4 month old won't stop crying

[HRR107]

My little one is 4 months old and he just cries constantly. I have 2 other children to look after and it's starting to get a bit much now. I'm finding that I'm having to put him down and walk away for a breather multiple times a day as the screaming is getting too much.

He settles sporadically throughout the day but there's no set time or reason. Mostly it's just non stop screaming, wether I pick him up or put him down. This has only been happening for around 4 weeks now and before this he was a very content baby and would just chill out. It seems to be after his second and third dose of jabs, he seems a totally different baby. I am booking a doctors appt in the morning but not exactly sure what they can do and I will more than likely get told it's colic. I just want for him to be able to lie down happily and chill out without screaming. I understand sometimes he needs to be close to me and/or there are other reasons sometimes. But I can feed him, change him, cuddle him, give him his dummy, make sure he is perfect temperature and comfy and yet he still isn't happy most of the time!

Please somebody tell me if they've been through similar and there is a reason?! It's beginning to drain me and I feel so terrible that I can't soothe him.

Literally none stop screaming? Because I would say that isn’t normal at 4 months.

DS was incredibly fussy at 4 months and cried a lot and it didn’t stop until he could move. But it was more of a permanent whinging, angry crying and that horrible ‘uhhh uhhh UHHH’ noise they make when they are frustrated as opposed to full blown screaming. To be fair I didn’t leave him at it all that long - maybe it would have progressed screaming, who knows.

My 6 month old was like that for about 4 weeks after having jabs really grumpy and didn't want to be put down at all but has been back to his happy self

I'm glad you're getting it checked by your GP

I remember mine being very grumpy and demanding at that age. It was as if they were full of frustration at being babies. Of course they go through growth spurts too and demand extra feeding to keep up with it.

I found that using a sling was helpful, as it kept them interested in stuff and I had hands free to do things. I used to do a sort of bouncy walk to comfort them while I got on with jobs.

Do you have another adult to help you out? It can be amazingly refreshing to take an hour off, knowing the kids aren't going to need you for a while.

Don't let it put you off the jabs, by the way.

I'm sorry you're having a hard time. Both DS 1 and 2 have been particularly grumpy babies - so much so my fronds joked when I was pregnant with ds2 "don't worry, you never get 2 the same". They were lying and I got a second that was just as grumpy as the first!!

It's hard. Keep putting him down and walk away for a short time - he can't fall off the floor!!

Both mine stayed grumpy until they were much older - walking and talking was the key for ds1, ds2 hasn't got the memo yet and still has many days where he's displeased with everything and he's almost 2. We have seen improvements though which I hope continue.

I find it's all about making sure I get some me time built into a day so DH will take over inbetween meetings at work and just give me 10 mins away from the grumbling and groaning. It's really saved my sanity but yeah, it's bloody hard when they're not happy.

@Milkand2sugarsplease pregnant with number 2. My DS sounds exactly like your DS1. I’m absolutely resigned to the fact I’m going to have another angry baby, even though everyone keeps saying I’ll get a chilled out potato this time 🙃

@VivaVivaa definitely no potato baby here - and I'm definitely not going for a third attempt but, no, there have been no happy chilled out babies in this house.

For what it's worth ds1 is 10 now and from 2-now has been the easiest child ever (yes I know the teenage years are ahead but I'll take it). Just hoping ds2 starts going the same way now.....

Sounds like colic. My 4 month old was exactly like this, it made the 4th trimester unbearably horrible. Speak to your gp see if they can prescribe colief, you can get it over the counter but it is expensive. My gp prescribed ours as my DD had a colic episode in front of him and he knew instantly what it was. It really helped and by 6 months she was delightful. It will get better, hang in there.

@HRR107 hello, just wondering how this turned out? I’m on day 14 of the ‘uuuuhhhh uh uh aaaaah’ unless I am doing a west end stage performance for her and it’s exhausting 😔 I’m going to take her to the gp just for a check over but going insane right now