Baby Constantly Crying

[MuMmaOf3littles]

I have a 13wo and since around the 3 week mark he just doesn't appear content. Generally unless he's feeding, sleeping or being held (although sometimes this even enough) he is crying for a big part of the day; sometimes I get 10/15 minutes here or there where he's led down by me smiling away but that's it. I also have two other children; a 2yo and 4yo so I'm trying my best to divide my time between all three. I didn't have this with them so I'm at a loss but I am becoming exhausted by it. I just don't understand what I'm doing wrong or if there's something I'm missing and it's really starting to make me doubt myself as a Mum. I've spoken to my HV and she's just noted it as colic - he's showing no signs of illness or allergies, etc. If anyone has any advice I'd be grateful.

Does he sleep? Mine were like this when overtired

DD was like this and I spoke to GP and HV and they both said colic. She was often crying from about 6 weeks to pretty much 3 months, then she switched to being really pretty chill. I remember holding back tears talking to a GP just before and he said she'll hopefully be coming out of it any time then, and she really did. Fingers crossed you're almost at the end of this very trying time!

Mine was like this too. Turned out she had a milk allergy and silent reflux.

As others have said, could it be sleep? Mine was like this if overtired. I thought it was silent reflux but it all changed when I could get her to sleep more.
Sounds massively challenging though and you sound like you are doing so well with all three day in day out

@MuMmaOf3littles I could have written this post. I have an 11 week old who is healthy, breast fed, putting on weight but literally cries the entire time he is awake. GP and HV say he's healthy and fine but I cannot stand this much longer. Nothing stops him crying. I hate every second of being a mum and it's all I ever wanted.

I’m experiencing the exact same and whilst I have no advice, I thought I’d share my experience so far as a first time mum!

DD is 14 weeks tomorrow and has been crying when awake since she was 3 weeks old with the odd 10 minutes a day happy/smiley time.

I don’t believe this is the main cause of crying but worth mentioning - She was diagnosed with silent reflux by the GP at 6 weeks and prescribed Gaviscon and whilst this helped, it left her very constipated and that was then an issue in itself. She took the Gaviscon for 2 weeks, didn’t cry as much but still cried more often than not. You could see when she was being sick and that’s when she would cry but these days you can see when she’s being sick and she doesn’t cry so it can’t be bothering her like it used to.

Between weeks 10-13 she barely cried!!! It was like a miracle and we had the best 3 weeks!! I started enjoying being a mum for the first time! The only thing that was different in our day is that she was napping really well. She would go down for her nap without much help and would have a good hour or two each time, waking up happy with no fussing or crying until she was hungry.

And then this last week it feels like we’re back to square one and I’m lost. She will not nap despite me trying every “trick” and this in turn I think is the reason she’s crying again!

I’m hoping to master day time napping and this be the answer to all the crying xx

@Nsmum14

I had similar with my third baby when he was around that age, the age of the vaccinations really. Very unsettled, crying a lot. I felt he needed a lot of sleep, and struggled to stay asleep. It is hard when you've two older kids to run after, as well as the newborn. One day it started to get better, and I can barely remember how hard it was now. So there is a possibility that it is nothing much at all, some babies just cry a lot at that age. My little one is now a very happy 10 month old (though still needy a lot of the time, and a bad sleeper). Good luck, patience, and I'm sure baby's fine, it is you who is suffering.

I'd love to say it's only been since his vaccinations but it hasn't. He's just been a bit more unsettled this week since having his 2nd lot. I really hope he'll bypass this stage sooner rather than later if there's nothing wrong with him; which I don't think there is.

@crosbyrose

CMPA?

I've not heard of this sorry. What is it? Have you had a child/children who've had it?

@LapinR0se

Does he sleep? Mine were like this when overtired

He doesn't sleep too badly. Some days are better than others but the crying is consistent regardless of a decent amount of sleep or lack of

@PlantDoctor

DD was like this and I spoke to GP and HV and they both said colic. She was often crying from about 6 weeks to pretty much 3 months, then she switched to being really pretty chill. I remember holding back tears talking to a GP just before and he said she'll hopefully be coming out of it any time then, and she really did. Fingers crossed you're almost at the end of this very trying time!

Thank you for that. He hit 3 months old today. So I'd like to think he's past the worse of it but it's hard to imagine right now. I'm due to see my HV next week (I think) and as soon as she asks me how things are going I know I'm just not going to hold it together. I think this is the most I've ever struggled.

@nonotmenotI

Mine was like this too. Turned out she had a milk allergy and silent reflux.

Could I ask what other signs / symptoms your child / children had too?

@makinganavalon

As others have said, could it be sleep? Mine was like this if overtired. I thought it was silent reflux but it all changed when I could get her to sleep more. Sounds massively challenging though and you sound like you are doing so well with all three day in day out

I'm really not sure. His sleeping isn't too bad. He definitely has good days and bad days but his crying/behaviour seems the same regardless.

[quote 37TTCLeeds]@MuMmaOf3littles I could have written this post. I have an 11 week old who is healthy, breast fed, putting on weight but literally cries the entire time he is awake. GP and HV say he's healthy and fine but I cannot stand this much longer. Nothing stops him crying. I hate every second of being a mum and it's all I ever wanted. [/quote]
I really feel for you. I'm resenting being a Mum right now (which I hate feeling so much). I'm just trying and trying with everything I have and I'm doing so much of it on my own along with my other two children. I really don't have a break from it as I have no help from any family. I don't think I'd feel half as bad as I do if I could just have a bit of a time out.

