Constantly crying baby

[Linzerelli13]

DS is 4 weeks old and EBF. For the last couple of weeks he has cried for around 90% of his awake time.
He grunts almost all night long. When grunting or crying his tummy goes hard.
He is very windy although doesn't let go of it very easily.
He is pooping once a day usually and it's yellow. It's full of cuddles. Every other day his poop is MASSIVE. It always comes firing out and seems to hurt him.
When i feed him, 80% of the time he will cry and pull off. I have forceful let down and spray everywhere when he lets go. Pretty sure I have oversupply too as i can literally collect 2oz of milk from the first initial let down in a min catcher without even trying.
So far I have taken him to the doctors and been told its probably colic and there's nothing they can do.
I have tried infacol, dentinox colic relief and have just started with gripe water.
He also gets hiccups a lot and draws his knees up.
I do regular tummy massages and give him a nice warm bath before bed now. I also bicycle his legs to try and release the gas. feed him lying down when i can but he still fusses and cries.
When i get my let down and he pulls off I spray into a muslin and express a bit before trying again. I also wind him mid feed when he cries.
I have started to only use 1 side per feed because he gets so upset but hes a big boy and I think I'm leaving him hungry.
Any advice? Breastfeeding support just gave me advice pretty much as I've already done and I'm not entirely convinced that it's all down to my let down as he also cries when he's awake having been fed.

Anyone? Feeling pretty desperate!

Has he been checked for tongue tie? That is well known to cause hiccups and abdominal discomfort.

Why do you think he's pulling off during feeds? Does he seem in pain? Or is he frustrated?

When I read your post I also wondered whether a Cows Milk Protein Allergy could be the cause? Has this been mentioned as a lot of what you describe would fit with that condition.

How much does he sleep/nap?

Sleeps 2hrs max unless he's being held and then he'll go around 3-3.5. He's awake for 2-3 hours in a morning, 2-3 hours throughout the day and around 1-2 hours around bath time.

If you could manage it without you losing your mind, try cutting out dairy. Cut it out and keep it out for a couple of weeks at least and see if there is any improvement.

You sound exactly like me and my DS (now two). I wish I'd known it wasn't normal and that it could so easily have been nicer - for both of us!

Sorry to say but this all sounds normal! I have an 8 week old (third baby) and he’s the same. My other two were the same. Their digestion is all over the place at this age.. all my three have grunted all night, been really windy, only napped in my arms and cried when put down. They generally like to be fed a lot and held a lot. It does get easier.
It does sound like you have over supply so letting the first bit of milk into a Muslin before feeding sounds like a good tactic. Why are you only feeding one side?

Also, is he putting on weight?
Please don’t start cutting things out of your diet/driving yourself insane about allergies without paediatrician advice.
Much of what you describe sounds normal - mine cries within a minute of being out down. It’s exhausting But doesn’t last forever

You're doing all the right things for the wind. You could also try the 'tiger in the tree' hold.

Definitely contact la leche league for advice. Ask if there are any bf support groups near you. Contact your HV and see if there is a bf clinic. Mine was excellent and truly helped.

I can't help thinking tongue tie. Poor latch could explain the wind as he could be swallowing lots of air?

After that it could be worth cutting out dairy as pp has said.

Also. My baby cried A LOT. But she also slept as you describe. She cried for 7hrs straight and lost her voice. It stopped at a couple of months old and now she rarely cries. There might not be an answer as there might not actually be anything wrong. I think what heloed with mine was just the natural maturing of the digestive system.

Just come back to add that at four weeks this could all be normal, but by 12 or so weeks I would suggest not.

Dd1 cried a lot - 16 hours 1 day. She screamed when I put her down and would only sleep on me. It was silent reflux - it took 6 weeks of crying from both of us before it was diagnosed.

oly5 only doing one side because he gets so stressed out. And he fills up with milk that quickly that he won't take the other side 9 times out of 10. And yes hes gaining weight quite well.
I really don't remember DD being that bad. Shes 3 and I fed her til she was 1. I know she cried but not this much! He seems such an unhappy baby! Perhaps this is just him and the way he is. Apparently DP was a terror as a baby and always crying.
I'll have a look into tongue/lip tie. I did question whether he was latching properly but apparently it looks fine. Again will press this a bit more as it seems most plausible.
I queried reflux with the doctor as he gets hiccups a lot and will also spit up a little bit of milk after a feed some of the time. He also clearly prefers to be held upright and will cry more if cradled, particularly after feed. Doctor said unlikely as he's not bringing up all his milk and just sent me away with colic explanation. I'll keep trying all I can but if nothing improves I'll go cask to the doctors and see if i can be referred. I've guy right down on dairy just in case but haven't removed it completely. If need be I could probably go without but will see what doctor says first.
Thanks for the advice/ reassurance. I feel slightly better now knowing that it could be a normal thing and having some new things to check/ try

