First time mum at her wits end!! 😫

[KatM93]

Hi everyone, not sure what I’m after here maybe some advice or reassurance.

Im a first time mum and my LG is currently 5 months old. She’s breastfed and always been a content happy baby, however in the past couple of weeks it’s completely changed. She’s never happy and always screaming. I can hardly put her down in her chair during the day anymore to even pop to the loo. She used to be happy going to anyone but recently will scream whenever she’s passed over. She alternated between settling for me or my husband. I’m finding it all a bit exhausting. I have the wonder weeks app and it says that she’s going through a growth spurt but it’s coming to the end and she’s still unhappy. Breastfeeding has always been difficult for us for many reasons but a month or so ago we got the hang of it but now she’s constantly head butting or smacking my boob when feeding. I don’t know what to do to make her happy and I feel like I’m missing something, can anyone offer any advise or reassurance to a desperate mum x

Is she teething?

I’m not sure, she’s always got her fists in her mouth or her feet and the past couple of night her cheeks have been red and hot but no temp or anything. Does that sound like teething? What can I do for her if it is?

Sounds exactly like teething. My baby loved having this rubbed over their gums www.ashtonandparsons.co.uk/our-remedies/teething-gel/

teething toys in the fridge help as well www.boots.com/nuby-icybite-teething-keys-10102086

this first toothbrush and tether set got a lot of use in our house. Teeth brushing is good for pre bed time routine too, even if it’s not proper www.boots.com/brush-baby-my-first-brush-and-teether-set-10215600

teething is the worst, sometimes mine would just cry for two hours and there was nothing to be done, had given calpol and all the items already.

Baby nurofen - much better for teething than calpol. It definitely sounds like teething.

Maybe it's teething but also around 6 months separation anxiety starts to set in. I had the most relaxed baby till he was six months. We used to call him little Buddha. At six months it all changed. He became extremely clingy, stopped sleeping well at night and just wanted to he carried all the time.

For us he's just now starting to relax a little bit (at ten months).

It does sound like yours is teething though based on your update.

Teething x

definitely sounds like teething, and smacking the boob is something they do sometimes to stimulate a let down, although my 10months old now seems to do it because he thinks it's funny

Delete wonder weeks - your baby will progress at their own pace.

Sounds to me like she's hungry - are you producing enough milk? Have you tried a pacifier? Only if you're willing to provide this.

Otherwise she could be cutting her first teeth.

@RaspberryChouxBuns I don’t think it’s hinger because she’s constantly feeding and if anything I’ve always struggled with too much milk. We use a pacifier but this seems to frustrate her at the moment and she will take it and throw it 🤦🏼‍♀️ I’m thinking maybe teething from what everyone’s said, hopefully it gets better soon

My DD (now 10 months) when through a phase like this about the same age. She did cut her 2 bottom teeth at 6 months so it could be teething but the smacking the boob is normal, my DD still does this now.
As PP said, delete wonder weeks, it isn't actually proven anyway and just puts you on edge expecting there to be unsettled behaviour when there might not be. You'll be so much more at ease without it and just let your LO go through all the developmental phases as and when they happen. Best thing I did was just let go of the worrying and take each "phase" (as annoying as they are) happen and work through them. x

In contrast I really liked wonder weeks, although just the book, I could without any extra alerts. As time passed, kid would be inexplicably difficult, I'd get stressed, tired etc etc- then I'd look on the book and be like 'ooohhh' that's it then, no need to panic, and kind of forgive myself that I wasn't doing anything wrong.
It's so fecking hard mothering a tiny baby but with time it becomes more straightforward ( but never easy!) Although they continue to throw curve balls forever to keep you on your toes.
My advice would be give the child all your attention, put in sling as much as possible, nurse as much as she needs - but sit and watch loads of telly you enjoy whilst doing this. Get friends to visit you to make it easier. Cut back on everything else to preserve your limited energy supply, gather as much help as you can - tell OH he needs to do X y and z. Eat fish and chips, ready meals, just toast.. if you can afford it buy a robot hoover. These should come in a package from your midwife! Try to go outside for a walk everyday , I remember someone calling it 'active rest' and I certainly found it restorative.
You're doing a wonderful job, everything changes, this will pass