@HJFTM

I’m experiencing the exact same and whilst I have no advice, I thought I’d share my experience so far as a first time mum!

DD is 14 weeks tomorrow and has been crying when awake since she was 3 weeks old with the odd 10 minutes a day happy/smiley time.

I don’t believe this is the main cause of crying but worth mentioning - She was diagnosed with silent reflux by the GP at 6 weeks and prescribed Gaviscon and whilst this helped, it left her very constipated and that was then an issue in itself. She took the Gaviscon for 2 weeks, didn’t cry as much but still cried more often than not. You could see when she was being sick and that’s when she would cry but these days you can see when she’s being sick and she doesn’t cry so it can’t be bothering her like it used to.

Between weeks 10-13 she barely cried!!! It was like a miracle and we had the best 3 weeks!! I started enjoying being a mum for the first time! The only thing that was different in our day is that she was napping really well. She would go down for her nap without much help and would have a good hour or two each time, waking up happy with no fussing or crying until she was hungry.

And then this last week it feels like we’re back to square one and I’m lost. She will not nap despite me trying every “trick” and this in turn I think is the reason she’s crying again!

I’m hoping to master day time napping and this be the answer to all the crying xx

Thank you for that. When I next see my HV I think I'm going to mention silent reflux (although I'm definitely expecting to be told colic again). I hope you get things sorted soon and hopefully your little back into a little routine with sleep! Xx

My 3rd was very much a crier. It's so hard on you
Screamed at every opportunity.
When he could move around more and do things,he morphed into the happiest boy ever!

Went down all the avenues- Colic, reflux, cmpa. Special milk and meds did help his tummy issues slightly, but I think he just hated being a baby

Sounds like silent reflux. Poor baby.

Both mine cried (what seemed like) all the time at that age. I found it exhausting and worrying. No cause found. I couldn’t believe other people’s babies just sitting, sleeping, smiling…

@MuMmaOf3littles. How's baby now, have you persisted with a GP and got a diagnosis /investigation under way? Xx

CMPA - Mucusy poo, loud stomach noises that woke from naps and would be painful
Reflux - milk sick after feeds
Silent reflux - crying in pain during naps, moving mouth like they had a bad taste in mouth during a nap, probably the stomach acids coming up, it'd cause pain and crying and disturb naps to.

How did you get on with the GP? @MuMmaOf3littles

My baby is the same, he is 14 weeks and since 2.5 weeks it's as if he can't be awake without crying. He's a good sleeper both at night and during the day but he's never happy for more than 15mins at a time I'd say. Same as you, we've just been told it's colic by both the HV and GP.
He's been FF since birth so I tried him on comfort milk around 8 weeks as I was really struggling. My partner works away so I'm alone with him for 2 weeks at a time. It made a difference for a couple of weeks although he still cried a lot! One week ago I moved him on to HIPP organic and it has made a big difference. Could just be a coincidence but the past few days he's been awake for an hour or so before the crying starts and is much easier to entertain and been smiley. We add carobel in to it too as I suspected could possibly be silent reflux but the doctor just kept saying colic.

What milk is he on? Have you tried changing it to see if it makes a difference?

That's so tough OP my DS was similar until just under 4 months old - I don't think there was anything specific we did differently but that's when things improved seemingly out of nowhere. We got him a play gym/mat which sometimes keeps him occupied.

It is frustrating to not have an answer but in a way out did help to know that there wasn't anything wrong with him...and an increase in my antidepressants helped too. Please talk to your GP if your mental health is suffering or at risk. As they say, sometimes the only way out, is through

Hi OP

My baby is exactly the same so I just hold or carry all the time because I think that's basically what my baby needs. Baby can't tolerate being laid down and has all naps as contact naps. Almost all of the time being held does the trick so it isn't silent reflux in my case. So I empathise!

Posted too soon sorry!

How did you get on with the GP for silent reflux assessment?

Hi OP, hope your baby is more settled. Just came on to say it sounds like silent reflux to me too. DS1 had it and I thought I was losing my mind with him not sleeping and constantly crying. He would arch his back and fight almost after a bottle, even hours later he would still swallow back what I assume is acid. We moved to ranitidine, gaviscon didn't do much - think omeprazol is also prescribed a lot now. Made such a difference. Keep pushing for help, it is so tough!

My son had an undiagnosed cows milk allergy for the first 16 months of his life... and even now, at 3, it still hasn't been officially diagnosed. I just pieced things together and realised it myself. Luckily he is only allergic to cows milk itself and not yoghurts (perhaps cheese, but he doesn't eat it so I can't find out!)

He was constantly brushed off as just having colic, or having "behavioural issues" (how can an infant have behavioural issues? How can 16-month-olds have behavioural issues?!), or me being a "paranoid first-time mum".

Anyway, my point is - if it's been going on for 10 weeks and it's still getting brushed off, go to your GP and refuse to move until they see you and listen to you properly. Or, turn up every day until they listen to you.