Screaming baby
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Topic: Screaming baby
Posted By: E&L+1
Subject: Screaming baby
Date Posted: 29 March 2010 at 9:34am
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I am starting to feel like I can't get anything right when it comes to Esmes sleeping and it is starting to wear down my confidence.
She was such an easy baby to start with self settled, fed well and slept beautifully. But as the months have gone on and in particular the past 6 weeks all she seems to do is scream when it comes to bed time during the day and wake several times a night I say scream rather than cry because she is really loud, has real tears, arches her back, waves her arms around tried to pull her ears off etc. I literaly have to hold her arms down and hold her tight so that she doesn't scratch herself while walking, rocking and jiggling to calm her which can take up to 40 minutes. Then we have a period of about 20 minutes where she makes her 'going to sleep noises' but I can't put her down until she stops them and is properly asleep or the screaming starts again. She will then sleep for between 45 minutes and 2 hours but I never know how long she is going to sleep for. I am pretty sure I'm catching her tired signs early but no matter how long she has been up for we still get the screaming. VERY occasionally she'll go down without a fuss. She'll also fall asleep in the car and in her pram but only when she's sitting up in it. I can lay it down once she's asleep. I was starting to think reflux as she will tone down the screaming when held upright but she is fine on the floor it only happens when it's time for sleep. Plus she hardly spills at all. NIghttime is another story, she will usually go to sleep without a fuss at night, very occasionally we have to rock but we don't get the screaming. She will go back down after a feed fine but wakes anywhere beteen 2-6 times. (2 times is ok it's when we get 5 times and it's every 1-3 hours) Everyone says how it gets easier as the get older. For me it's gotten harder and harder. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Replies:
Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 29 March 2010 at 9:42am
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Have you got her bed raised?
I would look into reflux. Specially cause the back arching & pulling around her ears. Or maybe an ear infection? When she is asleep does she have her chin up? so her head is tipped back? ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com"> 
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 29 March 2010 at 10:24am
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When you said pulling at her ears, I thought ear infection. Apparently lying down hurts their ears when they have an infection too, which explains why it would be worse around bedtime.
You can still have reflux and not spill....the girls had reflux and they were bringing it up constantly, but swallowing it again, so I couldn't see it (you could hear it though, and if you looked straight afterwards you could see it in their mouths/smell it but it would never come out). |
Posted By: ginger
Date Posted: 29 March 2010 at 11:18am
I just wanted to send you a hug - it sounds like you are going through very similar things to what I did with Cuinn ... although he was a toad from the outset  The ear pulling thing is quite frustrating - I can't tell you how many times I've had his ears checked and there's nothing wrong with them, although he hits at them and pulls on them (my Mum said it's actually an identical mannerism to my Grandfather, and I do remember he used to do this, and one that he pulled out of a hat when he was p*ssed off!) when worked up. And yes, back arching etc was all on the cards, and I had to restrain him in my arms as well - hitting, scratching (him or me), tears for miles etc
We tried an Osteopath with Cuinn (we had a tough-ish birth and he needed a few adjustments) which helped a bit, although otherwise the screaming in our house would last up to 16 hours (between 2-7 was the norm though) and sleeping was just near impossible. I watched for his tired signs like an absolute hawk as well. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that there may be something wrong (look into a couple of things - it'll help to feel like you're doing something - such as an osteo, and getting baby's ears checked), or it could just be the baby herself! What I found was that once Cuinn started moving he became easier - his body was getting more exhausted, as was his mind, and he seemed to find it easier to switch off during the day. We're the same as you too in that there are absolutely no problems at night (other than, at the time, multiple wake ups). Wishing you all the best! Chin up!! ------------- Cuinn Lachlan 23.1.09 - 22:00 Antonia Helene 4.8.11 - 09:41 |
Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 29 March 2010 at 12:41pm
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AandCs mum, her bed is raised slightly using phone books (Waikato white and yellow pages) she's had her ears checked a few times and they are clear. She does get ezcema behind them sometimes but this is clear at the moment. Can't say I've noticed the chin up when she's sleeping but I'll keep an eye out for that.
minik8e she used to spill a lot but was always happy with it. She stopped spilling about 2 months ago, we still get the odd one but it is usually accompanied by a burp and when she does spill she doesn't get upset by it. She spends part of each awake time on her back up to about 30-40minutes and she is happy during this time. To throw a spanner in the works she went down for her last sleep with no worries at all! But her first one for the day we had the screaming. Thanks for the hug ginger. I was thinking a trip to an osteo or something would be good, trouble is I don't think there is one close enough to where we live. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mummymonster
Date Posted: 29 March 2010 at 1:56pm
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All babies are different but it does sound a lot like my DS. Ear pulling is still one of his main tired signs. I can tell when I need to do his nails again because he starts to get scratches all over his ears (poor wee man).
