Screaming baby...

Well, my nice, settled little girl has well and truly disappeared! For the last few days, we have had the most horrible "witching hour". Every time we put Lydia down, she screams. I'm talking hysterical, choking, tears streaming screaming. No build-up, as SOON as you put her down, and I'm going crazy! She won't take the breast, or a dummy, she only likes to be walked around either over the shoulder or facing outwards with my arm across her belly.

During the day she is fine, she just self-settled to sleep 20 mins ago, but as the day goes on it gets harder and harder. Last night was a killer, 4 hours of screaming when put down, and then she started to do it at 4am after her feed. She burps well, we use infacol sometimes in the evenings to help just in case.

My mum says just leave her, but all the books say a) she's too little for CIO, and b) don't leave them to get hysterical. What do you do if they are hysterical from the start?

To top it all off, DH has food poisoning and is holed up in our room. At least, I HOPE it's food poisoning, and not some contagious stomach bug that we're all going to get...

You poor thing. It's hard enough with a new baby let alone one who is a bit all over the place and who can sometimes self settle and other times won't.

At that age, I'd take the "do whatever works" approach. She won't still need to be rocked to sleep when she's 18. She's too young for CIO (IMO) - the books recommend 9+ months. Have you looked at the sleep store website - the 5S's might help - swaddle, swing, shush, something, something. At night, will she go to sleep on you? I found the "Ask an Expert" section on here excellent for reassuring me when Daniel had sleep problems - look up the Sleep Expert, Alex Bartle and look at the many threads on a similar issue! You're not alone.

I'd also look at a hammock. We had one and it was a lifesaver. Easy to rock while not killing your arms. I don't know where you are, but you can often hire them from Baby on the Move or your local Parents Centre.

Might be worth getting her checked out by the GP, just to make sure there's nothing medical.

Is she having regular naps? Not getting overtired during the day? (Sorry - I'm sure you've thought through all of this).

Fingers crossed DH gets better soon and can give you a break.

HUGS!! Cian was a bit of a screamer too, and I vividly remember the nights it took him hours to go down... must be extra hard for you being the only one at the moment that has to deal with it to

Ours was due to silent reflux and wind, but I second flissty's advice to do whatever works. you can always break them of a bad habit, but you can't get back those few precious hours of lost sleep!

We didn't have a hammock, but found that a sling (like a peanutshell or moby-wrap style) worked amazingly well. Doesn't restrict you from doing things cause you're handsfree, but gives them the body-to-body contact they obviously need when they're so upset. I picked ours up on trade me for $25...

it sounds to me because of the fact she likes to be over your shoulder or with your hands on her stomach that she has a bit of stuck wind... we used to have to give gabriel a teaspoon of cooled boiled water to bring up his wind...(gripe water didnt work for him at all).

mind you if it is just personality then perhaps a sling might be the go...