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.

All mine had silent reflux and a milk allergy. I gave them Zantac and neocate milk and carried them in a sling until they grew out of it.
It’s very hard. All the best.

Sounds really like a milk allergy, I had two with that and it really just does lead to hours and hours of crying as the milk gives them stomach ache, so because they are always feeding (as little) they basically have 24 hr stomach pain. If you GP wont consider it, you can just buy some hydrolysed formula and give it a week of trial yourself. Hydrolysed formula has the proteins broken into tiny pieces so that the baby’s immune system doesnt recognise them and react. You can buy it yourself privately and if it works (need a two week trial minimum) then you can go to the doctor with the evidence and get it on prescription going forward (also get a referral to a pediatric allergist).

I’m sorry I didn’t respond to this until now! It’s cows milk protein allergy. Yes, my DD was unsettled from birth. Was always unhappy, crying and whinging when she was awake but didn’t have any typical symptoms of cmpa such as a rash or vomiting or mucus in her poo although she did get occasionally constipated. Tried everything and nothing worked.
Everyone told me she would just get better with age but by 7 months she was just as bad if not worse (probably due to starting weaning) so I reached out to the HV for support. They diagnosed her with CMPA and she’s been on Nutramigen formula and a dairy free diet ever since and she is much improved.

Sorry haven’t read all of this!

Crying/ being unsettled is most definitely a sign of CMPA. It’s very common but always gets written off as colic! My first DD cried all day everyday!

Give up dairy and soy too if you are breastfeeding. If you are using formula or don’t want to give up milk then ask the doctor for Nutrimigen milk- insist as they will most likely try to fob you off with reflux meds. It helps if you just say you want to trial it and go from there.

I have 5 week old twins with no issues- they cry when they are wet, hungry or need a nappy change and it’s amazing. I didn’t realise how hard it was the first time. It’s not you!

Any chance it could be teething? My DS1 cut his first tooth before 4 months and cried a fair bit in the weeks before but we could tell it was very different from the colic which had stopped at 11/12 weeks.

Just an update to those who asked how I've got on recently. My LO is now 15w and he's gotten worse not better. I THINK he has CMPA and that's just from researching his symptoms myself. His nappies are now resembling a thick diarrhea (and sometimes runnier too) and at least half are now a green colour. He's vomiting a great deal after every feed (he's formula fed). First bout within 2/3 minutes after finishing and then 2/3 bouts up until his next feed. They're large amounts of vomit and on at least half of the bouts he's crying with it. He passes a decent amount of gas, as a lot of babies do but he seems to have a lot of discomfort with it. He sounds pretty congested but he definitely doesn't have a cold and hasn't done for some time. He's still incredibly fussy for a big part of the day and my God he can scream for a big part of this. He's been like this since 3w old and this hasn't changed. As I said in my OP my HV diagnosed colic but I'm definitely not confident it's that but instead he is suffering from CMPA or something else is going on. He's seeing a doctor today (after having a ridiculous wait for him to see one) so hopefully I get something sorted. Will update again when I get an answer.

Also, I'm wondering if those with babies who have / had CMPA, are my LO symptoms the same as what yours have had? Or if not what symptoms have appeared?

@MuMmaOf3littles. Wow can't believe it's taken so long to get a GP appt. Please do a quick online complaint to the Care Quality Commission and berate them on every platform possible, nhs reviews, their own Facebook page etc.

[quote FredaFroo2]@MuMmaOf3littles. Wow can't believe it's taken so long to get a GP appt. Please do a quick online complaint to the Care Quality Commission and berate them on every platform possible, nhs reviews, their own Facebook page etc.[/quote]
I know. Its absolutely ridiculous and the fact being he's so young too! I'll be making a formal complaint tomorrow and I'll be looking at changing to a different doctors practise now too.

An update from todays appointment - the doctor has agreed his symptoms are pointing to either CMPA or reflux. He said they both show very similar symptoms so hard to distinguish which one he has, or he could have both. To begin with we're going to look at CMPA. So my LO has been prescribed Alimentum milk. I'll be picking it up tomorrow and he needs to trial it for 4 weeks.

Oh so glad your en route to finding out what's wrong and stopping the pain in your little one xxx

So glad. Hope he is feeling better soon

How are things now OP? My LO is exactly the same, nearly 16 weeks old now and been going on since around week 2-3. Been to the GP and HV countless times and being treated for CMPA and reflux with no improvement. Everyone keeps saying it will get easier but it seems to still be getting worse :(

@Peaplant20

How are things now OP? My LO is exactly the same, nearly 16 weeks old now and been going on since around week 2-3. Been to the GP and HV countless times and being treated for CMPA and reflux with no improvement. Everyone keeps saying it will get easier but it seems to still be getting worse :(

Hi! Still not much better. I'm in the exact same boat as you. He was being treated for CMPA originally but with no improvement. Now looking at the reflux side of it and still no improvement. I'm going to finish this course of medication and I'll be taking him straight back to the GP to see what is going to happen next as I'm not prepared to let it carry on as it is. I'm not even sure what the next step is but I'll be keeping on until I get something sorted and him a happier boy. I hope it gets better for you soon! I know exactly how you're feeling x

@MuMmaOf3littles how're u getting on?