Miserable baby - please tell me this is not unusual...

[Daffodilly]

DS is 14 weeks. He is healthy and growing well, in fact a bit of a bruiser - but he just rarely seems content. He feeds well, sleeps lots (thank God or I'd never cope) but has only a few mins of "happy" awake time per day. Rest is grizzling and complaining. He seems to suffer quite a bit from wind - but not sure if this is the whole problem.

He likes being held and walked around - but he is heavy to carry and with a 2.5 year old to care for too it isn't pratical.

Any advice? Or please just tell me it will get better!

have read about, and think my daughter suffered a bit from this, if babies are laid down or in car seats etc quite a lot it can make them windy, or colic-y...I found putting her in a sling on me was a good way to get around it...kept her upright and happy. She would be loads worse after being in the buggy or car...and she wasn't really a whiney sort of baby...just an idea.

Thanks for that. I have tried a sling - it is good in some situations, but I find it only really works if I am standing and moving around. Whereas my DD wants me sat on the floor playing with her - so it is hard to please both.

I have also got a swinging chair that he likes, but it usually lulls him off to sleep!And I feel a bit guilty parking him in it all day....

No one else suffering to keep me company then...

My DD was a miserable divil. We re-named her Ena Sharples for the first three months. Then she just got her act together and was fine.

It will get better. I remember a bloke I knew some years ago carrying his fed-up 10 week old DS around and saying 'I think basically he's just bored with being a baby.'

Thanks for that - I guess I am just having a low day and wanted someone else to tell me it will get better.

Also as I know how fast it goes in hindsight and I do want to enjoy him NOW, rather than wish the weeks away.

Thanks for that - feeling much better today. And seems he is a little more cheerful too.

I even went shopping and treated myself to a new pair of jeans. Retail therapy really does work!

Daffoddily - my sister was just the same when she was a baby. A really grumpy baby. The only photo I have ever seen of her as a baby was sat on the lawn scowling ripping a flower to bits. I actually remember it being taken - it took half an hour to get her to even look at the camera.

She is lovely as an adult now - very tolerant and kind though still strong minded.

My dd had colic and reflux and was a nightmare for about 4 months, crying and puking non-stop. She was my first and I thought I was doing something very wrong. We didn't take many photos as she was always grizzling.

The colic cleared up on weaning and she went from being the most miserable baby on the block to the happiest in weeks. She is now a delightful 18 month old with a sunny, happy nature. I think it was a diet of milk that didn't agree with her as she loves her food.

It won't last forever.

Aw it is normal, but hard. My DS1 was just like this. For me the only way to cope was to wear him in a good sling most of the time. Now DS1 is 2.7 and I am wearing DS2 (20 weeks) in a sling a lot of the day. I would rather have a bit of a heavy load to lug about than listen to an unhappy, whingey baby all day.

I seem to remember that 6 months was the time that DS1 started to enjoy his own company a bit more, when he could sit up and play. Hang on in there.