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Unhappy five week old

3 replies

AmyAW · 20/01/2023 16:34

For the last three days, my five week old daughter has seemed so uncomfortable and unhappy. We ended up being referred by our doctor to A&E yesterday because I was so convinced she must be unwell, but every check came back clear, aside from a slightly fast respiratory and heart rate.

She's windy (but we cannot burp her, and she also choked on Infacol when we tried it), making a growling noise when she feeds, writhing, and clearing her throat constantly. She doesn't cry, but just seems so unhappy. She won't settle and does cry in her cot, car seat, or moses basket and will only sleep on me. I know she's tiny, but until three days ago she was fine. Its all come on overnight and coincides with my husband going back to work. Our health visitor dismissed it as Colic straight away (via a two minute phone call) but I'm not convinced that's right. The pediatric doctor we saw suggested it could be silent reflux, but she's making the noises even when she's not fed for hours. She gets relief from everything when sleeping.

I feel like I'm totally failing. My child seems unhappy but I can't work out why, or how to help her. I feel so inexperienced and alone. The only time she seems to get any relief is when she sleeps. I have no idea what is normal newborn behaviour and what needs investigation.

What can I do to get help? Everyone seems to be dismissing my worries and I can't work out if I'm just being overly anxious!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Ohhmydays · 20/01/2023 17:40

Sorry to hear about ur unsettled lo op. Have u tried gripe water? Or if bottle feeding u could trying putting the infacol in a teat of a bottle see if baby takes it easier that way. If ur feeling anxious baby could maybe just be picking up on that

fairgame84 · 20/01/2023 17:44

It might just be a phase. DD was unsettled and would only sleep on me at this age. It was a phase that lasted around a week.

AuroraForever · 20/01/2023 19:11

You’re not failing! I wouldn’t have thought colic from what you’ve described. But you say you can’t burp her… do you mean you try but there’s nothing?

See if any of these bring relief:

swaddling before putting down for sleep,
dummy,
laying her tummy down across your knees and massage her back,
holding her but facing away from you so you’re arm is across the tummy,
gripe water

If she’s comfy sleeping on you then let her do that as often as you can. I vaguely remember with my three many many hours were just spent sitting in a comfy chair holding them while they slept!

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