Please help. Baby won't feed or stop crying

[blowyernose]

This is very out of character for my baby. She's 4 months old but 6 week prem if that's relevant. From yesterday she's been crying like mad and not settling down. Hours will go by before she feeds and we have been giving her calpol because there must be something wrong with her. She has no temperature, no cough/cold/rash or anything that you would normally look for. She's kicking and screaming and hardly has a voice left. I thought maybe a sore throat. I'm away from home visiting my mum and don't know what to do. This is so unlike her and she won't take her bottle. She's not being sick (anymore than usual) and seems ok when she eventually takes her bottle. When she has been calm and I've changed her nappy she doesn't seem in pain so her body doesn't seem in pain. Any ideas? My mum is saying I need to ring someone professional for help but there no temp or anything. She's been pooping ok too. Any ideas? Please do help.

If she’s not taking feeds and very unsettled I would certainly get her checked. Call 111. A doctor will always want to see a baby that age if you have concerns

Hi OP, is she napping as normal?
If not Google 4 month sleep regression...

I’m up baby- feeding too so although I don’t have much to offer by way of help, didn’t want to read and run. Poor you, this sounds so distressing. It could be the beginning of teething- my DD had a bout of unexplained crying about 2 months before her first tooth appeared. I’d give the HV a call later and obvs keep checking for a rash etc

Thanks I am thinking about calling someone. She's falling asleep now and hasn't fed. She fed 5.5 hours ago. Trying to feed her now she's calm but no luck.

I don't think it's sleep regression because she's literally going nuts.

Also a sleep regression wouldn't stop her feeding surely?

If she's falling asleep now then I'd leave her to settle. It sounds like she's in pain somewhere.

Is she bringing up any wind?

I agree with the pp that suggested teething. How are her nappies? Is there any nappy rash?

When she wakes up check there's no thread around her toes (weird I know but some sleepsuits have tiny threads that can get wrapped round little toes.

My other suggestion is that she's overtired. Did you do anything yesterday like swimming? The worst night I ever had with my eldest was after I'd taken him swimming for the first time. His muscles must have been aching and he was exhausted. He just cried and cried.

If she's still this unsettled tomorrow then I think 111 or your local GP for advice. How far away are you from home?

Definitely get her checked - 111 as a starting point. Just a thought given you’re at your mums, there isn’t something different environmentally that might be unsettling her (being too hot or cold, being passed around, TV being on, too much / little noise compared to home). Just a thought. Hope she settles OP, really tough x

@LatteLover12

If she's falling asleep now then I'd leave her to settle. It sounds like she's in pain somewhere.

Is she bringing up any wind?

I agree with the pp that suggested teething. How are her nappies? Is there any nappy rash?

When she wakes up check there's no thread around her toes (weird I know but some sleepsuits have tiny threads that can get wrapped round little toes.

My other suggestion is that she's overtired. Did you do anything yesterday like swimming? The worst night I ever had with my eldest was after I'd taken him swimming for the first time. His muscles must have been aching and he was exhausted. He just cried and cried.

If she's still this unsettled tomorrow then I think 111 or your local GP for advice. How far away are you from home?

I'm 2 hours away from home. I'll check her sleep suit for threads thank you. She's spent a long time in the car. On Sunday we had a day out that involved a long car journey but long for her I mean. I'd say 2.5 hours max each way. On the way back we stopped off for a break. Then 2 hours to get here yesterday (Tuesday). But she was unsettled all Monday too. I would think she would feed though. It's so odd. She's dropping off to sleep but I don't think for long considering it's coming up to 6 hours since she last fed.

I remember my son being like this. No temperature or anything, just screaming blue murder and not feeding. I only realised it was his ear when I found loads of gunk on the mattress! I’ve never felt so guilty. Def get checked out, it could be ear, throat, urine infection.

@puffylovett

I remember my son being like this. No temperature or anything, just screaming blue murder and not feeding. I only realised it was his ear when I found loads of gunk on the mattress! I’ve never felt so guilty. Def get checked out, it could be ear, throat, urine infection.

A very good point. I guess I'd need to call 111 as I'm away fro home just now huh. Thanks this is really helpful

Is she having wet nappies? If not feeding and not weeing you also need to watch out for dehydration. Definitely get seen, always better safe than sorry with a small baby.

You’re Mum right.

I would read up about the witching hours before giving your child medication she might not need
Also she might not like the milk ? Has that changed and also very young baby to be away from home and that also very long car trips for such a young baby
Her routine environment all changed it gonna have affect on her behaviour

@toddlingtwo

Is she having wet nappies? If not feeding and not weeing you also need to watch out for dehydration. Definitely get seen, always better safe than sorry with a small baby.

I think they have been wet. But I'll check when she wakes again thanks.

In small babies the most important thing to look for is nappy output. Wet nappies being the main one, so is she weeing. Dehydration is the biggest concern if not feeding. I agree with others your best port of call if your away from home is 111. They will advise you and get you any help you need.

@BonnieMcflurry

I would read up about the witching hours before giving your child medication she might not need Also she might not like the milk ? Has that changed and also very young baby to be away from home and that also very long car trips for such a young baby Her routine environment all changed it gonna have affect on her behaviour

Her milk has changed but she has had a whole tub and is half way through this one too before she's starting to get upset so I don't think that's it. I'll read about the witching hours but she's been like this since Monday but definitely moe agitated tonight.

I don't necessarily agree that changing environment at this age would have such a big impact on a small baby. There whole world is their mum at this and they are normally quite portable when very young. It may affect some babies but I never found this to be a problem until they where a bit older and more aware of their environment.

Could baby be suffering from colic or trapped wind.. I have 1 month old baby and she sometimes cries after her feed but once she's burped she feels better.

I wouldn’t delay with this one OP. The irritability and reduced feeding rings alarm bells for me and I would phone 111 and get her seen ASAP.

Trust your instincts, best to get checked out like you are. Hope she settles down.

My first thought was teething - both mine were really distressed when teething.
That being said, if you’re worried then it wouldn’t be a bad idea to ring 111 for advice.

How long has it been since she has fed properly? If its been longer than a night's sleep and still won't feed I would definitely be ringing 111 even if she is asleep now. She might just be asleep out of pure exhaustion but she still needs to be woken to eat if its been a long time since she ate, she could become dehydrated.

Echo what PP said about 111 as she's still little and never any harm to ask for advice. However, just wanted to say; a few weeks ago my DS (just turned 5 months) started doing this awful new high-pitched cry out of the blue one night. Turned out he had started teething and we had also hit the 4 month sleep regression around the same time so he was chronically overtired as well. I think this combo was too much for him & went off his feeds and just cried a lot for a few days, especially at night. Just a thought but maybe check her gums just to make sure? Hope she is ok

If you're worried enough to post for advice in the middle of the night then I think it warrants a call to 111. Hopefully it's just teeth but it's so hard to tell when they're so small and she's obviously very distressed about something. Is the calpol helping at all?