Sreaming and screaming all evening

[dijjibob]

I had posted on EASY but at 3 weeks its too early for easy maybe but can someone please help with my 3 week old who spends hours screaming every night at bedtime.
This has happened since day 4. I use infocol for wind, she feeds every 3 hours in the day, BF some i have to wake her for, some days she has cluster fed early afternoon to evening others has not.
Tried bathtime, but seemed too much so tried bedtime feed straight after waking up, tried alittle wake time, everything and still hours of screaming.
Do you think i should feed more often in day, sometimes if she has fed lots of times in evening she goes 5 hours in night, should i wake her more.
I will post better tomorow, just want to stop the screaming.
Sorry such a bad post.

[oe]

I had this problem with DS1. I ended up switching to soy formula. Try cutting out dairy, all of it, for a week, and see if it makes a difference. This is often a problem with little ones. Also, try biogia (sp) for wind.. it works WAY better than infacol! I also had this problem with both my LO's. Just a guess, but I don't think it's hunger, I think it is either pain or way OT. I am no expert, but just my opinion. (DS1 was had hours of screaming fits, it was horrible so I know how you feel.) SUPER HUGS!

[deb]

I think it's "biogaia" for the wind - I've heard good things about it.

This is also when reflux began to show up in my first DD, around 2-3 weeks, getting gradually worse and worse. Does she cry when she's being held upright, or lying flat, or all the time?

[~*~Louisa~*~]

If you shush pat does she calm?
have you tried a paci?
whats her poo like?

what kind of A time do you have? DD is 6 weeks now and is ONLY just able to handle when we get her ready in the morning, it really is at 3 weeks wind, bum change and a smile!

Do you swaddle?

Swaddling can help calm OT, OS and colicy babies

Also if there ends being something else such as reflux it can help because the discomfort they feel makes it harder to self sooth and usually ends in OT

[Hester]

I second (or 'third ) the BioGaia, I use it and it works miracles for wind and stomach pains. First rule out pain, gas, reflux (which is hard to determine this early) and thrush.
Then rule out OT, like previous post said, there's not much A time with a three week old. Can you spend a day with her just laying in bed, feeding whenever it looks like she needs it and letting her sleep as much as possible? If it's OT then it should be better after a day like that and it's also good for you.

I wouldn't cut any foods out yet, but that's just my opinion, I would first rule out the above ones. It is rare to have food allergies this early, but it does happen.

[dijjibob]

Hi ladies
    Thankyou for replies to such a awful post, was having a really hard evening, ended up getting her off in my arms at 11.30 after starting at 7pm. She sleeps most of the day and to be honest if she has any awake time have a really hard time getting her to sleep, know i shouldn't feed her to sleep but even a nappy change after feed will end with a wide awake baby that takes ages to get off to sleep and then short naps.
    I would love a whole day in bed but i have a 18 month old too so no change, but maybe when she goes to grandmas Wednesday maybe i can do nothing all day. And set her up for the night. Only 3 more sleeps till then.
    Going to get Biogia today and give it a shot she does get pretty windy and also have some reflux events after some feeds. Dreading having her weighed Tuesday as i know she had lost some again the other day. She eats really well though when i wake her, starting to wake herself at three hours too and has good steady feeds in night, I only cluster feed if she wakes, but made no difference those evenings.
    She screams mainly if i lie her down but then likes to be held cuddled in my arms, and when i get her sleep and hold her for about an hour i can eventually get her to bed. On my shoulder sometimes works the same. Last night my partner handed her to me saying she must be hungry and i let her literally chew on me for about 20 minutes no real sucking which i am paying for this morning.
    Thankyou for support so far, i am sure i will be back for more advice soon.

[deb]

Pacifier/dummy? Some babies need, really NEEEED, to suck.

[~*~Louisa~*~]

I agree with the paci/dummy there

Elevate the head of her crib/cot... if in a crib or moses basket a maternity wedge under the matress can be great or use a couple of towels

for a cot its easier to elevate the base some use books like yellow pages

that might help if theres some refluxy issues

[Hester]

And at three weeks, maybe she just needs to ne held a lot still. I really don't think there's anything wrong with holdong your baby and feeding her to sleep every so often at this age.
The first 4 months are more about enjoying her and getting to know each other than it is about routines.

