Can't figure this out...HELP!!!

[kdstewart]

My DD is almost 6 weeks old. I have had her on EASY since birth (did this with my 2 yr old DD and she is a great, happy, well-adjusted child).  However, recently after her first cluster feed (at 5 or 6)...she stays awake and cries for HOURS...through the second cluster and then for a few hours after the DF.  She will finally go to sleep around 11:45 or 12:45...and sleep until 5:30 or 6:30 in the morning.  We just can't figure out WHY she is doing this. Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions?  She will fall asleep if I pick her up and do the pat...but she will cry and squirm when i put her in her crib.  I am so confused...thought it could be gas as she does pull her legs up and become rigid when I pick her up and she is very gassy. I use gas drops...and Dr. Brown's bottles...I just don't know what do to.  Thanks!

[Layla]

  I remember this so clearly. Jasmine did the same. She had crying spells from 5pm until midnight every single night until about 8 weeks. I was told she had extreme colic. She used to jerk her her legs to her stomach as if she was in real pain. I used to pace up and down with her more or less trying to calm her down & get her to sleep somehow. I believe it peaks at around 6 weeks and starts getting better from there. The gas is from many things, feeding throughout the day & crying.
I would say do what you can to make her comfortable .

Does she sleep well during the day? Could she have reflux or is it just at this hour she is fussy/crying?

[LCooper]

Definitely sounds like colic to me too I'm afraid.  My dd, who is now 2 and a half had it very badly when she was a baby.  It would start around the same time, approx 5pm and she'd scream for hours (until about 3am to start with and then it gradually got better in time, going to 2am, then 1am, then midnight, etc).  I remember it only too well and can sympathise.  Try and remember that it's not anything you're doing wrong and just comfort her as best as you can.  And if it gets too much then just pop her down somewhere and walk out of the room for a few minutes to regain some sanity!

There are various things you can buy such as Infacol and Colief so do try them but also remember that it won't last forever and hopefully it should start to ease soon, I think they say that it usually goes at around 4 months when the digestive system matures which was true for us.

Good luck, hope it eases soon.   

[Colin Macs Mom]

Definitely take a look at the Colic, Reflux and Crying board too - there's a lot of good information and support there. 

[kdstewart]

Thank you all for your suggestions. She does sleep well during the day...really, really well.  that is why it confuses me so much. i thought it might be a day and night thing...but i have read the section in the baby whisperer solves all your problems..and that is not it.  she has been on a routine since she was born (however, she was 4 weeks early and spent the first week of her life in NICU b/c she couldn't keep her body temp up).  I thought it might be colic. I will check out the boards on those topics and see if they can offer any relief!  It isn't like it is misery for me...I mainly feel terrible for her as I can't ease her pain for those hours.  It is heartbreaking.

[Layla]

I know hun, it was heartbreaking for me for the same reason. There wasn't much I could do but hold her and "try" to calm her. I used to get so anxious in the afternoon because it would be the same every night. This will pass....

Hang in there