My 8 month old DS is driving us to insanity! Please tell me this is normal???

[Helpmeimtired]

I've posted with a similar issue before but the phase seemed to pass but for the last 2 weeks has come back with a VENGENCE!

My DS is NEVER happy or content.

We will get 1 minute here, 5 minutes there, usually when you distract him with walking around, singing, a bread stick/rusk snack, or the odd bit of screen time but cannot and will not remain content and happy without any sort of intervention.

It's a constant heerrr, heerrr sound when he's bored of playing with a toy he's had in his hand for literally 5 seconds until you distract him with something else. Which doesn't always work.

When you do something he likes, you'll get a big smile and a laugh, then his face screws up and instantly starts whinging.

If there's no distraction to stop him whinging, it will just escalate to a full-blown meltdown. This has happened a few times when out of the house, which is just horrible.

On top of this, he's suddenly become very irregular with his bottle feeding (maybe because he's now taking solids)? But a couple of times he's gone for hours refusing to take a bottle, so it's very hard to work out if he may be hungry or not.

I keep flipping from thinking he may be in pain somehow, to thinking it's just a phase/developmental thing and he just gets bored easily, to then sometimes really worrying it may be something more severe (ASD)???

He doesn't crawl, and in honesty is nowhere near it as he cannot stand 10 seconds of tummy time. We've given up thinking he will crawl, to just expecting him to go straight to walking as he constantly wants to be stood up.

I don't think he's teething. There's no inflammation in the gums, no excess drooling or flushed cheek. He still hasn't cut any teeth yet.

I am very tempted to go to A&E tomorrow to get some sort of professional assessment as this is just not a sustainable way to live. Although I fully expect to get fobbed off with 'he's just a baby, and babies whinge'.

Has anyone else had the same experience? Please tell me it got better!

It could be. This is a concern.

Although we sat in the park later afternoon and was quite happy watching the cars/people walk past. Enjoyed looking up at the sky and leaves in the trees which makes me think he’s just bored and needs different stimulation.

I am tempted to stop solids for a week to see if there is any improvement though. But not sure if that’s wise?

Now I am starting to think this may co-incide with us giving him Hipp Organic porridge where as before he was having the Cow and Gate porridge.

Hipp Organic was the formula he was on before he was switched to hypoallergenic Aptamil Pepti 1 because of reflux.

I wonder if the formula and porridge share an ingredient or something.

Is that even possible? Seems like a stretch. But I will eliminate it from his diet to see if there’s any improvement and try consult an allergist I think.

The only time my daughter has been like that is when she’s constipated, I’d look at crainial osteopath to see if they can help.

What happens if you leave him to fuss?

I think it's normal.. I really struggled with my baby from 8 months.. he's just turning one and I'm starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel

"Hipp Organic was the formula he was on before he was switched to hypoallergenic Aptamil Pepti 1 because of reflux."

What milk are you using in the porridge? Our son has a dairy intolerance but didn't realise until weaning. I wouldn't stop weaning, but I would stop allergens from be at a time (dairy, gluten etc) and see if he's better without?

I really don't think a&e will be able to do anything - I'd be booking into see a gp on Monday though

We either mix it with water or his Aptamil formula which is lactose free. But I just checked the ingredients of the porridge and it contains milk.

This sounds like a probable cause. It takes 3 weeks for milk to leave their system so don’t be disheartened if it continues for an while after cutting out the porridge.

Does calpol help? If he’s got belly ache or teething pain (or both) then calpol and distractions might bring a little comfort.

I think Calpol would be a good test. How does he behave after a dose? If he's not in pain then in theory the Calpol should not change his behaviour (may make him a bit sleepy though).

Also agree with cutting out all allergens. If he seems happier then reintroduce them slowly one at a time.

Yep, sorry, once again this was DS1. I used to sit in a bus stop on a busy road with him when he was about 9 months old because he used to love people coming and going and traffic going by or the rain falling. He was a fair amount
more content out and about, but a total nightmare in the house. I’d still say your DC sounds high needs, but equally if you think it might be an allergy you should explore that too.

Standard Cow and Gate porridge has milk protein in it. So if he was settled on that I think it’s likely a coincidence that his mood changed when you switched to Hipp porridge.

Yes that’s a good point.

Tbh he’s never been the most settled of babies.

We had a good phase 6-7.5 months though, which is why this is really disheartening and probably why I am clutching at straws.

Second the Calpol suggestion. Go one day with Calpol dosage as instructed on bottle. If he changes you know pain is the issue.

