my calm baby isn't calm

[Deir]

argh. like a switch was turned on- she is fussing while nursing and basically crying unless actively being calmed. now- i start worrying- 'reflux? food allergy? oversupply?' or is this just babies?

[Juvysen]

I think it takes a few weeks for colic to kick in. My DD was fine until she was maybe a month old or something? Then she was clingy/fussy especially in the evenings. My grandmother had sent me "the happiest baby on the block" video before she was born and I sorta rolled my eyes, thinking it was some sort of baby training, but eventually got desperate enough to look at it and see what it was about. Turns out his techniques are pretty AP compatible, imo, and they totally saved us. It was great Maybe something like that would help?

Fwiw, Avery's become a bit less easy going, too (though still pretty easy, luckily). Hope your dd's doing better soon!

[sosurreal09]

i totally love happiest baby on the block!

my baby DOES have reflux and is intolerant to eggs dairy beef peanuts and soy...
that being said unless DD has excessive diarrhea or blood or mucousy stool i dont think its an intolerance issue.

reflux is different. my baby will scream at the top of her lungs for 20+ mins with soothing when shes having a reflux "episode" if she seems like she "isnt being comforted" and patting her back or lying her down is making it worse then it may be reflux. my OLD pediatrician said not to worry unless shes completely crying non stop even if she only settles for 10 mins in 4 hours then shes OK..so idk what yours might say. you know your child and if you feel she may have reflux then i would seek help.


good luck hun and congrats!!!

[RedOakMomma]

(DDCC)

Try giving her fingerswabs of probiotics (in powder form). There have been very reputable studies showing that colic in infants can be reduced or even eliminated by giving probiotics...and that babies WITH colic have different/unhealthy gut flora. Kinda makes sense when you think about it.

I got the babydophilus brand mixture from our health food store, wet my finger with water, dipped it in, and let ds suck on it just before I nursed him. If he wouldn't suck on it, I just wiped it on the inside of his mouth before nursing. I think I started that around 4 weeks and did 2-3 doses daily? Earlier would have been better, in my opinion...he was pretty fussy by the time we started it. Within a few days, he was better. In a week, different baby.

[moonglowmama]

Maybe the 3 week growth spurt? Mine was like that, now I have a ton of milk and she's calm again.

[Deir]

Thanks everyone!! Unfortunately- I have read and watched 'Happiest baby on the Block" and I love it!!! Here- I thought it was really working and we were sailing along! She is actually able to be calmed and by no means inconsolable. It;s just that on Thursday night, my dh laid her in a bouncy seat and she was looking around all calmly and then she FELL ASLEEP!! I have NEVER expereinced a baby or even toddler who actually falls asleep on their own! LOL we looked at eachother like, "OMG!! The promised land!!!" I actually laid her down in bed and took a shower on Friday. Then suddenly- Saturday- I swear it was like a switch-"I am 3 weeks old and darn it- I'm mad. We just need to adjust our expectations and god knows we've been through this before!!!
She does have a slight rash around her anus which freaks me out. Ugh- I wish I was ignorant- it really is bliss.

[Deir]

Originally Posted by RedOakMomma

(DDCC)

Try giving her fingerswabs of probiotics (in powder form). There have been very reputable studies showing that colic in infants can be reduced or even eliminated by giving probiotics...and that babies WITH colic have different/unhealthy gut flora. Kinda makes sense when you think about it.

I got the babydophilus brand mixture from our health food store, wet my finger with water, dipped it in, and let ds suck on it just before I nursed him. If he wouldn't suck on it, I just wiped it on the inside of his mouth before nursing. I think I started that around 4 weeks and did 2-3 doses daily? Earlier would have been better, in my opinion...he was pretty fussy by the time we started it. Within a few days, he was better. In a week, different baby.

I will definitely try it!!!! thanks

[cocoanib]

I could have wrote your first post Deir.
Oversupply, I think we now have thrush and whatever else is going on has turned my low key baby into a fussy mama.

[Plummeting]

nak

i think a lot of babies sort of sleep away the first couple of weeks, so that when they finally become more alert it seems like someone really did flip a switch. Of course, it also often takes a few weeks for sensitivities to start up, so that could be it sometimes, too.

