grumpy baby???

[sweetkitty]

Another new mum question...... DD nearly 8 weeks old she eats and sleeps well but she is really grumpy. When she wakes she gets the usual nappy change, feed etc but then she will cry and winge for ages afterwards, she isn't hungry but she doesn't seem to settle and be content to look around or play. She makes loads of noise and cries out and is always waving her legs and arms in the air. She even does it in her sleep.

Is this normal/will she grow out of it? I'm worried because I just want to make her happy?

Do you leave her flat on her back, maybe she has wind and would prefer to be in a bouncy chair or a swing??

My dd had bad wind and colic and lived in a swing for about 5 months!!

Does she look like she's in pain? Could it be wind? My dd (and my ds) cried quite a bit in the first few weeks - it does get better!

Have you thought about trying cranial osteopathy? Works wonders for some (do a search on mumsnet for it).

wow thanks for the quick response don't think it's wind she's very good in that department (always burping and farting bless her)

she goes in bouncy chair for about 10 minutes and gets fed up with that

it's not a constant cry more loads of "urgh" noises and the odd "where are you shreak?" wouldn't say it's like she's in pain more liked she's fed up

does that make any sense at all???

Sounds fairly normal to me - when dd was very little she wanted to be held virtually all the time - maybe your dd is the same?

thanks even when you are holding her she gets bored after 10 minutes and starts sqirming and makes a lot of noise but if you change position with her you get another 10 minutes before she starts up again, maybe it's just her personality I don't know???

My ds1 (now 6) was a really grumpy baby - as soon as he was able to smile it was a real effort on our part to get him to! With him i think it may have been a personality thing as he can be a bit grumpy even now at times - but mainly totally normal and full of fun!

Maybe baby massage would help...

Thanks again I am going to take her to baby massage soon.

I think it will get better when she can do more, she seems to get frustrated with herself. She's fine with getting her nappy changed/baths so I don't know!

dd now 15 weeks was grumpy until 8 weeks old. i noticed that once she learnt to do something new she would be happy for a bit. she cried all the time and i couldnt figure out what i was doing wrong. But she just changed overnight. Even now though she gets frustrated if she cant do things. ie now hates her play gym as she cries because the things dont come off. Shes far happier on the floor with nothing above her. Maybe your dd will get happier as she gets more aware of the surroundings and can move more.

sweetkitty - this really rings bells for me - my dd was pretty cross with the world as a young baby. I remember looking at friends' placid babies with envy as dd protested and squirmed and squealed and screamed unless rocked or pushed in the pushchair. Evenings were particularly bad. Magically at 3 months she became much happier, and from then on she was the most extraordinarily easily pleased and jolly baby! She's now 2 and still absolutely charming. Since then I've heard quite a few people say how grumpy their baby was in the early months.

We found dd responded best to being cuddled lots and loved being rocked in someone's arms or over someone's shoulder. She also was happy being pushed in the pushchair, though would holler if it came to a standstill!

The best advice I have is that it does get better!

Sweetkitty - I'm with Pidge on this one; sometimes it's just part of their character. Ds1 was a very grumpy baby: If there was something specific 'wrong' we never found out. He was just a high-maintenance, generally unsettled, demanding baby. DS2 was the complete opposite - very laidback, very settled and calm.