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Parenting

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Original poster

What do I do with a crying baby?!

34 replies

wobblyweeble82 · 28/06/2011 11:24

DD is 6 weeks old She's a sweetie, a love and all that goes with. But lordy, can she cry!! Seriously. I go through the mental checklist of things that could be the issue - boob her, change her, wind her, chat to her, bob her under her play gym, take her out from her play gym, leave her be for while, see if she wants a sleep then start all over again and still often can't hush her up. And I haven't a clue what to do! She just seems an angry, unhappy little thing a lot of the time. She's not colicky either. This morning she cried for a good hour on and off and when I do finally pick her up (I was trying to get myself washed and dressed) she's all gummy grins and things! I don't know whether to just strap her in her sling and crack on with the day or let her realise that mummy can't hold her 24/7 as much as we'd both like to. I'm certain she's not poorly too. I already have a7yr old DS - you'd think I'd be good at this now

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

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steviesmith · 28/06/2011 11:30

Put her in the sluice with a hosepipe on her? (Sorry your title just made me think of the drunken sailor song.)

But if she stops crying when she's in a sling then I'd keep her in the sling. She's still only tiny. I remember walking for miles when my DS was little.

Flisspaps · 28/06/2011 11:36

Sling. It's the next best thing to a hug.

Adair · 28/06/2011 11:40

sling, sling, sling and nurse, nurse, nurse.

No such thing as carrying/cuddling.nursing too much in my very humble hippy opinion.

Did lots of walking round and rocking with ds (dc3 - they have got worse ) in the early days... remember your three month countdown, that's when the 'colic' stops...

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SootySweepandSue · 28/06/2011 11:41

I would try a sling but it never worked for me as my DD was a wriggler.

I always underestimated tiredness as a cause of crying. For me if she cried it was (a) hunger and (b) tiredness and not much else. Could always try a dummy? We had one but shed outgrown it by 3 months so nothing to stress about!

Enraha · 28/06/2011 11:44

Get outside a lot, long walks with pram, if you're up for it. Go for a coffee. DD always seemed much more cheerful out of the house when little, as did, I tbh.

bibbitybobbityhat · 28/06/2011 11:46

Sling and out for a walk.

Failing that you could google that amazing American paediatrician who ssssshhhhuuuusssshhhhed a roomful of crying babies to sleep on This Morning with Richard & Judy.

Hang on, I'll have a look for you.

Original poster

wobblyweeble82 · 28/06/2011 11:46

Thanks folks - I've had a few chats with a couple of pals, and the phrase 'rod for own back' keeps coming back at me and then I'm left stumped. She's a booby baby Sooty and can't get her head (or mouth) round a dummy. Not through want of trying, mind. It's just horrible to have a seemingly miserable baby. She's not that interested in DH either tbh. I'm obviously the best thing since slice bread.

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Adair · 28/06/2011 11:50

Yes, yes, you are. Because she is 6 weeks and she just spent 9 months being part of you.

Go with the flow. Haven't put ds down asleep really yet (he is 5mths!!). Rod for own back? I have a gorgeously content baby here with a tiny little hand on my bosom while I MN and eat chocolate - do i look like i care?!

Erac · 28/06/2011 11:50

In addition to a sling, a gym/birthing ball was a godsend to us for rocking and bouncing, both which helped calm DD down in the early weeks. We already had one we were using at our desk and it took a lactation consultant to point out we could also use with the baby.

Also, you might try Harvey Karp's 5 S's:

We got his DVD and it was helpful to my husband to have something so concrete for him to use for helping soothe her.

Also, second tiredness. When they're that young, they often need to nap every 1.5-2 hours.

HTH.

RockinSockBunnies · 28/06/2011 11:50

I just used to stick DD on my breast whenever she cried. Whether she was tired, hungry, teething - breast seemed a very helpful cure-all.

bibbitybobbityhat · 28/06/2011 11:53

I would have definitely tried this had I seen it when my two were babies.

worldgonecrazy · 28/06/2011 11:56

I can assure you that creating a happy and secure child is not making a rod for your own back. If your baby needs cuddles, cuddle her. Keep trying with the dummy if your nips need a break. Slings are fantastic and she is only 6 weeks old. Before you know, she'll be toddling around and each cuddle will become more and more precious.

thesurgeonsmate · 28/06/2011 11:57

I would recommend getting out the house. I preferred it, and she seemed to prefer it too, not sure why.