My baby has recently started getting VERY fussy from about 8 to midnight. <yawn> She doesn't scream the whole time, but she does a fair bit of fussing and crying. It's hard.

[Lilcrunchie]

Originally Posted by Plummeting

nak

i think a lot of babies sort of sleep away the first couple of weeks, so that when they finally become more alert it seems like someone really did flip a switch. Of course, it also often takes a few weeks for sensitivities to start up, so that could be it sometimes, too.

My little guy is 3 weeks old and still sleepy and pretty easy going (waking up for longer stretches during the day but still mostly sleeps the day away...). However, I'm kinda expecting we'll hit a more challenging spurt pretty soon.

My oldest was sensitive to dairy and I had to cut that out after a few months. It resolved by the time he was 1. we later found out Dh tests positive (via IgE testing) for dairy allergy, although he's asymptomatic. I think our doc said this could mean he had the allergy as a child and outgrew it?

My 2nd child went through a phase...from maybe 2-3 weeks until 6 weeks old where she'd scream every night from 6-9 pm. Gripe water and probiotics didn't seem to help We took turns holding her and watching a movie while she cried...nothing worked (and we did the Happiest Baby stuff, which I do like overall and think it does tend to help otherwise). By 6ish weeks it diminished thankfully. I think classic "colic" peaks around 6w of age. DH used to take her downstairs and hold her on the vibrating washer (spinning out) to calm her down sometimes. Poor thing.

So...things are kinda easy-ish right now and I'm enjoying it while it lasts, but not expecting it to last at the same time.

I know it is hard when you are wondering how much to worry...is it reflux, a food sensitivity/allergy, colic, etc. How much do you pursue it vs. just waiting for them to mature and settle down a bit? I think it is hard even after you have a few kids and experience with newborns.

Hang in there! I'm expecting to join you before long!

[Deir]

Originally Posted by cocoanib

I could have wrote your first post Deir.
Oversupply, I think we now have thrush and whatever else is going on has turned my low key baby into a fussy mama.

hi- 1ht- how's it going? we haven't actually had another day like sat. i have no clue what happened that day but she was back to pretty calm yesterday an today. i have started block feeding- 2 feedings from one side. i ended up doing 6 hr blocks with ds but he was gaining insane amts of weight and nora isn't so i am sticking with about a 4 hr block for now. have you tried that? I am wondering if it could be dairy or CITRUS thar bothered her. I knowyou are a vegan so dairy isn't an issue for you. I am addicted to tomatoes and citrus and i had alot on Fri and then boom- sat came. Do you eat alot of soy? That is a big culprit? But you can go crazy with food stuff.I really do find that oversupply and oal is a huge issue with fussiness. (sorry this post is seriously all over the place)LOL

[Deir]

Originally Posted by Lilcrunchie

My little guy is 3 weeks old and still sleepy and pretty easy going (waking up for longer stretches during the day but still mostly sleeps the day away...). However, I'm kinda expecting we'll hit a more challenging spurt pretty soon.

My oldest was sensitive to dairy and I had to cut that out after a few months. It resolved by the time he was 1. we later found out Dh tests positive (via IgE testing) for dairy allergy, although he's asymptomatic. I think our doc said this could mean he had the allergy as a child and outgrew it?

My 2nd child went through a phase...from maybe 2-3 weeks until 6 weeks old where she'd scream every night from 6-9 pm. Gripe water and probiotics didn't seem to help We took turns holding her and watching a movie while she cried...nothing worked (and we did the Happiest Baby stuff, which I do like overall and think it does tend to help otherwise). By 6ish weeks it diminished thankfully. I think classic "colic" peaks around 6w of age. DH used to take her downstairs and hold her on the vibrating washer (spinning out) to calm her down sometimes. Poor thing.

So...things are kinda easy-ish right now and I'm enjoying it while it lasts, but not expecting it to last at the same time.

I know it is hard when you are wondering how much to worry...is it reflux, a food sensitivity/allergy, colic, etc. How much do you pursue it vs. just waiting for them to mature and settle down a bit? I think it is hard even after you have a few kids and experience with newborns.

Hang in there! I'm expecting to join you before long!

thanks!

[Ellien C]

Going through the same thing here. Baby was born 3-14. Actually sleeping peacefully in the co-sleeper now. Amazing that I'm not holding him.

[Snapdragon]

g