Help! Baby won't stop crying

[Ilona92]

Hey, I have a 6 week old baby and since about 2 weeks he constantly cries when he's awake, last week the midwife realised that he had tongue tie which we had cut that same week. Since then after a nap he stays alert and happy for about 20/30 mins and after that has a complete meltdown until I can finally get him to sleep. The doctor said he may have some reflux and colic but with the tongue tie fixed the reflux will get better. He just cries all the time, he's fed, changed and burped but still he screams! It's driving us mad, even when I try to leave him for a little cry to settle himself he just screams in a high pitched scream so I have to pick him up. My 2 year old also feels down as she gets zero attention because he's always crying so we are trying to settle him. Can anyone advise anything or have had this same problem? 

Hi. My baby had reflux and was pretty sore with it for months. Lying down made it worse and he got relief being held upright. We were advised to tilt the cot. Put some books under top legs. Obviously not too high that will cause him to slide down. Might help? Best of luck.

Yeah we have done the tilt but tries to slide down to get more comfortable (really stubborn baby), we are on a reflux medicine but I'm. It sure if I can use the colief drops too, I heard they help

Please don't leave a 6 week old to cry to settle himself, that is impossible and distressing for him

Ok, first off, 6 weeks is the peak of crying so it won't be this bad forever. I am on my second reflux/colic baby now and at 9 weeks it's already better. I also have a 1.5yo so I know how hard it is.

I actually posted myself to ask for sleep tips as last week mine wouldn't be put down at all, and if she did fall asleep it was 10-15 mins tops. Someone suggested "making" a Sleepyhead with a rolled-up towel under her cot sheet and we've had some success with that. I've ordered a real Sleepyhead now and I'm waiting on it. I've also tried (which might help you - these had some success with DD1) -

• Warming up the cot with a heat pack
• Using a t-shirt as/over the sheet
• Tilting the cot (we now have a Chicco Next to Me which can be put on a tilt)
• Swaddling
• Naps in the front pack/sling (reflux babies love being upright)
• "Tiger in the tree pose" always calms them down for 10 mins and leaves one hand free if you need to get something done.

Agreed, though, that at 6 weeks your DC won't be able to self-settle so it is a case of you helping them to ride it out for now.

Also, make sure you are keeping DC upright for as long as possible after a feed. Tummy time should take place before a feed. If I need to put DD2 down after I've BFd, I'll strap her into a bouncer that's set a bit upright (as far upright as will allow with her lack of head control at this age, so not too much) with a toy bar, for 10 minutes or so. I'll carry the bouncer to where I need to be, too, so she can see what's going on. Then I'll get her out and burp her again before we do anything else.

A stretchy wrap sling will keep him upright and head supported while leaving both your hands free.

Baby sounds tired
30 minutes is a normal wake time

Yeah I use the sling and baby carrier g cries but calms down after 5 minutes or so. So really hope the crying eases up especially for my 2 year old, I feel so bad I can't give her the attention

He sounds overtired. 20 minutes is a normal period to be awake at that age. After that he needs to be soothed to sleep, if necessary with a swaddle or in a calmer environment. I doubt it's reflux because I don't think you'd get the 20 mins alert and happy if so, plus you'd likely see other symptoms. Babies become more alert and sensitive to their environment at this stage and it's very common for overtiredness/overwhelm to kick in.

He fights his sleep so after about 30 mins he goes into meltdown and just won't calm down we try everything to sooth him, the reflux is certainly better because he's letting out kids of gas now. How does anyone go out? The idea of leaving the house just gives me anxiety because I just think he will start crying and won't stop so I'm pretty much house bound right now..

My 6 week old is also at peak crying at the moment and its really upsetting my 18 month old so I understand how you are feeling.

My 18 month old also did the same (actually far, far worse) at the same age though so I was prepared for it this time.

I'm using a combination of a stretchy sling and white noise depending on the time of day and what else i'm trying to do. Movement in general tends to help babies this age get to sleep so getting out of the house for a walk with the pram or baby in a sling might actually be the best thing. So what if the baby does cry for a bit, it won't sound as loud outside!

You know from your two year old that these difficult bits are only ever temporary. The amount of times over the last few weeks i've felt like bursting in to tears when both children are screaming their heads off at me and i don't know which one to see to first... you just have to jolly through it to a certain extent don't you or they break you

He fights his sleep so after about 30 mins he goes into meltdown and just won't calm down we try everything to sooth him

Also very common. Some babies are just very alert, get overwhelmed by their environments and don't sleep well. I've had two. They get better over time, and generally get better once you figure out a few strategies for helping them decompress/reducing sensory input. I swear by a firm swaddle and a soft sling.

Put baby in sling and go out. honestly being in the house just makes it worse. The movement soothes them, the fresh air and exercise helps you, and the crying sounds much less overwhelming in the open air.

The crying just makes me so anxious but I know I have to push through and leave the house eventually! My daughter was the complete opposite she never cried, total angel so this is new territory for me
The only thing that does calm him is a warm bath before bed and lavender oils

My tip is an exercise ball. Sling baby and bounce gently on ball while talking to/playing with your older child. Very soothing and you can keep it up for a long time.

I worry more for my 2 year old, I don't want her to dislike her brother or feel like we love her any less, my partner works very long shifts so if it wasn't for my mum I would be lost but I think I need to spend time just me and my daughter, my mum however struggles herself with the baby and all the crying so it's hard to find a balance

IF you can afford it go to a cranio-osteopath. If its pain/ discomfort they can sort it.