I would be exploring Reflux as a culprit.
Try propping up the cot
Try baby Gaviscon before you change diet
A baby bouncer - upright play saved our sanity
If the baby Gaviscon makes no difference then try dietary changes

Hidden Reflux can cause low lying constant stomach pain, increases incidents of ear infection and made our otherwise happy healthy baby very grizzly but not outright ill. Eventually he had an endoscopy (not uk) and the Reflux was so bad his oesophagus was bleeding. He was immediately treated with omeprazole and within a week a totally different child.

We had exactly the same. Unsettled, colicky newborn, grumpy 4-5 months, a lot better 6-8 months when he could sit and roll, before going down hill again at 8-9 months when he realised he couldn’t move or talk.

You should have a look at the milk ladder if he was fine with milk containing porridge. Aptamil pepti is for treatment of allergy to cows milk protein not lactose intolerance btw- they are completely separate things. Are you under a dietician or anything?

I could have written this. Unfortunately my ds is now just over 1 and still does it but not as much (I remember a particularly bad stint at around 8-9 months which really started to take its toll).

I'm sure it has something to do with teething and /or him being tired. I definitely notice it's not as bad if he has a good nap OR if we are out somewhere with lots to look at (for example he never does it on a walk).

But yes the constant moaning noise is very hard to live with (it's not a cry, just a sort of constant whinge). My first didn't do this so it's been a bit of a shock to the system. I can't offer much help I'm afraid but just wanted to say you're not alone. Im really hoping that one day it stops all together x

He’s been on Omeprazole since 4 months.

He may need his dose upping though. He’s been on 4ml for a while.

I’ll tell you what’s wrong, you need a break from him. That’s what’s wrong. Do this ASAP if possible and that will definitely help.

P.S. reflux comes back when they are teething. Up the medicine.

I think our GP diagnosed potential lactose intolerance as a cause of his reflux and initially put us on Nutramigen which DS refused to take so switched to Aptamil Pepti.

He sounds tired. A 35 minute afternoon nap is nowhere enough.

Sounds a lot like my DD. All she ever did was whinge moan and cry. I used to think at least when she can talk she can tell me what the problem is.
Then she learnt to talk and I found out she just LOVES to moan. About anything and everything. She Moans. She fake cries. She’s now 7 and still a massive moaner. Hopefully he’ll grow out of it but maybe he’s just a moaner too

How much has it improved from 8-9 months compared to now?

Lactose intolerance is very rare in babies. It's much more likely to be a cows milk allergy if he improved on aptamil pepti. It could be the milk in the porridge. Or, its reflux and the switch to pepti milk isn't making a difference but has coincided with the reflux meds helping for a spell. (I was also told lactose intolerance initially by a gp, but my best mate is a gp and she told me to go back. Also, you should be milk free weaning with a dietician referral if it is suspected cmpa which is the reason this milk should be prescribed.)

You have my full sympathies because I could have written this exact post about my 8month old DS. For the last couple of months he makes this like hmmmnn whinging sound and it honestly feels constant at the minute. It’s strange because he was a relatively easy newborn/baby up until recently and now I just feel like he’s really hard work. I’ve spent my whole mat leave dreading going back to work but I actually can’t wait to go back now just to get a break, as bad as I feel saying that.
Im not sure what it is with my ds, I sometimes wonder if it’s overstimulation but then I think it’s frustration at not being able to get around as he always seems the most content when he is in his baby walker.
I distinctly remember his other brother being exactly like this from around the same age and then it got much much better once he began to crawl so I’ve got my fingers crossed it’s the same this time round, although like your baby, mine hates tummy time and seems to be a long while off crawling yet.

I swear my second child just hated babyhood, he was furious the moment he was born and I remember looking at him in hospital and being a bit scared of how angry he was. He kept it up for a long time, and your post has just reminded me it's got a lot better recently. He's 2.5 and his speech is suddenly coming on in leaps and bounds. Previously he cheered up a lot when he figured out crawling (sodding 17 months it took him!) and walking. But yeah, he just hated being a baby! I'd also try to firmly rule out allergies and pain, and add that he might need more sleep - I think it's at least 12 hours until they're one? Earlier bedtime helps my eldest sleep later ironically.

I got the drug names wrong. Our son was treated with Nexium (esompremazole) for erosive oesophagitis. This is a stronger / prescribed drug.

Have you tried the calpol for a day to see if this improves his mood - demonstrating pain as the cause.