[curiousmom]

My baby also cries in a certain period of time in the evening, sometimes til midnite. My doctor predict it's colic, since it always occurs during a certain time of the day/nite. He did gave me some liquid to get rid of the gas, but then I try not to give my baby too much. Instead we try the traditional way. And IT WORKS!!!!
Try to boil 100 gram of rice with 500ml of water for a few minutes (until you could see the rice expanded), then scoop up the water, add a pinch of sugar (try to taste the rice water, try not to let it taste sweeter than your milk/formula). You may eat the rice yourself or throw it away. Give your baby that rice water a few times a day (you may mix it with formula if you are not breast feeding).
You may even put the rice water in bottles and feed your baby after each feeding to clear out the milk residues in the mouth.

Pass the news around if it works for you. Give more babies better days and moms better sleep.

[Tay]

Hi there,
((hugs)) It's not easy when a baby cries that much. DD was a crier too and I kept her hanging from my breast day and night to keep her quiet - so I would definately agree with the dummy suggestion.
Having said that, she completely got better once she was around 4 months and got interested in things around her, so it could be just a stage.
I would definately have a think about reflux. Have a read at http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=654.0 to keep an eye for other signs.

Another thing that helped us at that early stage (with DS who has reflux) was a sling - at least during the day I could get on with other things and give DD some attention, and he would get some sleep.

Could you give us an idea of how your days are going at the moment?
xx

[EloysH]

It must be so hard for you right now. Hang in there, sounds like you are doing all right things to comfort your baby.  I am thinking that reflux could very well be the culprit as PP have suggested.

How did you go with looking at the link that Tay posted?  It's a useful exercise to look at how many reflux symptoms she is showing, it forms a case in your mind for and against having reflux.  It is never to early to talk to a Dr about how to manage reflux.  The quicker you get it under control, the less damage done and the quicker she can get pain free and settled.

[dijjibob]

Hi all,
   been a few nights since got to the computer, some good some awful, OH just taken an incosolable baby for a drive as i can't stand the screaming anymore. I am sad to say i think it is far more about OT with my little one than anything else. Tonight i had no choice as had to take my DD1 to out of hours doctors so way to late for bedtime.
   Few good nights were getting her to bed at 6, still had wake up one night after 45mins but fed her and settled, stuggling to get good naps in the day especially the early evening one, always awake by 5 or 5.30 and impossible to get back to sleep.
    My list of Aping is getting longer, no longer anything to do with EASY just get through day with unwell toddler and baby.
    Had less reflux and infocol seems to get burps up, don't sell Biogao near me, not tried the rice water yet though. Still think there are tummy and burp issues but feel bad that its my fault all the screaming as she is not napping well enough so has had it by bedtime.
    She will be back in a minute and i am sure will start again as soon as back in house.
    Thankyou again anymore tips wuld be great.

[~*~Louisa~*~]

Sometimes we have to do what we have to do... espcially to get through it all when theres other kiddies

have you tried a dummy yet?

wanted to send *big hugs*

[first_time_mommy]

Hi There,
You are not alone, some babies are just not as easy as others!
Your baby sounds like mine was.  After some trial and error, we figured out that she most likely has some kind of cow's milk allergy/lactose intolerance.  I cut out all dairy and went with soy for a few weeks.  It took a good 10 days, but my babe finally stopped all the crying/hurting.  I figured it was worth a try.  I am still only drinking soy milk.

 Also, have you heard of the Happiest Baby on the Block book?  The 4 S's (mostly the shhh and shake/vibrate)were a godsend to us when the LO would not stop crying. Look it up on uTube if you want to see a video. 

Finally, we had a few weeks where I would seriously lay on the couch and cluster/nonstop feed from 5pm until she would go to sleep for the night.  My LO was born at 37 weeks, 1 day (early) and was in a constant growth spurt for the first 3 months, needing to nurse LOTS.

Remember, this too shall pass!