6 weeks, this is torture

oxsarah7ox

This is one of the first times I've been back on the board since baby girl got here since it's been so hectic around here. Let me say I miss you all and reading everything everyone was going through. I've read a few of the recent posts but was wondering if what we have is normal or not.

LO is 6 weeks 3 days. For the last week or so she's been a mess with screaming crying for quite a few hours at night before she finally passes out usually around 12 or 1. She cries so hard that she starts choking and loses breath for a second. It's so scary. Nothing consoles her and when I try to feed her she gets frantic on the breast and doesn't always attach. It'll usually happen around 9ish. But last night started at 6! We would be able to calm her last night for a little by walking her in the stroller around the house, but then she'd wake up and freak out again. She is so tired so she will fall asleep, then wake up screaming crying again and do this a few times until she finally passes out usually on the breast. I have read other people mentioning this happening at 2 or 4 weeks. But is this normal at 6 weeks since this is their peak of fussiness? This just sounds awful for her and it's exhausting for us, and causing major tension between DH and i. Called the dr and we're going in this morning.

jadkins2

Sounds like colic to me. My first baby had this. It was not fun but keep your head up it does get better....hope you find some relief soon. No one tells you how hard it can be sometimes! Sometimes you find something that works and then they change what they like. You just gotta keep trying different things? Mine would calm down after being swaddled...

Achae

If it only happens at night my guess is she is over tired. Try starting her bedtime routine half an hour sooner and hopefully she doesn't wake herself! Do you swaddle or how does she wake? Gas?

VitaLuna

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12667105/extra-fussy-baby#latest

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12669946/constant-crying#latest

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12666425/cranky-time#latest

srecupido

VitaLuna said:

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12667105/extra-fussy-baby#latest

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12669946/constant-crying#latest

https://forums.thebump.com/discussion/12666425/cranky-time#latest

Yes, some great advice and discussion on all of these. Do you have someone besides your husband that can give you a break for an hour? Have you tried pumping and bottle feeding at night? Or babywearing? Hang in there, it's rough and stress only seems to be magnified at night. 

dtaded13

Hang in there momma! Have you tried showering with her? Have hubby near by in case she doesn't like it or to grab her from you to dry her off when your done, but both my kids have loved showering with me. I just hold them on my chest and let the water hit the back of their head/back. It calms my baby right down.

mwmiller4

Oh! That sounds awful and scary!  We haven't had anything that intense, so I'm not sure any of the stuff that we do will help. I've started swaddling her way earlier (like between 7 and 7:30--used to be around 9-9:30) and nursing her in our darkened bedroom until she falls asleep because right around 5/6 weeks she started getting incredibly crabby around 6pm and was a hot mess by her later bedtime. I was terrified that she'd then wake up more often or not sleep as long but it's been fine so far. When it seems to be gas related laying her on her back and alternating legs into her tummy and then tucking both knees into her chest so her butt is in the air often helps (and makes her fart so much). She also likes pretty steady taps on her back (and her tummy) like you're playing the bongos. 

MississippiCatfish

so sorry - that sounds really tough. I can commiserate with the husband tension. We have that going on a little bit with adjusting to having 3. My newborn doesn't sound as tough as yours, but trying to keep everybody happy at the same time is not easy as parents, and it's hard to remember we're on the same team sometimes!

oxsarah7ox

Thanks everyone. I did read a few of the other forums previously but what we're going through I wouldn't even classify as fussiness I don't think.unfortunately. we did go to the dr and she said she's colicky and there's really nothing to do aside from keeping up with the probiotic we give her. It's hard to hear there's nothing that will fix it and just get through it. She said to only be concerned when she chokes from crying if she turns blue :-/ I just feel awful for her.

I will try some of your other suggestions. Might try the shower. She definitely is tired too just can't fall asleep for longer than a few minutes when she's freaking out. 

=caenis=

This sounds like a nightmare. So sorry.

We just had a hell of a time getting our little dude to sleep tonight. It took hours. We rocked him, wore him, fed him repeatedly, laid him down/held him in different positions, sang to him, played lullabies, turned the lights off, pumped and gave him a bottle of breastmilk... for the first time ever, my breasts couldn't console him. In fact, he got mad when the milk let down! He rejected the pacifier as well, until I held it in front of my own nipple to imitate a boob.

