get some sleep

ledodgy · 29/08/2010 22:24

Yes 2.5 mils of Calpol. My 3 all started teething at just under 4 months.

nigglewiggle · 29/08/2010 22:24

Teething is entirely possible from what you describe. I don't think offering medicine in these circumstances is "copping out". FWIW I found child Ibuprofen better for teething as it reduces infalmmation as well as helping with the pain. If you are reluctant to use pain-killers, I found teething granuals(sp?) also helped.

MollysChambers · 29/08/2010 22:24

Calpol won't do any harm. If in doubt, why not? Better than pain surely?

Original poster

tinky19 · 29/08/2010 22:25

i have tried teething gel but it makes him sick then he gets more worked up.

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neolara · 29/08/2010 22:26

I would give neurofen. When my lot have had pain from teeth then calpol has often not worked. Neurofen, on the other hand, usually does the trick.

IMoveTheStars · 29/08/2010 22:28

neurofen, rather than calpol. Calpol never did anything for DS at this age when he was teething.

If you don't have any, give calpol. Better than him being in pain.

Original poster

tinky19 · 29/08/2010 22:31

he is now asleep with my nipple in his mouth (sorry for tmi) this is why i'm confused. if he were in pain why would sucking me for ten minutes help? i know as soon as i move him he'll scream. just not like him but no temp. sorry if this sounds stupid. since becoming mum any stick within reaching distance i'll grab to beat myself with and dh is out so no confidence.

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IMoveTheStars · 29/08/2010 22:33

DS has never had a temperature,even when he had norovirus (yes, I know.. weird baby)

He may have been comfort sucking, did you give calpol? It may be that the painkillers have kicked in and he is able to feed. Teething hurts. SUcking increases the blood flow to the gums which is why they can feed for a few mins then break off in pain :(

When we knew DS was teething we used to dose him 10 mins before a feed.. otherwise he wouldn't have eaten for days at a time :(

nigglewiggle · 29/08/2010 22:35

I always thought sucking at the breast would sooth most things. That's why I would feed DD's just after they'd had their jabs. It always worked!

Don't beat yourself up. Give the medicine and see what happens.

piprabbit · 29/08/2010 22:36

I think the sucking and cuddling is very soothing and relaxing. Because your DS is actually very very tired (all the screaming dontcha know ) this is enough for him to relax into sleep.
But the slightest move wakes him, and then he becomes aware of the pain again and the more he thinks about it the worse it feels.

I know that's what I'm like when I'm lying in bed with period cramps (not the sucking bit - but the warmth and relaxing, but waking and realising I am still in pain).

Feel free to help yourself to any of the large and heavy sticks that are reserved for the use of us mums .

Original poster

tinky19 · 29/08/2010 22:40

what JarethTheGoblinKing said about breaking off mid feed is very familiar with regards to bottle so that is reasuring. Also, nigglewiggle, in recent fays he's wanted to be bf more than bottle so maybe it is helping soothe him. Anyway, thank you all very much. i'm going to give calpol! Decision made.

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Original poster

tinky19 · 29/08/2010 22:42

i meant days not fays. piprabbit, i'll keep the large sticks in mind

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Biccy · 29/08/2010 22:42

It sounds like teeth to me too. I think it's not just the pain, but the, well, unhappiness, for want of a better word, because they don't know why they hurt, when it will stop, so they want to know mum is right there to keep them safe.

I'd give 2.5ml of a painkiller. Just been through this with ds - got his first teeth at 27 weeks. Had a few nights when he wouldn't sleep unless a nipple was in his mouth. Was exhausting. And you think, 'oh no, this is a really bad habit, how will we move on from this'. But you do. And if you're anything like me you'll feel daftly pround of those gnashers once you can see them!

Biccy · 29/08/2010 22:44

Proud, not pround.

openerofjars · 29/08/2010 22:56

Give the calpol. As long as you're giving the correct dose, it isn't going to cause harm. My DH once said of our (grumpy and noisy at 2am) son "well, how do we know if he's in pain?". My stance was to give the poor wee bugger the benefit of the doubt at that age. Better to give one unnecessary dose than leave a poorly baby in pain, I thought.

Mind you, he has now, aged 22mo, been known to ask for calpol, so maybe I am just being played...

openerofjars · 29/08/2010 22:59

PS The other thing I just thought of is that even if no teeth appear soon, teething can hurt when the teeth are moving up the gums, IYSWIM. My DS didn't get his first tooth until 10mo but I swear he was teething on and off for months before that.

Biccy · 29/08/2010 23:05

I agree that teeth hurt on and off for ages before they make an appearance. My wisdom teeth certainly did!

FessaEst · 29/08/2010 23:16

DD suffers terribly with teething, and I thinking the clamped to your nipple thing is comfort, and being close to the warmth of you must be soothing. I started off trying not to give painkillers and using gel and granules instead, but I now give neurofen and/or calpol whenever she is red cheeked and upset as it works and she is definitely in pain - it really works and restores her to herself. I'm not sure why I was so reluctant before, but relieving your child's pain by any means necessary is surely a good thing! Hope you have a better night!

Original poster

tinky19 · 29/08/2010 23:22

i don't think 'he's playing on it' as he's just screwed up his face like sucking on a lemon when i gave him some. Just really hope we can both get some sleep now as j'm sure the lack of sleep is getting to him almost as much as it is to me now.

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openerofjars · 30/08/2010 13:50

Hope you both got some sleep. Don't babies do a great cat's bum face when they disapprove of the taste of something? I fondly remember my son's face when given Infacol for the first time... You're doing all the right things and remember THIS TOO WILL PASS. All the best x

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