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Original poster

My baby literally won’t stop screaming! Help!

95 replies

Flappityflippers1 · 26/04/2021 22:34

I’m at my wits end - my 5 week old will not stop screaming

He’s had his milk - he’s fed on demand
We’ve winded him
Gave him gaviscon (as suspected silent reflux, GP prescribed today)
We pace his bottles (fed expressed breastmilk if it makes a difference). He does get breastfed too but is refusing and screaming even more.
He’s not too hot or cold
Clean bum
I’ve checked no loose threads wrapped around toes
He’s been cuddled
Been in the carrier
In the pram
Put down in cot
Played white noise
Rocked/bounced him
Not a milk allergy as I’m fully cow milk free
He’s pooped fine today and wet nappies as normal

He’ll stop screaming for a few mins, then start back up. I’m certain it isn’t something to call 111 about or else I wouldn’t be on a forum. He’s got no symptoms/signs etc, temp normal. I will of course be calling GP back if gaviscon fails to help over the next few days.

This happens every evening pretty much from 8pm until midnight, then he’ll be up every 1-1.5 hours through the night.

Any ideas? Is it literally just “colic”? Any magic suggestions to calm him down?!

OP posts:
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Clownpanda · 27/04/2021 09:12

My first was like this. She got so much better at around 12 weeks, and from that point until toddlerhood was actually quite an 'easy' baby. I'll never forget those newborn days though.

My second was nowhere near as bad.

Good luck OP, so many of us have been there and got through it and you will too!

Original poster
Flappityflippers1 · 27/04/2021 14:05

Thank you all so much for the solidarity 🙏❤️

OP posts:
Vicky1989x · 27/04/2021 14:17

My DD was like this. I went into the kitchen with her whilst she was screaming and the extractor fan was on... she instantly fell asleep. I’ve use white noise ever since!

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Original poster
Flappityflippers1 · 27/04/2021 18:49

Annnnd he’s off again! Argh! However - we have a plan. I’m going to put our eldest to bed, while DH stays with baby. Then when I come down we will swap, DH is going to bed for some sleep and I’m going to stay downstairs with baby, give him a bath, warm milk, white noise and walk around with him in the carrier in the garden if needed . Then when I’ve had enough we’ll swap back until he settled for the night - wish us luck!

OP posts:
AliceW89 · 27/04/2021 19:21

Oh my goodness, reading this thread has bought back some truly awful memories. You have my complete sympathy and solidarity. DS did exactly the same from weeks 4 to 13 ish. He’d get cranky at about 2pm and then start screaming at about 4pm until 10pm. It was completely and utterly draining. Interestingly he does have reflux but this was just barn door ‘colic’/purple crying (purplecrying.info/what-is-the-period-of-purple-crying.php) The reflux is different - he still gets it now (10 months) and it’s more of a sudden intermittent high pitched screech with an associated vomit. Not the continuation crying like this is.

I used to pop him in the sling and sway outside (it was late spring/summer) with Bob Marley playing LOUD (god knows what the neighbours thought). Weird but it seemed to help. In the evenings it’s okay to pop some headphones in yourself while you are wearing/holding him. It used to help my mental health a bit drowning out the noise. I also used to feed him in the bath. Would help a fraction but sadly it would often start up again as he was getting changed.

If he’s not gaining weight/not peeing/not pooing/bringing up +++ milk a chat with the GP might be a good idea. Otherwise look after yourself and know it will get better x

Wombatt · 27/04/2021 19:25

I've had 3 with silent reflux and by the second one I wouldn't even try gaviscon. It's an utter fob off. Insist on omelrozole and make sure they monitor the dose as it needs changing frequently as they grow.

CustardCreamm · 27/04/2021 19:31

Mine were like this and turned out they had CMPA - may be worth looking into!

Wombatt · 27/04/2021 19:31

Things that helped:
White noise utterly blaring, bouncing on a yoga ball, going outside and walking in the carrier, laying him to sleep on his belly if I was right there to watch him, pedalling his legs to get any leftover air moving, never laying flat and getting a wedge on Amazon for nappy changes, baby massage, bathing with him on my chest, standing in the shower holding him. But really the meds need sorting NOW. Go back. Be firm. Ask for omeprozole.

goldfinchfan · 27/04/2021 19:32

I would suggest a homeopath because they can do wonders with babies who have any kind of digestive issues or simply discomfort but being babies they cry.
A homeopathic remedy cannot harm your baby.

He will grow through this stage and be a happy baby,

I would be slightly wary of a medication as you cannot be certain of avoiding side effects.

CustardCreamm · 27/04/2021 19:33

@CustardCreamm

Mine were like this and turned out they had CMPA - may be worth looking into!

