Advice for Moms
My baby is rarely happy. He is normally only happy for about 30-45 minutes after he eats and then he begins to cry because he is getting tired so I will swaddle and rock him to sleep and then lay him down. He cries when he wakes up, he cries when he's tired, bored, scared, hungry, he scratches himself... for no reason.. I feel like he cries all the time and I feel like a failure at decoding the cries. He is 11 weeks and teething. I have baltic amber beads on him and I give him hyland's tablets. I answer all of his cries quickly. I feel like he should know he doesn't need to scream bloody murder to get a response from me. He is just most of the time fussy/grumpy. Everyone tells me there babies are so happy and they "never cry", always smiling. I can't help but feel I am doing something wrong. I use cloth diapers and I feed him donated breast milk (I have IGT) and the WAP formula. Is that much crying/fussiness normal at 11 weeks? Why does everyone tell me their baby is always happy and smiling?
Replies
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Some babies are fussy and they usually grow out of that, thank goodness. When people look back they usually only remember the good and that's how we keep from killing those sweet babies! LOL
As long as you are making sure he is fed, dry and love, you are doing all your can. Believe in yourself. *HUGS* and remember, this too shall pass.
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Someone once told me that a really fussy baby is a sign of a biologically strong baby. Back in caveman times, babies who insisted (cried) to get their needs met got the best food and stimulation, so they became the strongest caveman... silly, but it helps me when I can't take any more crying/whining! -
Gripe water! It really works wonders.
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I used to refer to the hour in the morning when my baby was happy as "awake, pleasant time." Besides that time, she was either asleep or flippin' miserable. She could be calmed by bouncing, rocking, driving, baby-thumping (like burping but with gusto.) But if we stopped for a red light or had to put her down, she would scream and cry as if in pain.
Switching from pumped breastmilk to soy formula helped, but it wasn't a cure. Reflux remedies & gas remedies had no effect. I used to beg that baby to just take a pacifier! Some called it colic...others said it wasn't and that she was just fussy. It was awful and I was helpless to fix it, but eventually she got over it...I'd say around crawling time.
Yes it's normal, but it sucks ass for the mom. Luckily, it doesn't last.
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Love gripe water!!
Quoting crystalplus1:
Gripe water! It really works wonders.
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Use it - love it. But, it's not always tummy troubles. I can tell when it's that because nothing will sooth him. In that situation, gripe water puts him out like a light. It's rare we need it though.
Quoting crystalplus1:
Gripe water! It really works wonders.
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Oddly enough I endured something very similar. I read somewhere on the Internet that this fussiness really isn't thy unusual and is just a phase. I was trying to finish college, living in one city while commuting more than 3 hours a day for work & school and this kid sometimes yelled more than 90% of my commute. The article I read said that it would get better around 4 months and it really did. I definitely feel your pain. When you know you've checked all of the things that could make him fussy (diaper, hunger, gas, etc) then it's OK to take a Mommy time out and step away for a few minutes.
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Ooo I hope so badly it's just a phase. My baby cries like that in the car too! 4 months.. only one more month. I def. think I can do that! thanks
Quoting Shaei:
Oddly enough I endured something very similar. I read somewhere on the Internet that this fussiness really isn't thy unusual and is just a phase. I was trying to finish college, living in one city while commuting more than 3 hours a day for work & school and this kid sometimes yelled more than 90% of my commute. The article I read said that it would get better around 4 months and it really did. I definitely feel your pain. When you know you've checked all of the things that could make him fussy (diaper, hunger, gas, etc) then it's OK to take a Mommy time out and step away for a few minutes.
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it sounds like he has colic which makes us feel bad. Talk to the doctor about how he is and get him checked for that. He also just may be a high needs baby and right now crying is communication. What type of music do you play around him? Maybe try some lullabye type music just to play throughout the day and night. A white noise machine also may help since there is usually a heart beat setting on it.
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he may have colic or be allergic to the wap formula, i had the same problem with my son minus the breast feeding. but talk to his ped about switching formulas. it helped my son alot!! alimentin worked the best, and my son is still on it due to a milk protein allergy