My baby literally won’t stop screaming! Help!

[Flappityflippers1]

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?!

"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."

Exactly this. I could have written it myself word for word. DC1 had non-ige allergies to dairy and soya. DC2 is allergic to both of those plus egg (and I suspect a couple of other things too).

OP, make sure you are completely dairy and soya free (soya can be in a lot of unexpected things, annoyingly) and keep a food and symptom diary. The most common allergens in babies - apart from dairy and soya - are eggs and wheat, so keep an eye on those. Otherwise the diary should give you clues.

I don't think it's "just" reflux because the frothy poos are a giveaway sign for us (both DCs also got awful nappy rash that was resistant to various creams).

I am extremely skeptical when people refer to "colic" because while I understand that some babies might just cry for no apparent reason, I think it's common for things like reflux and allergies to be dismissed as colic.

I think 5 to 7 weeks is peak crying. I remember reading a lot about when it would pass!

The consultant first floated the idea that he could have silent reflux my response was SILENT?? he was umm its just what we erm call it umm (my eyes were apparently boring into him) he gave us gaviscon ds was happier but not happy? So he instructed us to wean early he was a bit better he is 12 and still occasionally on gaviscon his acid reflux never really left him

A year of colic, holy moly!! 😅

Playing the womb sounds now after his bath and warm milk, he’s asleep but very chatty (like a velociraptor!) also swaddled him.

I’ve dug my diary out and will start keeping the diary - I’m pretty hot on what has milk and soya in as DS1 is allergic to both. I eat quite a lot of eggs so I’ll make that the first one to focus on I think.

Thanks so much again everyone for the support, suggestions and solidarity! It’s good to hear it will get easier.

Good luck op please do report back with how you get on and if you find any link with the egg; I’m studying a certificate atm in infant allergies so always eager for real life experiences. A vegan for you

It will pass eventually. Both mine were like this in the evenings. Witching hours. It’s bloody hard though

Well it was overall a better night all around! His bath calmed him right down, and he then had his milk. When he went into his carrycot we played the womb sounds and he dropped off at 10pm.

Then didn’t wake until 1.30!!!

He was up every hour from then on, but I’ll take a 3.5 hour stretch 🥂

@HanarCantWearSweaters I’ve been Googling vegan cake recipes today 😂

That fact that it happens regularly for a fixed period time makes me think it might be colic.

One of mine was colicky and started screaming around 5pm, finishing about 8. Poor kid. I had medicine which I gave but it had a limited effect. The colic began at 3-4 weeks.

It passed at three months of age.

I'd be inclined to stop the gaviscon and try infacol for wind.
(The two would work against each other I believe)

Stop the Gaviscon. My dd was given it for reflux, and it made her 100000 times worse, she was inconsolable, to the point she cried so much at the doctor they sent me to emergency. Gaviscon can dry them out so much they can't pass wind, she was in agony.

For the sake of balance... Gaviscon didn't help DC1 when his reflux was at its worst, and made him constipated, but it has helped DC2 when she's having a flare-up, and no constipation touch wood. For her it seems to ease the symptoms - although we don't need it when we have eliminated the root cause (by cutting out allergens), it is helpful when needed.

I always think it's best to rule out allergies rather than just giving medication (which might be needed too, of course, but not always).

Yes we’ve stopped the gaviscon as it wasn’t helping at all anyway. He does get bad wind so will get some infacol - does anyone know if that’s ok when using carobel? (We haven’t used the carobel and gaviscon together as per the instructions, but started using it again now we’ve ditched gaviscon)

I’ve stopped eggs today - so will see if that helps over the next few weeks too.

Pre kids and with DS1 I always thought colic was BS and there would always be an underlying reason 😬 I’m eating my words now with this one! With my eldest and his allergies, while he was worse at night, he was awful through the day too, had hives, projectile vomiting, bloody mucousy poo etc. DS2 is fine through the day, it’s just when he hits evening 🤔

I really do appreciate all the suggestions and advice 🙏

There’s no known relative contraindications for the use of Carobel & infacol together afaik Anecdotally some people find that thickeners can make trapped gas worse, perhaps it may have an effect on the efficacy of the simethicone working through the feed as the bubbles may move differently through thickened gastric contents?
Apologies if this is something you already do, but I find windy babies work well with the left leaning shoulder hold. Facing you, abdomen in the centre of your chest, baby’s head on your right shoulder so that baby is tipped slightly to the left. The stomach is asymmetrical with the sphincter to the oesophagus off to one side rather than straight up, so gas bubbles rising straight up can get stuck at the top. A nice tilt can help them come up a bit easier

I’ve not come across the left leaning hold but will absolutely try that today. He was horrific last night - fine in his usual screaming period of 8-midnight and slept. But it all went to shit after his feed when he woke at 1 - he didn’t settle and go back to sleep until 5am

Hi everyone,

I’ve had some support tonight from our local breastfeeding team as I was at my wits end. They suspect I have thrush and/or mastitis (I think she said sub clinical but not quite sure what that means).

Going the GP on Tuesday to have swabs done to confirm the thrush, and will also be getting the prescription for omaperazole - hopefully light at the end of the tunnel 😓

Aw hope you get it sorted soon. You're going through the mill.

OP you've literally described my 5 week old and omeprazole and seeing a baby chiropractor has changed my life. (Pricey but worth it in my opinion and I'm not exactly one to splurge but I was utterly desperate).
Still a working progress but my god 100x better than it was. I didn't realize how badly it was affecting my mental health.

Also - I use carobel and infacol for night feeds which seems to be helping and no adverse affects.
I switched to comfort milk too and baby is definitely a lot happier on that.

@zippityzip yes we use carobel and introduced gripe water two days ago which has made a noticeable improvement.

I’m glad your LO is happier - it’s so hard when they can’t tel us what’s wrong!

Hope you keep seeing an improvement OP for yourself and DC, it’s rotten when you’re ill yourself, you must feel just beyond it