NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

We had a bad night with my usually very good 2 week old DD. She is a EBF baby, although we give her a bottle of pumped milk at night.

I didn't let her stay asleep all day-I did make sure that she was up every 3-4 hours, nursed, played with. We took her out with us to dinner last night and she slept-we woke her up 9:45 to change her and feed her and we were going to put her to bed.

Nope. She was screaming after taking 2 ozs of BM. So I just pumped and gave her an additional ounce and a half with her vitamin (our first night with it-Enfamil Poly-Vit with Iron and man did the smell make me gag) and some gas meds (she was really out of sorts). She did not feel warm. We tried rocking, shushing, the swing-nothing worked. She was just whining at this point but started wailing again-gave another ounce an hour later. Pooped, started wailing again, gave her almost 3 ozs of pumped milk at 1:30 am (mommy was exhausted from all day and daddy wanted to feed her). She was good for maybe 30 minutes, fell asleep on me-I tried putting her in her bouncy seat in our room which usually keeps her quiet. No dice. She is screaming again. I nurse her for about 30 minutes and she drops off, asleep. 45 minutes later, she is wailing. I change her as she screams bloody murder, swaddle and put her back on the breast. But this time, she is not sucking to eat-clearly using me as a paci. I let her fall asleep, give her the paci and she gave me 2 hours. I was happier with this, but this is not typical, as she usually gives me 3-4, and she was awake and inconsolable from 10-2.

She just woke to eat again and I nursed for 45 minutes and just put her back down-so far, so good.

What do you think it is? A growth spurt? Does her tummy hurt (she was burping and farting a lot)? Is it poop related (a few poops were stringy, no blood, and she pooped a little less than normal). Is it something I ate (I had some wine earlier in the day but it was maybe 4 ozs tops)? Could it be cluster feeding? I feed on demand whatever she wants.

It broke my heart to hear her scream like that and makes me feel horrible that I cannot for the life of me, figure out what this could be. I will be calling the ped later. Not to mention it was out of character for her. I hope this is not a nightly thing as we don't have any help here and I just can't stand hearing her cry like that and not being able to soothe her.

Sorry this was an epic tale-if you got through and can help, TIA! I just want my princess to feel better!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

There is a pretty serious growth spurt around 3 weeks where I remember Nina and Luke just nursing non-stop. Luke was eating 8oz of breastmilk ever 1.5 hours during that spurt and if he didn't he would freak out.

for you because it really does suck when they are like that, for both of you.

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

Posted by Deedlebugs

There is a pretty serious growth spurt around 3 weeks where I remember Nina and Luke just nursing non-stop. Luke was eating 8oz of breastmilk ever 1.5 hours during that spurt and if he didn't he would freak out.

for you because it really does suck when they are like that, for both of you.

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

Posted by munchkinfacemama

Posted by Deedlebugs

There is a pretty serious growth spurt around 3 weeks where I remember Nina and Luke just nursing non-stop. Luke was eating 8oz of breastmilk ever 1.5 hours during that spurt and if he didn't he would freak out.

for you because it really does suck when they are like that, for both of you.

Thanks Kristin! So I am not screwing her up for the rest of her life? Guess I better get napping and some strong coffee for the night! She will be 3 weeks Monday.

My boobs are SORE!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

hmmm...DS's belly problems started the first week he was home. by 3 weeks we were still getting him settled with the alimentum. He was colic as all hell. during the day wouldnt be so bad, but he had a witching hour that would start after 6 or so.

could be a growth spurt, could be gas bothering her.

see how it goes tonite

and those vitamins stink to the high heavens. i even have the fruit flavored ones and they are still gross.

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

I don't know if this will help, but I was under the impression that you don't wake or try any kind of schedule with a newborn. They sort of make their own. Though it stinks when they don't sleep at night! I did BF for that long, so I am not much of a help with that.


Also..my nephew went through this, and he was spitting up the milk..is DD spitting up along with the crying?

Message edited 3/17/2010 9:46:41 AM.

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

Mich the frist 8-10 weeks are such a blur b/c of all the crying they do. Be prepared b/c they are at the fussiest around 6-8 weeks.. (according to the book, healthy sleep habits happy baby),,then they seem to calm down a little.

It's nothing you are doing wrong. Do whatever works to keep all of you calm at this point.. then once 12 weeks hits..try a "sort of " routine.. right now they are all over the map when it comes to sleeping and eating and crying!!

Hugs and kisses to you and miss. Bean!!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

I would say at 2 weeks was about when DS went from sleeping all of the time to being awake and crying all of the time. It didn't last that long, but I found at this time that he wanted to nurse constantly and that's what i did. I felt like this secured him, knowing he could eat or soothe when he needed to. Things got better pretty quickly and he is a great sleeper now (knock on wood- he's 3 months today!). I also found the longer periods he was awake for the harder it was to get him to sleep (which was hard to get because we just assumed the longer he was awake the longer he would sleep later- not true!). So go with your instincts it'll work out! gl

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

That was PRIME TIME for cluster-feeding for Loey!

Hang in there... it does get better!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

oh mama... I say this in the nicest way, you know me

the HONEYMOON IS OVER!!!

around 2 weeks babies really start to wake up and the "whitching hour" begins..... normal in the evening/night.

Also they hit a HUGE growth spurt around 3 weeks... like MAJOR HUGE

for the next 10 days or so all ou will do is feed and rock that baby.. you will go mad....

my BEST advice.... Netflix a bunch of movies... grab a 1 liter nalgene of water a few comfy blankets and pillow and plop your bottom on that couch with your shirt off and feed the baby....

My DH bought me all 7 seasons of Gilmore girls and I watched them all in like 5 days!!!

