8 week old waking every 45 mins chewing on hands and then screaming

[SJMACC]

Hello!
Could someone offer any wise words or advice?

FTM here - My DS turns 8 weeks on Wednesday and over the past few days has been waking every 45 mins to an hour chewing on his hands, thrashing around his crib and then screaming.
Tried burping him more, made sure he’s fully fed before putting down, he doesn’t have a temperature and he’s usually a very placid baby. The only thing that calms him is breast feeding. He was previously been sleeping 4 hourly stretches and I need a break!
Any one got any ideas? Is he having a growth spurt and extra hungry? Thanks

I'm not sure but chewing on hands is either hunger or trying to self soothe.

Hi OP! Has he been weighed recently? Is he gaining weight okay? If so, I would try Infacol - it can really help settle the tummy. 8 weeks old is the peak of crying apparently.

He may be having a growth spurt, they can be very hungry for a few days until the milk supply increases.

Hello! Thanks for replies! Yes gaining weight nicely now, after a rough start! Ok will give infacol a go

Oh good, if you had a rough start do keep an eye on it just to make sure it’s going in the right direction, then you can rule out hunger (beyond the regular growth spurts I mean). Good luck!

Chewing on hands is usually hunger.

My son got like this around 8 weeks and I introduced 1 bottle of formula at bedtime, it really improved everything particularly my mental health. We continued breast feeding until he was 2.5 so it didn’t end that either. Not saying you have too but just a suggestion if it ever gets too much. Good luck, lack of sleep is awful!

@Onamissionn

Thanks- yes we actually started giving him a bottle at night to help with gaining weight and like you, it gave me a bit of a break and he seemed to sleep better with formula however he’s been doing this after the bottle too! I also started taking fenugreek to try and increase my milk supply so I could pump and build
Up a stash in the freezer, however just read that it can make babies really windy which may be the issue :( I feel awful and will stop taking it now!

Try a dummy? He may just need to suckle.