BertieBotts · 28/06/2011 11:57

If you keep her in a sling for as much time as possible, she'll be desparate to get off and be independent as soon as she can crawl, don't worry!

(Disclaimer - possibly not applicable to all babies. But certainly whether you leave her to cry or carry her around constantly is not going to make much difference at all to whether she's clingy later on. So I'd go for the less headache-inducing solution in the meantime.)

WearegoingonaKwazihunt · 28/06/2011 11:59

Put her in a sling and go for a walk.
She wants to be close to you. Enjoy it. It won't be like that for ever believe me.

She is still so little. The world will soon get so exciting that she will want to explore and be away from you, but right now you are her world. Please enjoy it.

CatIsSleepy · 28/06/2011 12:05

Dd1 was hard work in the early days too- lots of crying. Stick with it-in a few weeks she'll be much more into the baby gym, or sitting in a bouncy chair for a bit watching you or an interesting mobile. 6 weeks is still tiny. keep cuddling, feeding, jiggling, for now and yes definitely go for walks.

Being outdoors is good generally weather permitting-babies love being under trees and looking up at the branches waving about. My two also enjoyed being around other people too-dd2 never ever cried at the baby group i went to (could only cope with one ) and would just lie on the mat perfectly happily for a couple of hours in a way that she never would at home.

dd1 and dd2 both got tired very quickly at this age too- they could only cope with about an hour and a half awake. Grumpiness can set in really rapidly if they don't get enough sleep.

slhilly · 28/06/2011 12:09

Can I recommend a fabulous book? "When your baby cries" by Deborah Jackson. We found it immensely helpful, and affirming of the choices we made. I echo what others have said: at 6weeks old, you don't need to worry about making a rod for your back. Your baby is much too young to be trying any clever psychology on you.

porcupine11 · 28/06/2011 12:13

Sling and earplugs worked for me.

Catilla · 28/06/2011 12:23

6 weeks is classic growth spurt time, and perhaps also when they start to be awake for a bit after feeds but really can't cope with being awake for long.
As others have said, feed her as much as she wants (especially in the daytime to fill her up and hopefully get more sleep at night), hold/sling her as much as she wants, and do whatever it takes to get her to sleep lots and lots!

Don't try to get too much else done, there's plenty of time for "getting on with the day!".

nickelbabe · 28/06/2011 12:26

I wouldn't panic about it - she's 6 weeks old, you can't spoil her, so put her in the sling and carry her around with you.

If it's the only way to stop the crying, then do it.

Cosmosis · 28/06/2011 13:54

automatically ignore anyone who comes out with the phrase "rod for your own back".

unlimited access to you and your boobs is all she needs at the moment.

Tee2072 · 28/06/2011 14:13

I swear to god I am starting a campaign against the phrase 'rod for your own back.'

She's 6 weeks old! She wants her mummy! Let her have her mummy!

Trust me, she'll be 2 soon enough and you'll barely get a cuddle!!!!

naturalbaby · 28/06/2011 14:52

my baby is 5months and still only wants me! he screams the house down when left with anyone else for too long, or sobs his heart out when i return.

i would decide how you want to do things for the next few months - carry her around all day and be totally on demand/baby led or get her settled into a routine. i was baby led with ds1 which was great but i couldn't shower/bath/go to the loo until he was fast asleep. now i have my hands full so have always put baby down to sleep in the moses basket in his room - dark with door closed. he has been very happy and settled in there and often i would go to check on him and find him happily gurgling to himself in the dark!

Adair · 28/06/2011 16:11

Ha ha mine is the other way. Asleep on me and I am stuck to sofa (or have him in sling) but fine when awake so I get on with stuff while he gurgles and plays... All babies are different

Original poster

wobblyweeble82 · 28/06/2011 16:11

Thanks all :) We went for a picnic this afternoon (her - boob, me - a box of maltesers and a diet coke ) and mu7ch happier we are too. I'm about to lie her on her mat whilst i tidy up and if we fail, well we've the sling all primed up ready :)

As sad as it is, I guess I wanted to be told that its okay to do haul her about with me etc. Cor, I forgot about all the guilt and self-doubt motherhood brings with it ...

Thanks again

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