How many minutes a day does your baby cry?

[Quagmire]

It feels like DD is spending long periods of time crying lately. Last night I spent almost 2 hours trying to get her down to sleep. We nursed, swaddled, walked, bounced, pacified, swung, and repeat. Finally after the fifth try of swaddle/walk/pacify she very abruptly passed out. It made me feel awful that she was expending all that energy crying (not to mention frustrated and sad!)

I really thought I'd have this down by now. Baby #2 should be a breeze right? Over the last 3-4 days it's been a lot tougher. Sleeping less (3 hour blocks at night instead of her previous 5-6) and spending a good portion of the time she's awake fairly unhappy

I'm just hoping I'm not alone here :

[MsGrizzle]

First let me say when I started to reply, my ds was in my arms. He then proceeded to do his once-every-three-days poop explosion ALL over EVERYTHING!! : Whew - everything is in the wash now.

My ds sounds very similar to yours. I would say he spends about 80-90% of awake time crying. We don't get a lot of "quiet alert". There has been one wonderful solution for us...

The evil pacifier! : : : :

This was a Never-say-never thing for me. I swore never to use one and didn't with older ds. I console myself by reading Dr. Sears' The Baby Book where he says reflux babies like pacifiers because it generates saliva which helps clear the acid from their throats.

We get the quiet alert moments when he has the pacifier. And Mommy gets to clear the ringing in her ears from the crying. Many times he'll even just spit it out and then be content for a while.

I'm assuming a lot of the crying is because of his constant spitting up (and reflux-like symptoms). I am hoping to see some improvement with my elimination diet and if not, I might even cave to the Zantac prescription. We'll see.

[Quagmire]

Wow, your reply made me feel a whole lot better. I was really feeling like a crappy mom over here.

We also have caved and given a pacifier. DD hates it - keeps spitting it out - but when she keeps latching on none-too-gently and then screaming it's time for the binky. What she wants is to suck on me and get no milk I think, but fortunately or unfortunately I have endless supplies to fill her already full belly. I've been trying to give her tummy a 45 minute rest when she starts doing her latch-scream-unlatch-scream routine, but I'm not sure that's right... it's all such a freakin mystery.

[lotus.blossom]

We're resorting to a paci too. I've been feeding him too much lately because of his sucking cues and he has been vomiting a lot. A LOT! He screams for a 2-3 hour block every night at 7:00. Frustrating, yes but at least he doesn't cry at night or much during the day.

[SabbathD]

Originally Posted by soapdiva

First let me say when I started to reply, my ds was in my arms. He then proceeded to do his once-every-three-days poop explosion ALL over EVERYTHING!! : Whew - everything is in the wash now.

My ds sounds very similar to yours. I would say he spends about 80-90% of awake time crying. We don't get a lot of "quiet alert". There has been one wonderful solution for us...

The evil pacifier! : : : :

This was a Never-say-never thing for me. I swore never to use one and didn't with older ds. I console myself by reading Dr. Sears' The Baby Book where he says reflux babies like pacifiers because it generates saliva which helps clear the acid from their throats.

We get the quiet alert moments when he has the pacifier. And Mommy gets to clear the ringing in her ears from the crying. Many times he'll even just spit it out and then be content for a while.

I'm assuming a lot of the crying is because of his constant spitting up (and reflux-like symptoms). I am hoping to see some improvement with my elimination diet and if not, I might even cave to the Zantac prescription. We'll see.

Oh Cori - our babies are twins. I swear, seperated in utero. We are caving to the evil Zantac prescription, I will let you know how it goes.

Quagmire - You are NOT a bad mommy. All babies do this. You are doing great, and you will get through it!

[SabbathD]

Originally Posted by lotus.blossom

We're resorting to a paci too. I've been feeding him too much lately because of his sucking cues and he has been vomiting a lot. A LOT! He screams for a 2-3 hour block every night at 7:00. Frustrating, yes but at least he doesn't cry at night or much during the day.

April - for the overfeeding thing, if you block feed them, this isn't quite as much of an issue. So, if you choose to feed the baby on say, the right side only. Then baby wants to comfort nurse in half an hour. Instead of feeding on the left side, feed again on the right side. It's basically like letting the baby suck on an empty side. Designate a side for every 2-3 hour period, and the baby won't actually get nearly as much milk, but will still get to suck. It dramatically decreased the amount of overfeeding vomiting that we had.

[MsGrizzle]

Oh Cori - our babies are twins. I swear, seperated in utero. We are caving to the evil Zantac prescription, I will let you know how it goes.

Yes they are! Amazing!

I can't wait to hear what happens! Fingers crossed all goes well!

[Still_Snarky]

How many minutes a day does your baby cry?

: Less than 30 minutes per day...mostly during diaper changes. Other than the few days after I had ice cream when he was not a happy boy...back to no dairy for us! :

Good luck to the mamas dealing with reflux issues, etc.

[jinkel]

BIG s, mamas! I'm so sorry you're going through this.

Like little 'Renzo, my guy also doesn't cry much...usually when he's trying to make a poop (he still struggles with getting his virgin system up and working the way he'd like it to - -but he's getting more used to it, and getting the hang of how to push poop out, etc.).