From 6wks - 4mths he was extremely hard work (I can't remember < 6wks). He'd only day sleep for 45 min, and pretty much only if I was holding him. Night sleeps started off ok-ish. But from about 1am till morning it was lots of short BFs and short naps. Then he was diagnosed with silent reflux and went on to gaviscon and FF. He wouldn't BF for more than a couple of minutes at a time, and so was always hungry and tired. I had supply issues (though in hind sight I wonder if DS caused them by not committing to BF). He had reflux so lying down to eat didn't work for him. Apparently there are some reflux holds for BF, where the baby is a bit more upright, but where we were at 4.1mths . . . Anyhow, have a look at http://www.cryingoverspiltmilk.co.nz/ I found the symptoms a bit vauge but it might help. ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 30 March 2010 at 9:53am
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Thanks Issacs mum. Some of the symptoms definatley fit but then they are things that a lot of babies do anyway. I think we will head off to the dr this week as it wouldn't hurt to explore the option of medication. If it works we'll know that it was the problem if not at least it'll be one thing ruled out! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 30 March 2010 at 10:14am
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I would also look into why she's got eczema behind her ears. Not sure if you are bottle or boob, but if you are boob, maybe try pulling dairy from your diet or wheat.
Definitely a good idea to go to the Drs to have a talk with them. ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 30 March 2010 at 12:29pm
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We are off to the Dr today with a list of what's been happening even things that don't seem related just in case they are.
The Dr suspects she may have a dairy intollerance her Dad has one but can have some dairy so we are just starting to pull Dairy from my diet atm. It's hard to get extended family to understand that I can't have dairy. We stay with the In laws almost every weekend atm due to DPs work. Even though he couldn't have dairy a lot he could still have a bit so they don't understand about traces of it. She also gets it in her knee and elbow creases. It's not bad and definately manageable she just gets red patches that look angry and very rarely blisters. We have just started using the Aveeno Baby range and her skin has never felt so soft! The reason we suspect Dairy is weekend before last I had cereal with milk and some icecream (twice!) and she had a major flare up which we went to the Dr for last week. Lucky it's free for her here! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 30 March 2010 at 7:15pm
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Just a quick update. Went to the Dr and she suspects silent reflux and has given us a script for gavascon.
How do you get it all into them? She doesn't take a bottle. Thanks so much for all the advice  ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: mummymonster
Date Posted: 30 March 2010 at 7:29pm
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DS started gaviscon at 4mths 1wk. I tried by spoon (about 50/50 success), and then he started FF so it was just in the bottle.
Tommy Tippie (sp) has these little medication teat things though I've never tried them. I'd try a syringe. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 10:32am
Sorry, threadjack, but this is exactly where I am right now. We've finally been given gaviscon by the doc, now I just have to figure out a way to get it into her - she's exclusively BF and won't take a bottle. How soon did you see an improvement Isaacsmum? I don't think I can handle my nights ending at 1am for much longer  ------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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IsaacsMum wrote:Posted By: AandCsmum
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 11:00am
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Syringe into their cheek. We are BFing as well.
We still had the waking until we went on to Omeprazol/Losec. But we had less wake ups with Gaviscon, as long as we were giving maximum dosage a day. I found that it soothed quite soon, but it will take at least a week if not longer to repair the damage. I sorta glossed over this when I first went on gaviscon, but when I missed two doses of the Omeprazol a few weeks ago we didn't have our happy baby back for a week. The thing I noticed first was there was less squirming at night. I've also discovered even though a little bit of dairy is ok for me, Cooper reacts to trace amounts too. I'm going to get skin pricks this arvo!!! If I get out of the house ------------- Kel http://lilypie.com">
A = 01.02.04 & C = 16.01.09 & G = 30.03.12 |
Posted By: MamaT
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 11:09am
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We had gaviscon too and I saw an improvement in him pretty quickly, like within a couple of days. Unfortunately though after 5 days of taking it my poor little man got really constipated so I stopped immediately and had to get him coloxyl to sort that out. I haven't given him the gaviscon again, but will see the doctor for losec I think now
I also second the syringe, easiest way if they won't take the bottle I've found -------------  
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Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 11:23am
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You are more than welcome to threadjack T_Rex.