For the INSANE crying at night I reccomend a sling.... not a bjorn but something you can keep her nice and close to your body and walk around the house, turn some music on and dance...

Alexa was colic and with teh reflux she SCREAMED bloody murder from weeks 2-10 NON_stop..... I told people I knew why shaken baby syndrome exists because she broke me down and then broke me down more and then some more.....


You will get through this!!! At the end of the next 2 weeks you'll come out a stronger mama!!!

I use to think to myself at 3 am when I was pacing the hallway with this tiny, squirming red faced little "monster"..... RIGHT NOW there are other moms doing this EXACT SAME THING...... YOu can do it!!!

FM me or email me any time!!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

Posted by Blissful

oh mama... I say this in the nicest way, you know me

the HONEYMOON IS OVER!!!

around 2 weeks babies really start to wake up and the "whitching hour" begins..... normal in the evening/night.

Also they hit a HUGE growth spurt around 3 weeks... like MAJOR HUGE

for the next 10 days or so all ou will do is feed and rock that baby.. you will go mad....

my BEST advice.... Netflix a bunch of movies... grab a 1 liter nalgene of water a few comfy blankets and pillow and plop your bottom on that couch with your shirt off and feed the baby....

My DH bought me all 7 seasons of Gilmore girls and I watched them all in like 5 days!!!

For the INSANE crying at night I reccomend a sling.... not a bjorn but something you can keep her nice and close to your body and walk around the house, turn some music on and dance...

Alexa was colic and with teh reflux she SCREAMED bloody murder from weeks 2-10 NON_stop..... I told people I knew why shaken baby syndrome exists because she broke me down and then broke me down more and then some more.....


You will get through this!!! At the end of the next 2 weeks you'll come out a stronger mama!!!

I use to think to myself at 3 am when I was pacing the hallway with this tiny, squirming red faced little "monster"..... RIGHT NOW there are other moms doing this EXACT SAME THING...... YOu can do it!!!

FM me or email me any time!!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

Posted by munchkinfacemama

Posted by Blissful

oh mama... I say this in the nicest way, you know me

the HONEYMOON IS OVER!!!

around 2 weeks babies really start to wake up and the "whitching hour" begins..... normal in the evening/night.

Also they hit a HUGE growth spurt around 3 weeks... like MAJOR HUGE

for the next 10 days or so all ou will do is feed and rock that baby.. you will go mad....

my BEST advice.... Netflix a bunch of movies... grab a 1 liter nalgene of water a few comfy blankets and pillow and plop your bottom on that couch with your shirt off and feed the baby....

My DH bought me all 7 seasons of Gilmore girls and I watched them all in like 5 days!!!

For the INSANE crying at night I reccomend a sling.... not a bjorn but something you can keep her nice and close to your body and walk around the house, turn some music on and dance...

Alexa was colic and with teh reflux she SCREAMED bloody murder from weeks 2-10 NON_stop..... I told people I knew why shaken baby syndrome exists because she broke me down and then broke me down more and then some more.....


You will get through this!!! At the end of the next 2 weeks you'll come out a stronger mama!!!

I use to think to myself at 3 am when I was pacing the hallway with this tiny, squirming red faced little "monster"..... RIGHT NOW there are other moms doing this EXACT SAME THING...... YOu can do it!!!

FM me or email me any time!!

Thanks Maria!

I told DH basically to stop inviting people over, put dinner in the crockpot before you go and I have a case of water, a tube of Lansinoh and the Netflix movie of the day out for me to watch.

I've also retired a shirt for the day, I am wearing just a robe!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

With only 6 days of experience, I don't know what good my advice is.

I was advised to supplement with formula, due to high jaundice. I cried the first time bottle went to DS mouth. I was determined to ebf, and was crushed.

I find DS sleeps much deeper and longer on formula. Lactation consultant told me, formula is much harder to digest, so it might be making him more lethargic.

I give formula, on demand, at night now, and we have very peaceful nights. I breast feed or bottle pumped milk, on schedule, every 2 hours, during day.

Message edited 3/18/2010 6:33:08 AM.

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

Last night DS was a dream but the night before I was ready to pull my hair out.

Have you heard of the book, "The Happiest Baby on the Block"? I've been reading it and it has some good advice... Last night we really followed it but idk if it was because of it or just a fluke that ds slept so well...

Anyway, we're all gonna get through this!!

Re: NB not sleeping for 5 hours, crying-help!

I'm sorry to say the 1st 2 weeks they sleep the most then that is when colic, witching hour etc starts. The 1st few weeks are rough. I went thru it 2 times - DD#1 started to sleep from say 930-10pm until 4 or 5am at 5 weeks but DD#2 didn't do that until 11 weeks. Before that both had a bad witching hour when they would cry from 5-930 or 10 straight with no stopping every night. DH and I had to do switch off to keep our sanity. DD#2 was waking for weeks every 1.5-2 hours and would rarely go 3 hours with a feeding.

I would say in the beginning this is probably a growth spurt and it is rough but you WILL get through it. As others have recommended find some great movies and a couch or comfy chair and just settle in. I found that caffeine in the beginning made my girls really fussy and crying so maybe as hard as it is you might want to try cutting that out and see if it helps with the crying. Try not to wake her during the day or night. I was always told unless they are having issues with weight gain never wake a sleeping baby they will wake when they are hungry.

Also if you can - I would try to close my eyes and take a cat nap when my DD would nap in the beginning. It helped me when I did have to wake at night and when I had tough days.

I had two girls with severe colic and reflux so I understand how difficult it can be when they cry and don't sleep. There are so many supportive people on here when things get tough. It is especially hard when they were so good the first few days or weeks b.c you think you are in the clear.