With that said, my first ds cried pretty much anytime he was awake. It was awful. Very high needs little guy. We spent a lot of time crying together. Once he reached 3-4 months (right about when they start to be interested in mobiles, toys, our funny facial expressions, etc) it all stopped. He was happy as a clam, and has been since then. I know that's a long way from now, but hang in there!!!

[MsGrizzle]

Very high needs little guy. We spent a lot of time crying together. Once he reached 3-4 months (right about when they start to be interested in mobiles, toys, our funny facial expressions, etc) it all stopped. He was happy as a clam, and has been since then. I know that's a long way from now, but hang in there!!!

I'm counting on this but what makes me sad is that's when I'll be returning to work!

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by soapdiva

I'm counting on this but what makes me sad is that's when I'll be returning to work!

Ditto. Just when it all starts getting interesting... :

[gumby74]

Lately it seems as though my Andrew is the perfect child by day, but at night......he turns into I too, have tried every trick in the bag, but it seems to me that he doesn't give up until he is ready. There never seems to be any rhyme or reason to when he gives in. Is this what they call colic? A friend of mine said that it should follow the rule of threes....3 hours for 3 times a week, and 3 three days a month.

[SabbathD]

Originally Posted by gumby74

Lately it seems as though my Andrew is the perfect child by day, but at night......he turns into I too, have tried every trick in the bag, but it seems to me that he doesn't give up until he is ready. There never seems to be any rhyme or reason to when he gives in. Is this what they call colic? A friend of mine said that it should follow the rule of threes....3 hours for 3 times a week, and 3 three days a month.

Boy if that's colic......sign my baby up as poster child!!

[Maxine45]

Originally Posted by jinkel

BIG s, mamas! I'm so sorry you're going through this.

We spent a lot of time crying together.

we're starting to do that too. : I'm relived to know I;m not the only one who is driven to tears.

I think he's having a growth spurt since he wants to nurse all day long, and cries when he realizes he isn't nursing. he's 6 weeks/2 days, I was told that's a typical age for a growth spurt. does anyone know if growing can be painful to the baby?

it's hard though, all that crying just sorta breaks my heart and yet is sooo frustrating at the same time.

[writermommy]

This is our fourth and he is the calmest of all of them. He cries less than thirty minutes a day and usually when he's hungry/tired. Your baby sounds like my second baby. She cried all the time. I mean, if she was awake, she was crying. She didn't sleep well either. She never slept more than 15 minutes at a time during the day and 2 hours at a time at night. I was losing it. She wouldn't take the binky or anything else but mommy. I felt like a bad mom too. Don't worry, you're not!!! They do outgrow it. I'm sorry you're going through this, but you're not alone!

[Max'sMama]

One of my midwives warned of the incessant crying about 4-6 weeks (approx) and lasting a few days. Boy was she right, and looking back it happened with ds too. Her solution was 'when all else fails, get her naked'. I am so glad she said that, not that I couldn't figure it out myself, my kids are poster kids for a nudist colony, but for some reason in my sleep deprived, frustrated brain, I was not thinking 'get her naked'.

Once I did she stopped her all day crying and sat in the quiet alert for quite some time, then when it started up again, we stayed naked and got in the tub, I held her neck and head and let her just float in the water, it was HEAVEN, she got so calm and actually fell asleep for me. She is not a paci baby-though I did cave and try it too!

[Still_Snarky]

Originally Posted by Max'sMama

we stayed naked and got in the tub, I held her neck and head and let her just float in the water, it was HEAVEN, she got so calm and actually fell asleep for me.

That bathtub thing has worked for both of my kids...in fact I still send my toddler to the tub when she's being well, a toddler!

[PancakeGoddess]

whew! This is a great thread. I don't know if it's reflux but K has some serious fussiness. He does spit up but not that much. The crying is not inconsolable like ds2's colic, but if he's awake, he is WORK to keep him from crying. And my other kids and my house are not getting attention.

He arches in the sling and at the breast. He doesn't unlatch and scream but he's all tense and frantic while he nurses and sputters. It's awful. So, pacifier here, too, and I'm fine with it. He needs to be able to get some comfort in the car anyway, because the other boys have places to go.

So, today is my first day without dairy or coffee. I am a gloomy lump of weepy frustrated mamaness. I hope tomorrow is better. I miss my coffee. I miss the newborn period I had with ds3. I guess that would be asking too much.

[Still_Snarky]

Originally Posted by PancakeGoddess

So, today is my first day without dairy or coffee. I am a gloomy lump of weepy frustrated mamaness. I hope tomorrow is better. I miss my coffee. I miss the newborn period I had with ds3. I guess that would be asking too much.

I hope each day gets easier and easier.

[sarenka]

Sending you some virtual coffee, PancakeGoddess!

My little one was having some reflux problems, I've eliminated all pulses, beans, citrus fruits, onions and garlic but kept the dairy and the chocolate and.... so far so good!

Apart from problems poohing and the reflux thing she cries very little, I can't believe it after first dd who was one of those nonstop ones (and I never thought to get her naked! What a great idea...so obvious!). The pacifier did work, as much as anything worked. I really feel for you mamas who have it the other way round, a crier after a calm baby must be a nightmare.

Quagmire - you are not repeat not a bad mother!