I have tried the syringe with Esme but didn't have a lot of luck and managed about half. But this seems to have helped so I thought we might stick with 1 sachet at a time (she's 7.8kg!) until we get the hang of it so it doesn't keep going to waste. It has been so nice putting her down to sleep without the screaming. All we have had today is a bit of grizzling. Of those of you whose bubs have reflux do they scratch at their neck? I've noticed that when Esme gets grizzly and squirmy her hands go straight to her neck at first I thought it might have been because she was itchy due to her ezcema although there is no rash there but now think it could be related to reflux? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: T_Rex
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 12:11pm
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Heh, I just started another thread about how to get it down her, and I see it's all in here now. I'll try syringing it into her cheek next. How much in one squirt? I know this should be easy to work out but nothings easy when you're so tired! Can you get syringes from the chemist? ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: minik8e
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 12:47pm
| Yep you can get syringes from the chemist...they vary between 60c and $1.20 each (depending on the chemist) down here. They usually have 3ml, 5ml and 10ml ones to choose from. When we give the girls syringe stuff, we just slowly and constantly push the plunger so it's a steady stream. |
Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 6:07pm
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Had a much better day apart from the battle to get the gaviscon into her. What she is getting seems to be helping a bit though. First 2 sleeps were great she went down with no fuss. Last 1 was like we have been having with screaming, I noticed that as she settled her crying would start again when I could hear her swallow so she must've been bringing some milk up. But 1/4 sleeps with that amount of fuss was much easier than all of them! I'm not sure how long I'm going to be able to keep forcing the gaviscon into her though. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: anon
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 9:53pm
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Sounds like your baby is in pain. If it's been just for a little while - could be something like earache or sore throat or something (my guess is earache because of the pulling of ears - but sometimes they do this when they are tired). If long-term, more likely to be reflux.
My baby was really good and fairly settled and started screaming particularly when going to bed, and more grizzly during playtime... people suggested everything under the sun and turned out he had a throat infection. So definitely go to the DR as soon as possible and rule everything out then talk possibly signs of reflux. ------------- http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: Shezamumof3
Date Posted: 31 March 2010 at 11:11pm
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Reflux is awful. Isabella was the same, she just screamed all the time, arched her back, arms flying everywhere, she hated being on her back, but suprisingly slept well! we had her bed alevated though. She is still very spilly but doesnt suffer from the reflux anymore.
We took her to the Dr and got started on gaviscon, but it did diddly sqwat! So I went back and said I wanted losec and the dumb Dr(a diff one) wouldnt give it to us as he didnt think it was reflux, but I knew it was. Took her to a another Dr and he diagnosed it rght away and sent us home with losec, what a life saver that stuff was!!! It took about 2 weeks but once it kicked in it was fab! You might find the gaviscon isnt enough, and losec will help heaps. GL ------------- |
Posted By: anon
Date Posted: 01 April 2010 at 12:24am
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Whoops sorry just read update. ------------- http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 01 April 2010 at 8:56am
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no worries newlywed, I thought ears etc but it has been ongoing for weeks and I have had her ears checked :)
Still having trouble getting it in to her, only managing half so might try half before and half after a feed to split it up. Also trying using EBM instead of water. When I get enough into her it definately makes a difference. We are lucky that it's not all the time for us. She will get grizzly when up and I know to sit her up but the screaming only really happens about 1 1/2-2hours after a feed which explains why she was waking up crying a few weeks ago after a short sleep and why it's happening around nap time now. If I am still having problems we will go back to the Dr next weeks and ask for losec. It would be much easier if she'd have a bottle! ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: E&L+1
Date Posted: 10 April 2010 at 9:37pm
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Just wanted to say thanks for those who posted ideas on here for me. We seem to be on the road to a more settled baby. We are on ranitideen and have visited a family centre to help get her back into a better routine.
I have felt quite relaxed today after being VERY stressed and feeling almost like I wasn't coping. So it has been a nice change ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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