She just screams and screams!

lamplighter

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 1:53 pm

My baby is barely 2 weeks old and lately she has these all night screaming marathons. She arches her back, clenches her fists her face scrunches up turns red and she wails for hours. It can start s early as 8 and continues till 4 or 5 am. I need ideas- I will try anything! I can handle less sleep, but seeing her in pain (looks like gas) and hearing her like that breaks my heart!!!!

(someone suggested I go off dairy but the nights she screamed where not the nights I ate dairy or ate any differently than previous nights).

NYmommy

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 2:29 pm

Does she arch her back when she eats too? Not sure if your baby is same as mine but when my son was newborn he used to SCREAM for hours & arch his back while breastfeeding. Dr said probably gas. I tried all kind of natural things but nothing helped. After few months he was put on Prevacid for reflux (he never vomited, so I thought it cant b reflux) & he was much much better.

Hang in there, I know its really not easy when baby screams for hours!

overthehill

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 2:33 pm

lamplighter wrote:

As bizarre as it sounds, I would try to either put her in a carriage, bundle her up, and go for a walk, or put her in a carseat and go for a ride. Kids like these love movement which seems to help.

BTDT.

Its hard. These kids dont come with directions.
Had this with first kid and I was on the verge of getting myself committed because I thought it was me and I was doing something wrong.

As long as a competent Pediatrician tells you with 100% certainty- and if youre not sure, get another opinion- that nothing is medically wrong, hang in there.

chocolate chips

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 2:42 pm

I feel for you its awful! My baby was constipated over Yom tov and was exactly the same. And the one night he was good, my landlords baby was screaming all night Very Happy

Try swaddling her it really comforts them. Lay her on her stomach on your stomach and rub her back, rock her in the carriage, bundle her in the car seat and rock it gently...these are all the things that have helped my baby. If its colic try mylicon drops before every feed or ask your pediatrician for reflux med. (it can hurt them also).

Good luck and I hope you get some sleep.

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 3:24 pm

DS also did that. He's our first, and after a few days, I finally took him to the doctor. I was SURE the doctor was going to tell me that babies cry, that's the way it is. But he didn't. He gave him prevacid for reflux - he said it can have similar symptoms to heartburn, and even if the baby doesn't spit up he can still have reflux. And it really worked!

Moral of story: babies cry, but if they cry nonstop, take a trip to the doctor.

ElTam

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 3:24 pm

I agree with swaddling suggestions. Get "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and read it ASAP.

But see a pediatrician too, just to get thing checked out.

Hatzlacha. Keep us posted.

abby1776

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 3:28 pm

Dairy and soy can remain in your system for up to 2 weeks.

Arching the back is a sign of reflux.

Also there is a test for protien sensativity - the dr tests the baby's stool- then you cannot eat soy or dairy or need to use special formula (alimentum or nutrease) - My son has this. The test was done in the drs office - took the diaper and five minutes later I was aon a soy free and dairy free diet. But you need to be really careful - because things you think wouldnt have soy in it like chocolate have lecitian in it which is made from soy and also irritates babies with protien sensativities.

My son takes previcid for the reflux and isoff soy and dairy and is a very happy baby.

chatouli

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 4:20 pm

If she only cries at night, and not all day or after every feeding, my feeling is that you should immediately implement the "Happiest Baby on the Block" techniques, as ElTam suggested. That book saved us. Reflux babies usually cry after each feeding and all day long, not just at a specific time of day. This sounds more like colic. According to Dr. Karp, colic starts approximately two weeks after the baby's due date.

(Obviously, consult your pediatrician, too.)

mommy#1

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 6:13 pm

I went off dairy because my DS was constipated as could be. He would scream & scream until he finally had a bowel movement. It took a few days before it helped, but it really did help. I was also very good about it, and didn't eat a stitch of dairy from when he was 3 weeks old until he was about 5 months. It was hard, but well worth it. As a lactation consultant told me, can you manage a few days without dairy? just try it for 2 weeks & see if it helps

lamplighter

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 7:04 pm

she doesn't scream after each feeding, it's only at night, from some time in the evening till 3,4,5 am.

We do swaddle her, rock her, put her in the stroller and push it around, play soft music, play white noise, turn off the lights...literally I feel like we've tried everything! I am so dreading the night!!!!

September June

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 7:11 pm

I agree with the posters who said it sounds like reflux, does she spit up often? Maybe, try gas drops and see if that helps her.

Also, try rocking her back and forth in her carriage and see if that puts her to sleep.

chatouli

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 8:02 pm

Have you tried putting her to bed in a fast-moving swing with white noise playing, in her swaddle, with a paci? (That is in essence the Happiest Baby on the Block method.) Do those things all at once. I mean, it's best to read the book, but nighttime is upon us.

chocolate chips

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 9:51 pm

Lamplighter it sounds like colic. There are things to do to help this though I am not quite sure what after swaddling, rocking her and placing her on her stomach.
I would speak to your pediatrician and ask what she can give you to help it (though I dont think there is much) Sad

momof2sofar

Mon, Oct 31 2011, 10:14 pm

I've heard that when babies arch their backs it means tummy trouble. My ds was "colicky" but I'm sure he had tummy troubles. His signature move was arching his back. He NEVER spit up. But I felt gurgling in his tummy all the time. And he had a hard time pooping. I would take her to the dr. but if it's not reflux and it's just an immature digestive tract like I'm sure my ds had I don't think there's much you can do. It does pass and now my ds age 6 is the most adorable content and happy child. Take her to the dr. but if there's nothing they can do you have to wait it out and I guarantee it will pass. Maybe ask the dr. to suggest non-gassy easy to digest foods for you. (assuming you are nursing).
I know it is hard but this too shall pass and try to enjoy the non crying moments.