I'm sure he'll wake up hungry soon since he hasn't eaten much the last couple of hours. Sure hope he's in a better mood.

VitaLuna

Most nights over the last week and a half, LO has been inconsolable in the evenings for anywhere from 3-5hrs. Like I posted in the other threads, knowing that you're not the only one who wants to lock yourself in the bathroom or sell your kid to the neighbors was (with DD1) and is the only comfort when trying to ride out this normal, but agitating/depressing phase. 

egraves4

For 2.5 weeks this is how my LO was.  She would scream starting around 11pm and keep it up until 4-5am.  It was awful.  Many times it was inconsolable and like you, I would try to feed her and she would frantically shake her head and scream more. 

Basically right at 6.5 weeks it ended for us thankfully.  We had one really really awful night and after that she just started sleeping through the night again, it was the weirdest thing. 

oxsarah7ox

@VitaLuna I swear, that's the only thing that did help! Any of my friends and family are all like "I don't remember it being like that." I knew I could find some others with experience here! And the dr said it's normal. It's just so hard. I hope we don't have a night like last night again, and just hope this doesn't last long!

MississippiCatfish

Has anyone with a baby with colic tried the chiropractor? Just curious. I know I've heard moms say they saw an incredible change. To be clear, I'm not recommending it, as I know very very little about it. Just asking. 

jellybellybean3

^ it won't let me "reply" to your post for some reason. I took both my firstborn and second to a chiropractor as newborns. They were both sooo colicky and miserable. I noticed a difference right away. It only lasted 1-2 days and then they were right back to being miserable in between sessions but seriously those couple days were a definite improvement. I swear it was the chiropractor, so I think it's a great idea. This one isn't colicky and has other issues so I would be hesitant to take her to one but it was a godsend for my other two! 

jewelx3

My little guy is 6w today and has been a complete terror the last few nights. Completely inconsolable, and he never wants to stop eating! I have a friend who has a little one a few weeks older and she reminded me about growth spurts. There's one that usually happens around week 6, and for me it makes sense. Little man has denfinately put on weight and grew in length enough to notice. 

Hopefully it will pass soon! 

vmaslanka

My LO is just over 6 weeks and gets extremely fussy at night. Even has screaming fits. But my new tool to help her calm down is to sit on my Birthing ball and bounce up and down. She calms down right away. It's amazing! I wish I tried it sooner

smn14

vmaslanka said:

My LO is just over 6 weeks and gets extremely fussy at night. Even has screaming fits. But my new tool to help her calm down is to sit on my Birthing ball and bounce up and down. She calms down right away. It's amazing! I wish I tried it sooner

DH discovered this too - works so well!

Miss Lilac

There's also a cognitive leap right around 7.5 weeks which can make them extra fussy. 

Love bouncing on the birthing ball. But my arms get tired, so now I wear baby in a wrap *and* bounce. It's the perfect combination!

Knottie1455832158

I'm going through this now. My LO has been inconsolably crying from 9:30am until now (4pm). I tried swaddling, showering, vacuuming, bouncing, baby wearing, swinging, walking her in the stroller...you name it.  I finally started breaking down mentally around 3pm and ended up putting her in her crib and shutting the door for about 10 minutes

Knottie1455832158

It didn't post the rest of my msg, but I went to say that I felt awful because my doctor said that at this age (6wks) they really need to be soothed and not left alone when crying. I just couldn't take it anymore next time I really need to just call a friend to come over to help.

mwmiller4

@Knottie1455832158 my best friend is a pediatrician from a long line of family practice/peds docs and one of the things that she always tells her patients is that if you have tried everything and checked everything and you can't calm the baby down, put the baby somewhere safe (the crib was perfect) and take a little break. The baby may calm down or may not, but you aren't hurting the baby. You need to be responsive/not sleep train at this age, but sometimes babies will cry no matter what you do and you need to preserve your sanity. Putting the baby down for 10 minutes isn't the same at all. Please don't be too hard on yourself--you're doing a wonderful job in a really tough situation. 

I think calling a friend to come over so you get a real break (and maybe a glass of wine) sounds like an excellent plan. But if nothing is working, PLEASE don't feel guilty about putting the baby somewhere safe for a few minutes. I hope things get better really soon!!!