Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Parenting

For free parenting resources please check out the Early Years Alliance's Family Corner.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

Please help I don't know what I a doing wrong

40 replies

shinybaubles · 09/01/2010 09:06

Ds2 is 16 days old and is a very happy, baby, sleeps well in the day and is being formula fed. He's eating approx every 4 hours. The problem is every night from 11.30 pm until 3 am he cries inconsolabley (sp?), after his feed and won't settle in his bed, really screaming, no amount of hugs or bringing him into our bed helps at all, it is hugely distressing for us but must be even worse for him - I don't seem to be able to comfort him and it is heartbreaking to say nothing of being tired. He seems to want to suck on something, like his hands but lacks the coordination to keep them in his mouth and when they come out the screaming starts again. Does anyone have any advice - please I hate to see him like this.

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

MmeLindt · 09/01/2010 09:07

You are not doing anything wrong

Have you tried a dummy?

Tee2072 · 09/01/2010 09:09

Give him a dummy.

Original poster

shinybaubles · 09/01/2010 09:15

I have bought two dummies but he can't seem to keep them in for longer than a couple of mminutes and as soon it falls out he is crying again. How do you get them to stay in? I know he is tired but just can't get him to sleep - which is odd because at all other times of day and night I put him down awake but dozing and he go to sleep with ease. I am trying not to get distressed by it because I think he will pick up on it but I end up sticking my head under the covers and crying too sometimes .

OP posts:

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

Families General parenting

potatofactory · 09/01/2010 09:15

Dummy. I concur!

Tee2072 · 09/01/2010 09:16

Try a different shaped dummy. I actually bought nearly one of every shape before I found that DS liked the cherry shape best.

potatofactory · 09/01/2010 09:17

Is it weird-time-of-day colic? I don't know if it could be. It will finish at 3 months, though, if it is. Not much comfort I know...

Very frustrating for you.

Buda · 09/01/2010 09:17

Could it be colic?

MmeLindt · 09/01/2010 09:20

Try a couple of different dummies, DD would only take one brand.

Can you get any rest during the day?

Original poster

shinybaubles · 09/01/2010 09:21

It is very odd dh thinks it's reflux I don't ds1 had reflux and if it is it's very time specific.
He sounds very gassy at this time, and at other times not - is that colic?

OP posts:

Buda · 09/01/2010 09:35

It sounds like it could be colic if he sounds gassy. Esp the fact that it is just at a certain time.

Try Infacol - I used to use it for DS and it helped although he was just windy rather than colicky.

Original poster

shinybaubles · 09/01/2010 10:02

Just had a read it seems like it is colic - is it really so time specific? And am I right there is nothing I can do about it?
Will buy some more dummies today and try and locate Infacol but not in the UK so may be tricky.

OP posts:

Intergalactic · 09/01/2010 10:09

DS had colic although thankfully his was earlier in the evening. A lot of the time the only thing that worked was holding him while sitting and bouncing on a gym ball or an inflatable cube thing from ikea that we were using as a footrest in the nursery! We also used a dummy from about 8 weeks.

We had various methods for winding him, including pushing his legs up to his chest. Also he always seemed to burp in the tummy tub bath and it often eased his colic - although obviously not so practical for you in the middle of the night.

Mishy1234 · 09/01/2010 10:12

You aren't doing anything wrong, unfortunately babies are sometimes just like this in the early days.

I second all the suggestions so far (dummy, infacol), but was wondering if you had considered cranial osteopathy. My nephew had a difficult time in the early days and was taken for a few sessions of cranial osteopathy. Apparently it really helped and he was much more settled afterwards. You would need to look for someone who is qualified to work with babies.

Hope you find something which helps soon.

MmeLindt · 09/01/2010 10:12

Where are you? Perhaps there is something similar in your country to infacol. I was in Germany and it was available under a different name.

DD liked to be carried on her tummy, along the length of my arm. So she had the warmth of the arm along her tummy, if that makes sense.

