She just won't stop crying....

I don't know what to do anymore. She's screaming and screaming. She nurses, she finishes, she screams... she falls asleep for 10 minutes, wakes herself up and screams and screams. She's on prescription Zantac and Mylanta for the reflux, but she just won't stop.

I can't take it. I don't know what to do for her. I'm not sure who's crying more at this point.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

How many times a day is she on Zantac? DDs were on 2x a day - that helped a little, but when they were upped to 3x a day it practically cured it. I would check with your doctor - your DD may be too young to do that.

Did you try the swing or baby carrier? Also what about gas drops - Mylicon?

Re: She just won't stop crying....

She sounds like my niece who had the same problem with reflex. I have no advice other than she eventually grew out of it.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

so sorry you are having a tough time...I did not experience anything like this so I have no advice to offer except to hang in there, it will get better....just be there for her and try to soothe her the best you can.

Maybe your doctor can help

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Is it just this once or does this happen frequently? Does she have loose stools?

My DD screamed after ever bottle. I tried gas drops and nothing helped. We found out at 5 weeks that she has a milk protein allergy.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Re: She just won't stop crying....

We give her Mylicon, she gets Zantac 2x a day, Mylanta about 3. I've cut out dairy, spicy foods, acidic foods, I've done what I can ro help with the breastmilk. But she just won't stop She seems so miserable. It's getting so hard because there's nothing I can do. She fights sleep like there's no tomorrow. I try to soothe her, I bundle her, I walk her, I rock her, we burp her and constantly try to get her gas out. But she screams and screams and screams. We had her poo and urine tested and she's fine.

Message edited 6/25/2007 9:13:54 PM.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Posted by chelle

We give her Mylicon, she gets Zantac 2x a day, Mylanta about 3. I've cut out dairy, spicy foods, acidic foods, I've done what I can ro help with the breastmilk. But she just won't stop She seems so miserable. It's getting so hard because there's nothing I can do. She fights sleep like there's no tomorrow. I try to soothe her, I bundle her, I walk her, I rock her, we burp her and constantly try to get her gas out. But she screams and screams and screams. We had her poo and urine tested and she's fine.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

I could have written this myself when Ava was DD's age.

Are you holding her upright for 20 minutes after feedings? That helped a lot for Ava.
Do you eat soy? A lot of babies are affected by soy, as well as milk.
I know how hard it is to try to figure it out. I would really try holding her upright, also, do you let her belly sleep? That helped Ava tremendously. Obviously, only if you feel comfortable, but it worked for us.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

She has slept on my chest, on her tummy since day one. She sleeps throughout the night like an angel. I should be VERY thankful for that. I don't drink soy either. I barely eat anything these days it seems. I'm eating, don't get me wrong, but just not anything that could affect her. We burp her after every feeding and keep her upright as well.

Its just so frustrating becasue she's so small and just seems so unhappy and I don't know what to do. Thankgod for DH"s patience. He can usually suffer through her screams and get her to calm down and eventually fall asleep. But that's short lived throughout the day. She'll wake herself up so fast, even in the swing. Forget about the bouncy seat.

Tonight, I had to walk away. I feel like I'm going to lose it.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Please believe me when I say that I was there, at that exact place as you when my daughter was her age.
Do you have a sling? Ava liked that, too.
Do you have any family that you can have take her for a few hours or overnight.
My parents would come in the middle of the night sometimes because I was so upset and she was so miserable.
I know it's the last thing you want to hear, but Ava is a year old now, and probably the happiest, most well-adjusted baby I know. By the time she was 4 months old, she was a new baby.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

fm..

Re: She just won't stop crying....

I am so sorry- I went through the same thing also so I know how hard it is.

Dd also screamed about 20 hours a day. She was on zantac too.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

When did you cut out dairy? It can take 7 days to get the dairy out of your system and breast milk. Make sure you read every label becuase there is so much dairy in everything, you really have to watch what you eat, if they suspect this.

I would have them test her stool, all they need to do it put a bit of it on this card to tell if there is blood. We could not see it in my son's but it was there.

Hang in there, it will get better!!!!!

Re: She just won't stop crying....

I am going through the same exact thing right now. Ella is on Axid 3x's a day and we give her Nutramitgen. She has been on the medicine for almost 5 weeks and it is a little better. We are taking her Wednesday to a Ped. Gastro to see if there is anything else we can do for her. I know how fustrating it is. I really hope it passes soon cause I think I am going to lose it very very soon.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Have you tried supplementing with formula??? Maybe she is still hungry??

I know how hard it is, just know that things will get better..I promise..

