What happened to quiet/happy awake time??

krisleico · September 2014

My LO is three weeks old and for the first two weeks he was really alert, did a lot of quiet observing, and had a lot of happy and content awake time. He loved the swing, or just hanging out being held. Now, for about the past week, we have three states: 1) asleep, 2) eating (a lot), and 3) screaming. He doesn't seem sick or in pain (gas, etc), just really mad! At least some of the time, he seems to be vigorously fighting off sleep, but I can't figure out what else is going on. There is a very short period after eating where he is a glimpse of his old self, but it really only lasts about 5-10 mins before melt down, whereas it used to be hours. I'm hoping he's just in a growth spurt, because he's eating a lot more the last few days, but this is seriously rough. Anyone else experiencing similar? Any thoughts/suggestions?

Shiva14 · September 2014

I did and it was a growth spurt (I think) it seems to be over now... Which means it will come back tonight and haunt me since I said it out loud

. It sucks but they change so quickly, its probably just a phase...

FrodaBaggins · September 2014

I'm experiencing the same thing right now! Baby is almost three weeks old and has very little awake time where he's a happy boy. Just all of a sudden even if we're in the middle of having a very peaceful moment, his little face will scrunch up, get red, he'll tense his whole body and start wailing! I do all my soothing techniques until something works but just this morning, from 3 am to 5:30 am, we had more than 2 solid hours of fussiness, with tiny moments of respite in between before he finally gave in to sleeping.
I'm not sure what to do as it always seems to happen when he's fed, dry/changed, the temperature is good, etc. I'm thinking it could potentially be gas or upset stomach due to my vigorous milk supply and his lack of interest in burping after literally gulping milk down each feeding. Anyway I'm there with you!

BeachM · September 2014

This is what happens at 3 weeks when they "wake up". It gets better after 12 weeks.

IvyMagic828 · September 2014

Yeah, mine turned 3 weeks yesterday. The past few days have been especially rough.. I thought maybe it was the coffee I had over the weekend and that he may be overly sensitive to caffeine, but maybe it's a growth spurt or just what's in the realm of normal for babies at this age. Acck! He's only taken one 2hr nap today and demands to be fed or held & rocked most of the time or he gets upset. I'm smelly and gross and it's been two days since I last showered. My husband is working late hours with the start of the semester. Not too happy right now...

krisleico · September 2014

flip_flops said:

This is what happens at 3 weeks when they "wake up". It gets better after 12 weeks.

Oh dear.... 9 more weeks of this?? :-O

krisleico · September 2014

@IvyMagic828 - Sounds like our LOs are the exact same age! Born 8/11? And we are also in the same boat on the unshowered and stinky situation. :-/

Klaundry · September 2014

https://purplecrying.info

The nurses warmed us about this and it seems to have begun. Our DS will be 3 weeks on Thursday

jendem8 · September 2014

Well, I guess it's good to know that we're not alone in this... but it lasts for months??? Ugh.

Jenrileysmom · September 2014

Same boat here. Matthew will be 3 weeks on Friday and this has been going on for a few days.

cachoque · September 2014

Same thing happening here. DS turned 4 weeks on Monday.

rainbowwillow · September 2014

My LO is 3 weeks today & I'm noticing a similar pattern. Without fail the last couple of nights after midnight, he's been inconsolable. He wasn't hungry, dirty, gassy, just incapable of going to sleep or chilling in his crib or mamaroo. We just finished another episode now.

Daisylola11 · September 2014

It's nice being a mid aug mom so I can get a heads up about things like this, it's nice to know what to possibly expect but shitty at the same time lol

Valancyy · September 2014

The way I handle it is to nurse! That's my solution to everything. I'm pretty much a human pacifier, but if it keeps him happy...

I do have to let him cry in his bouncer sometimes during the day, since I have 2 older boys. I hate it, but I don't really have a choice. At least the baby still sleeps a lot during the day.

herecomesthesun · September 2014

Klaundry said:

https://purplecrying.info The nurses warmed us about this and it seems to have begun. Our DS will be 3 weeks on Thursday

We had to watch a video on this before checking out from the hospital and they gave us the dvd for it as a reminder once we are home.

If anything, it just made me a little worried.

workmm01 · September 2014

I have a grumpy baby! When he's awake he is unhappy unless eating/pacifing on my boob. Thank goodness he still sleeps a lot.

jenniferurs · September 2014

In the same boat with respect to both the screaming starting at 2-3 weeks and with the lack of a shower.

mediaperuana · September 2014

pretty much the same--if he's not eating or sleeping, he's crying. he has very short periods of happy alert time after feeding, 10 or 15 minutes tops. it's really tough because his big brother was not like this, so i feel totally lost, but it seems to be relatively normal.
once he starts, if we know he's fed, burped and has a clean booty, we swaddle him (usually calms him) and try to get him to doze off. or i'll put him in the carrier--he usually screams bloody murder for a couple minutes in there, then falls asleep.
DH goes back to work monday, so i'm terrified of trying to handle this on my own!

CanadianintheSouth · September 2014

Yup, all of the above. Baby 3 weeks tomorrow

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