Please go back to the doctor and ask to see someone else! Reflux sounds like a real possibility - no wonder your poor LO is in so much pain.
I believe it is monumentally unfair to say ‘Well, babies just cry’ - you wouldn’t let a toddler be in such pain without trying to resolve it, so why should babies be any different, just because they can’t talk?
I had exactly the same as you; the second doctor I saw started my LO on medication for reflux plus referred me to a paediatrician, and thing rapidly improved to the point where my LO rarely cries. Yes I’ve had to cut certain things out of my diet (am BF) but it’s temporary and a small price to pay for baby’s happiness.
You’re doing really well to have already recognised fast let down - I had never heard of it before about two months ago!
Seeing your baby in pain is one of the most horrible things you can experience - I feel for you.

But babies DO cry and it’s not always because they are in pain. My baby also wants to be upright and doesn’t like the cradle hold.. none of my three have liked that position.. but I have friends whose babies are all the same. They can’t all have undiagnosed reflux.
OP, do get more help if you feel you need it. You know your baby and you are also experienced, already having another child.
All I’m saying is that wanting to be held all the time, fussiness, gas etc is normal. Their digestive system is also maturing and by six months this will all be a distant memory!

OP i’ve just re-read what you wrote and allergies are another possibility. I don’t know for sure as I’m not a doctor but please try and see a paediatrician – you will know in your heart of hearts whether it’s normal for you baby to cry all the time!

www.babydoc.com.au/faq/colic-bore-your-baby-to-sleep/

He sounds windy. I used to put ds down on his tummy after a feed and thus would make him burp. You could try it midway through - he could just be full of wind and not milk after the first side.

Being awake for a couple of hours sounds like a long time - try to settle to sleep after 45 minutes or so with an aim to be asleep by an hour awake.

Most babies spit up to some degree. Many babies grunt and pooing takes a while for them to figure out. He's probably windy due to the forceful let down- mine was and yes, he pulled off and grizzled and it sprayed. And spewed copiously if not brought up to wind gently or if we did 2nd boob (he's still mostly a one boob boy and is BIG being 10kg by 6mo). We tried infa
col and stuck with it- it takes a while to kick in but it did help. And he got bigger and stopped spewing and started burping (LOUDLY) and mostly stopped the night grunting.
Poos are still massive and explosive with the added fun of early weaning

But i didn't cut out dairy or request reflux medication, just stuck it out and it eventually got better.
Babies cry, and at that age, he is awake far too long so it's probably tiredness- that's how long my 6mo is awake for

I agree with RatRolyPoly
I literally could have written your post myself about 4 weeks ago. Definitely try giving up dairy!! This post will be a rant but if it helps you it’s worth it..
My DS would scream all day and night. The first 4 weeks of his life DH and I had literally no sleep. Maybe an hour a day/night between us if we were lucky and I’m not exaggerating by any means, nothing we did would soothe him. His nappies were always explosive, he had a rash on his face (I was originally told it was milk spots) horrendous wind and was constantly uncomfortable, arching his back, drawing knees up etc. He did have reflux too but medication for that seemed to make little difference. GP and health visitor kept telling me it was ‘just colic’ and ‘babies cry’ so we should basically just get on with it. Easy for people to say that when they’re not the ones dealing with a screaming baby! We tried infacol, gripe water, colief drops, nothing worked.
Through internet research we noticed that DS’s symptoms all pointed towards a cows milk protein allergy (cmpa). At this point DH and I were desperate so I was willing to try anything. I cut dairy out of my diet and within 2 days he was like a new baby! He slept 4-5 hours a night no problem, his rash cleared up, the nappies improved he started smiling and generally a much more content baby.
It was only once I had this evidence that medical professionals actually believed me. There doesn’t seem to be much knowledge around cmpa, I’d certainly never heard of it before my DS was diagnosed!
I saw your post and just had to share this with you, because if anyone is suffering like we did with their baby I would have loved for someone to share this knowledge with me sooner! Try dropping dairy and see what happens, you really have nothing to lose. Good luck