grumpy baby!

[sleepdeprivedbeck]

My gorgeous 6 week old boy seems to spend all of his time either sleeping or crying. He wakes up hungry, crying for milk, and cries once he's finished. He's had colic for the last 2 weeks, so I know he's uncomfortable, but I just feel like he is constantly unhappy! Difficult to enjoy being mum right now. Has anyone else experienced this?

Hi,

When my DS was between 3 and 8 weeks it felt sometimes like all he did was cry! I don't think he had colic but he did suffer from wind. I used infacol and also put gripe water into his bottle (rather than on his tongue). These seemed to help although I don't know if there is any proven basis for the remedies. Eventually his digestive system matured.

If he cries once he's finished eating then maybe he is still hungry??

I also used to mistake tiredness for hunger and feed my ds when he cried even if he had just eaten recently. This contributed, I think, to his upset tummy.

After a while I worked out he needed to sleep about 1.5-2hours after he last woke and would take him to bed before he collapsed in tears.

I thought this was worth mentioning even though your guy is sleeping (my guy was too), but he was much happier when I took action to stop him getting over tired or stimulated.

I hope this helps. I really feel for you. It will improve!!!

Regarding sleep -- I don't mean he slept for 1.5-2 hours (well sometimes he did) but rather that I put him down to nap 1.5 to 2 hours after he last got up.

Hope that makes sense!

i do much the same thing. my DD (9 weeks) usually goes down for a nap about 1/2-2 hours after she last woke up. Sometimes it is as little at 45 minutes though. Pretty much as soon as i see the first signs of tiredness - yawning etc we start the wind down process and she goes for a nap.

It seems to head off at the pass the kind of situation the op describes. If you are having trouble getting him of to sleep, particularly if he is colicky, try swaddling. We have a swaddle pod which is basically a jersey sock with a zipper in it. It is great as it holds DD firmly enough to make her feel secure but not so firmly that she cant get comfy and change positions if she wants. unfortunately she is about to outgrow it and they dont seem to make a bigger size.

i feel the same way, cant write more just now as baby attached to boob

I'd also highly recommend infacol too, took about week for us to see any proper relief from it but since then DS has been trumping like a trooper!!! Someone did tell me that their doctors says it has no proven benefits but all my mummy friends swear by it too!!!
Hope it gets better for you soon

Oh you could be me as well, DS is 7 weeks and as you say has two modes sleeping or crying, he is asleep in a Moby sling attached to me just now, we call 5-10pm the witching hours as he is inconsolable right now.

There is a theory that human babies should have a 4th trimester in the womb and are born too early due to their large heads. They are too immature when born so need to be held/have immature digestive sytems etc makes a lot of sense.

He is my 4th baby so I know it does get better around the 12 week mark, DD3 was the exact same at this age too. The other ones call him "angry baby" I feel he is never settled poor wee thing.

Anyway just wanted to say I feel your pain, do whatever it takes just now to settle him and get some rest yourself whether that is carrying him about in a sling/cosleeping/constant feeding, it is not forever and before you know it, he will be smiling and giggling at you and be a bit more settled.