You could also try rubbing some oil into his tummy, in circular movements. There are certain oils that are good for this, will see if I can remember them.

BertieBotts · 09/01/2010 10:17

Where are you? There might be another colic medication someone could recommend. Also have you tried anti-colic bottles? A friend had great success with Dr. Brown's (which you can buy online).

I know in Germany they often recommend dilute fennel tea for colicky babies - I think I would feel a bit funny about it but up to you whether or not it's worth a try.

Gripe water worked with my DS but it used to be made with alcohol in this country so I would check the ingredients list if it is likely to be where you are (if available).

Colic massage is supposed to help, you do it during the day and it's supposed to be good at night. www.slumbersounds.com/colic-massage-info.htm

Finally, they do grow out of it, sometimes you just have to love them through it.

MmeLindt · 09/01/2010 10:20

In Germany the infacol substitute is either sab simplex or lefax. Both have the same active ingredient, simeticone. Ask in your chemist.

Caraway oil was the one for massaging baby's tummy. Just a couple of drops and rub in circular motions.

Yes, we used the fennel tea as well. The Germans are fond of funny tasting tea.

Original poster

shinybaubles · 09/01/2010 10:36

Am in Belgium and I have asked about Infacol and it's not sold here, I can maybe try the Netherlands as we are 30 minutes from the Dutch border. Thanks for all the tips. Will send dh out for dummies, and will make a list of all the tips and try them out tonight.

OP posts:

LIZS · 09/01/2010 10:47

Try fennel tea , very similar to gripe water.

addictedtolatte · 09/01/2010 10:50

i used colief and dr brown bottles with my ds. it worked. i couldnt believe it. the colief is expensive but if you can afford it its worth a try

Buda · 09/01/2010 11:07

Bulgarians and Hungarians also do the fennel tea. You can usually buy it in supermarkets with all the baby stuff - Hipp make one.

Gripe water is another remedy for wind. We can get it here in Budapest although my sisters in Dublin can't buy it there.

Massage is also supposed to help as MmeLindt said.

If you can't buy Infacol just ask a pharmacist what they recommend for colic. I am sure they will have something similar.

Good luck tonight.

MissMarshon · 09/01/2010 15:10

We had the same situation with my son (from 1 week old until now - he is 5 weeks old) and it turned out he was very hungry late at night and sometimes had 2 feeds in 2 hours whereas he is clockwork since birth every 4 hours the rest of the day, but we also used a dummy for the other times, and i know what u mean about finding it hard to keep it in. Just perservere, my son sometimes won't acknowledge the dummy is in his mouth and thrashes around for it even though it is right there, bit bizarre. I was told some neborns do cluster feed, so that explaind our problem. Good luck.

petisa · 09/01/2010 15:36

make sure baby not hungry, and try a MAM dummy, we had the dummy falling out and screaming baby problem, MAM dummies have bigger teats. Saved my sanity! Still had to wheel her around the house in her pram pushing it back in every few seconds until she fell asleep!

petisa · 09/01/2010 15:43

Also wearing him in a sling, maybe upright? worked for my dd when she was like this and at least I could do stuff, like make a cup of tea, even if I couldn't sleep!

Cloth slings are good, and when they fall asleep you can lay them down and undo the sling with no noise.

My dd basically just wanted to be upright in a sling on my tummy for the first 2 months of her life. I guess it makes sense, it's very like being in the womb. She would scream her head off when I put her in, but I would immediately start walking briskly around the house and in a couple of minutes she'd be asleep and would have slept like that for HOURS.

The dummy is what helped us make the transition to sleeping horizontally.

Good luck, it's hard but it won't be forever!

petisa · 09/01/2010 15:45

being upright also helps with wind, and his tummy against yours

theory · 09/01/2010 15:45

Try swaddling, nice and snug (tighter than you might think at first, if you haven't tried it)? Ours wouldn't settle at all without a swaddle, esp at night. And sometimes screamed her head off anyway--you're not doing anything wrong!

Flip

1 2