Message edited 6/25/2007 10:11:26 PM.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

I 2nd trying formula. Maybe she is still hungry or maybe she is just not agreeing with your breastmilk. That happened to my aunt. She had twins, one took fine to breastfeeding and the other was allergic to her breastmilk. He screamed bloody murder, she put him on formula and he was a new baby. If you have tried everything else, I would definetely try different formulas.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

\My dd was the same way. Unfortunately, it took awhile for her to grow out of it. It does get better I promise! Hang in there. If you need to talk FM me anytime!! Trust me I know what you're going through.

Message edited 6/25/2007 10:23:37 PM.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Two things I would try

One- a pacifier--some babies have an amazing desire to suck no matter what, it soothes them. Buy a couple of different ones and see which works, a nuk was what worked with my son. IMO, don't worry about those articles that talk about dependance on a pacifier, you need relief now! My son gave his up at three with only a week of a battle, right now you just need to look ahead to the next 24 hours, and surviving it!

Two- Try formula, because breast milk, while providing the antibodies, doesn't contain enough calories and so some are starving after just finishing eating. With my son, he was eating every two hours, so by the time I finished feeding him and changing him it was time to start all over again
Don't freak about breastmilk vs formula, an entire generation survived on formula and are none the worse for wear. If mommy isn't happy (aka shell shocked and sleep deprived) --no one is happy

And so you know, at three months my son was shoving formula and rice cereal combined into his belly by the BOWL full--part of the reason he screamed like a banshee we realized was because he was hungry, dammit

Also, try a soy formula if the regular formula doesn't provide relief-- it could be that she is allergic to the milk protein in the formula and it is giving her belly pain. Mine wound up after several months on soy formula a MUCH happier baby--if only I had known for the first three!

With many newborns they say that the digestive tract isn't completely developed and as a result they are in pain, literally. It's just a matter of time for some.

If it gets to be too much, just set her in her bed and walk away, walk outside for five minutes--she'll be fine and it'll give you a chance to regroup

BTDT

Message edited 6/25/2007 10:55:56 PM.

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Posted by evindi

Two things I would try

One- a pacifier--some babies have an amazing desire to suck no matter what, it soothes them. Buy a couple of different ones and see which works, a nuk was what worked with my son. IMO, don't worry about those articles that talk about dependance on a pacifier, you need relief now! My son gave his up at three with only a week of a battle, right now you just need to look ahead to the next 24 hours, and surviving it!

Two- Try formula, because breast milk, while providing the antibodies, doesn't contain enough calories and so some are starving after just finishing eating. With my son, he was eating every two hours, so by the time I finished feeding him and changing him it was time to start all over again
Don't freak about breastmilk vs formula, an entire generation survived on formula and are none the worse for wear. If mommy isn't happy (aka shell shocked and sleep deprived) --no one is happy

And so you know, at three months my son was shoving formula and rice cereal combined into his belly by the BOWL full--part of the reason he screamed like a banshee we realized was because he was hungry, dammit

Also, try a soy formula if the regular formula doesn't provide relief-- it could be that she is allergic to the milk protein in the formula and it is giving her belly pain. Mine wound up after several months on soy formula a MUCH happier baby--if only I had known for the first three!

With many newborns they say that the digestive tract isn't completely developed and as a result they are in pain, literally. It's just a matter of time for some.

If it gets to be too much, just set her in her bed and walk away, walk outside for five minutes--she'll be fine and it'll give you a chance to regroup

BTDT

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Rachelle. obviously I have no advice, but just wanted to send you some hugs

Re: She just won't stop crying....

just wanted to give you

Re: She just won't stop crying....

I agree with the others. It does sound like maybe a situation where she isn't getting enough milk...if she's crying after 10 minutes of being fed and eating again....try supplementing.

SIL is going through this as well. When she started supplementing, voila-she has a baby that goes longer than 15 minutes w/out crying.

It depends on what you want to do. Remember...happy mom=happier baby.

I do hope things get better for you!!!! I know how upsetting the crying can be, it is so hard to listen to it all day!

Re: She just won't stop crying....

Thank you SO MUCH everyone. I can't tell you how much just having advice and consolation and knowing you're NOT alone in these situations helps.



I'm definitely not sleep deprived. She sleeps all night long. We cuddle at night and she feeds and sleeps so well (most likely cuz she's a banshee during the day!) It's just my fear that she's miserable and sad and can't help herself and I don't know what else to do for her to make her comfortable.

We have our next well visit on the 6th and I'm going to be discussing it all with the pediatrician.

I know everyone keeps saying "hang in there, it gets better"... and I know it will... but when?

At what age did you start noticing significant changes in behavior?

Re: She just won't stop crying....

The good news : my son improved
The bad news: not until he was three months


You said she doesn't cry at night. In the am, does she cry if you are holding her? Does she not cry if you are in constant motion, aka rocking her?