Ignore me, sorry just saw you are dairy-free! Agree with others about reflux, we also had this and Omeprazole did help!

ScrollingLeaves · 27/04/2021 19:33

OP
“This happens every evening pretty much from 8pm until midnight, then he’ll be up every 1-1.5 hours through the night.”

I think it is very difficult but you are not alone.

Have you tried swaddling? A “Sleepy Head”?
A dummy?

Certain holds etc to do post feeding ( I have forgotten) but I think you can find on /line?

Wombatt · 27/04/2021 19:37

Yes! Rugby ball hold! Another good one.

Cannotgarden · 27/04/2021 19:38

Given the history of allergies I'd say allergy if a prime suspect. My first had cmpa and soya allergies like yours but my second has those as well as egg and a few others. Some he's already grown out of but I had to do a TED to work them out.

Original poster
Flappityflippers1 · 27/04/2021 19:56

Yes we’ve been swaddling today and will do tonight to see if that helps. I actually broke all safe sleep rules last night and put him in the sleep pod, he was no different - I’ve been co sleeping anyway as that always worked a charm with my first, this one doesn’t care 🙈. I’ve got his carrycot elevated on the stand for tonight so hoping that will help.

He seems to like tiger in tree hold for a few minutes - also like the suggestion of putting headphones in, I’m going to tell DH that one right now!

I’ve just completed the GP econsult form to ask for omeprazole - our GP is usually really good with stuff like this so shouldn’t be a problem.

@Cannotgarden I’ve gone through our food today to note anything with soya, we really don’t have anything in with it. I have been wondering if it might be egg though - I’ll start a food diary and see if there’s any link.

”THIS TOO SHALL PASS, THIS TOO SHALL PASS”

Isn’t it amazing how you block out what the newborn stage was like!

OP posts:
Skyla2005 · 27/04/2021 20:04

That's the classic time in the evening for colic have you tried gripe water ? Doesn't normally get better till they start on solids

McPancreas · 27/04/2021 20:06

I feel your pain, our DS screamed most of his waking hours and despite going through every conceivable reason/nonsense colic treatment (cranial osteopathy is a joke) it was just something he grew out of after a year.

Pushed us both to the edge! I would say once you have eliminated medical causes you just have to find coping mechanisms to get through this time, I used ear plugs and occasionally giving myself a few minutes away from the screaming baby in a safe pace.

Theunamedcat · 27/04/2021 20:12

Tummy tub i see your already doing tiger in the tree try bath in a bucket it was a lifesaver with ds2 he would happily Bob in a tummytub when I took him.out he would scream again but we got some piece and quiet

The consultant had me wean him early because he was so bad

June628 · 27/04/2021 20:13

I haven’t RTFT so sorry if this has been mentioned but have you heard of “purple crying”? Really helped me deal with this stage for some reason. Just repeat it’s just a phase

AliceW89 · 27/04/2021 20:15

A year of colic!? Oh my goodness I feel so so sorry for you. 12 weeks almost ended me. Well done for getting through x

AliceW89 · 27/04/2021 20:16

Oops above was in response to @McPancreas x

June628 · 27/04/2021 20:16

@Skyla2005

That's the classic time in the evening for colic have you tried gripe water ? Doesn't normally get better till they start on solids
Not my experience at all. Crying in the evening for no apparent reason for my DD ended around 6-8 weeks.
user1477249785 · 27/04/2021 20:16

I had this with DD. Posted about it on here at the time. It wasn't until she turned six months and we started her on food and she had a massive and immediate reaction to cows milk that we realised what was going on. I was breastfeeding her but the milk I was drinking was passing through my milk enough to really unsettle her. I suggest you try an elimination diet of each of the major allergens from your own diet. Good luck. I remember how awful this was.

sipsmith1 · 27/04/2021 20:19

We had this and it was also reflux. One day she just stopped. We used to take turns walking up and down the stairs with her because it was the only thing that stopped it!

Tangledtresses · 27/04/2021 20:20

Colic!!! My son had it and then I stretched his feeds out to at least 2/3 hours between each one
It went phew 😅
Took a few days though....
If he started crying an hour after a feed he was actually tired and had a quick nap... distract with nappy change and a bit of bouncing on my knee afterwards..
bouncing on knee involved me sitting out on the floor with his legs astride one of mine and hold him at the front and he used to sort of bounce... good luck 🤞

User0ne · 27/04/2021 20:24

Ds2 was like this for the first 6m, suspected silent reflux.

Things that helped

  • tiger in the tree hold
  • walking/bouncing around outside in the sling
-being held upright for 45-60mins after every nightime feed (I had a pillow arrangement that had me sitting up holding him whilst asleep - yes against all the guidelines but everyone needs to sleep)