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Original poster

newborn sleep/crying advice

14 replies

seasister · 10/12/2010 02:38

I've got a 5 day old baby who for the past two nights has been crying fairly relentlessly from early evening...to middle of the night; well, still crying tonight.

My milk came in yesterday and he's feeding really well -he was small 5.7oz so he's catching up - and although I'm pretty sure I haven't missed any hunger cues, I can't work out what else would be causing him to cry really hard. We try and burp him even though not much is there, and comfort him - but he won't be put down or go to sleep. He has pauses of quiet and then it revs up again.

It's distressing to hear. Could it be because he's so small and the milk is just in and it's all new to him? Or could it be colic? Or could it be how things are going to be at night...

Sorry - very inexperienced and trying to get it right

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blinks · 10/12/2010 02:43

sounds like wind. try getting the baby quite high up on your shoulder, support his neck and give him a really good rub on the back whilst walking around. also try putting baby down then quickly picking him up again- often this can ease wind (gawd knows why but it worked with mine). putting baby on his tummy over your knee with head supported is often a good position to relieve a windy tummy too.

if baby is crying non stop for 2 hours + or is the cry is unusual/high pitched, you should get him seen for clinical assessment.

Original poster
seasister · 10/12/2010 04:54

Thanks Blinks - do I wind him after a feed or during? He's feeding for a while - sometimes 30 minutes and if he's flat out we try to put him down. If he starts to cry, we assume he's got wind and then tackle it?

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ILoveGregoryHouse · 10/12/2010 05:05

Seasister, I alwys wind half way through and at the end of a feed using the ways blinks has given. I know it's hard but he will settle. Do you have a sling to walk him round in?

Original poster
seasister · 10/12/2010 07:26

Yes have a sling which we've not yet used but will...

I think you're right, it's wind, but I also think it was hunger, on reflection. I think he's a lot hungrier/greedier than I expected and although I regularly feed, I think it's not enough at the moment - until breastfeeding established, while milk coming in. So the combo made him mad! Bad mummy :-(

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Cosmosis · 10/12/2010 08:49

it could well have been hunger still, especially if milk has only just come in. They know they need to feed a lot to get your supply going, so it can be pretty endless in the early days! It's best to try and break off and wind in the middle if you can, as well as at the end, it really does help - and it can sometimes take a while for the burp to come up!

Keep at it, you're doing great :)

Original poster
seasister · 10/12/2010 08:52

Another stupid question - do you always wind until the burp comes up? I sat there with him for nearly 17 minutes and no burp...what's the best position? and is pat better than rub?

Sorry - never in a million years did I ever expect to post such questions to strangers!

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MoonUnitAlpha · 10/12/2010 08:55

They do feed pretty constantly at first, and want to be on the breast comfort sucking even when not feeding. Plus, they won't be put down!

Cosmosis · 10/12/2010 08:58

I found changing positions often worked. We'd do a combination of on shoulder patting back or rubbing back (left side), sitting on our knee leaning forwards patting back, and lying on our lap patting back.

Original poster
seasister · 10/12/2010 09:14

Thank you all so much

How come he's so settled in day but demonic at night? Is there a reason for this or just coincidence?

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MoonUnitAlpha · 10/12/2010 09:23

Does this sound familiar? www.kellymom.com/babyconcerns/fussy-evening.html

Newborns tend to start off with day and night confused, as they were most active at night in the womb (and slept during the day when your movement rocks them to sleep). Is he feeding enough in the day time?

Original poster
seasister · 10/12/2010 10:10

Hi MoonUnitAlpha

Thanks for that link - really interesting. I would have definitely have said that yes, the night before, the cluster feeding was responsible for his fussiness. Last night was different. Hard hard cries for ages. Slightly different. I think he's feeding enough in the day but today I'm going to be really careful about noting everything down and making sure he is...surprisingly, because I'm a writer and was sitting down writing all day when he was inside me, he was very active in the day even though I wasn't physically active

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moonstorm · 10/12/2010 18:13

I just fed and fed and fed and fed my ds. Sometimes it was hunger, sometimes it was comfort. It kept him calm.

He hates being put down in his cot, buut sleeps well with us. They are all different,m but I would alway offer the boob (would rather feed for 5 hours on and off with a magazine to read than listen to him cry Xmas Smile). But that's what works with my ds (7 weeks). It may be that yours needs something else...

moonstorm · 10/12/2010 18:14

Ps they are designed to feed more at night at first.

InnocentRedhead · 11/12/2010 11:10

had to comment on this post - ROFL at moonstorm - 'they are designed' LOL!

In all seriousness seasister, i hpe it works out for you, i am unable to offer advice as i am only TTC but it sounds as if you are doing a good job! xx

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