Help - Newborn who will not stop crying

[Robinrs]

My friend had her first baby on Sunday. Big Baby, 9 lbs 8oz, and beautiful!

Day one, he started breastfeeding but if he's not sleeping he is incredibly fussy. He only wants to be on the breast or on her chest, understandably.

She called me EARLY this morning at her wit's end. Her husband left for work and her poor Mom has been with them all night. NOTHING worked but what she already tried, which is not a good option.

They've checked for colic, already... I'm just wondering if anyone else had this problem with a newborn and any suggestions?

 

[lovin diz]

my dd had colic but was also lactose intorerant (sorry for the sp) They might have to put the baby on a special formula??

 

[luvmy3jewels]

You said that they checked for colic....does this include reflux? Two of my kids had reflux issues as babies and had similar symptoms. The pain from reflux is worst when the baby is laid on its' back, so they tended to scream when they were laid down.

 

[kymmyk13]

I wondre if he is not getting enough to eat. He is a big baby and she may not be producing enough milk for him. Has she tried to pump and give him a bottle, then she would know how much milk she is producing and how much he is consuming.

 

[erincon23]

OK, this is probably a "duh" suggestion, but believe me, it happens... did she check to make sure that the tape fastener on the diaper isn't pulling on his skin, that there's no pin sticking into him from brand new clothes, that (if he was circumcised in the hospital) that there's no problem with that? Is it a pain cry, a whine, a full out scream? That all makes a difference. Has she called the baby's pediatrician? That should be her first stop.

 

[phorsenuf]

Maybe he's not getting enough milk. Hard to tell how much they are actually getting when nursing.

 

[Wishing on a star]

If the baby is upset because it is needing the warmth and security, do you know if she is 'swaddling' the baby in sleepers and blankets???

Does the baby do better when propped more upright in some kind of carrier seat???

 

[Mommee]

At 3 days after birth her milk might not have come in yet, in which case she needs him on the breast as much as possible to stimulate the milk to come in and give him a chance to get the colostrum. She shouldn't be trying to limit his nursing time right now.

 

[KimR]

How do they even check for colic? I thought colic was the default diagnosis. In other words, they test for possible reasons for the crying (reflux, milk allergy, etc) and when a cause cannot be determined it is then labeled colic. Of course, it's been 9 years since I've had an infant so maybe they do have a colic test now.

 

[cabanafrau]

BTDT w/ oldest DD. She was under 8 lbs., so not as large a baby, but we went through it with her. Unfortunately don't have a lot of suggestions, aside from patience, lots of holding, rocking, etc.

DD never was a sleeper, even now as a teen only sleeps as much as needed. I was told I was a nervous first mom, she was colicky, she was spoiled, etc. We've realized much later as she's grown that she has GERD, probably always has. Things got a bit better when she was upright more often. The Exersaucer at six months was the first thing she ever enjoyed hanging out in. When she started walking, standing more and more, things also improved. Nighttime was always the worst. She didn't sleep through the night in her crib until 18 months.

I wish your friend and baby the best & hope their answer is easier & quicker than ours was. Please help out if you are able & encourage other family & friends to do so also. I so know how she's feeling and it's not fun.

 

[SAHDad]

Or mom has an infection (like mastitis). DW tried breastfeeding, but she kept getting infections - and one of our first indicators would be the kids constantly screaming. (Just one of several reasons we went the formula route.)

 

[hambirg]

My oldest was a big baby. . .9lbs 5oz. She cried a lot as a newborn. . .I was a first time Mom too. It's very frustrating. . .but in the end I figured out she was just hungry. Forget any of the scheduled feeding stuff. . .let him nurse whenever he wants. That would be my suggestion. If that doesn't eventually help then I would follow up with the doctor.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

You said that they checked for colic....does this include reflux? Two of my kids had reflux issues as babies and had similar symptoms. The pain from reflux is worst when the baby is laid on its' back, so they tended to scream when they were laid down.

You took the words right out of my mouth. My first child had colic, and that was bad, but NOTHING like my son who had reflux. Nothing would calm him down. I was at my wits end one Sunday night and my Dr. called in some Baby Zantac. After just 20 minutes he was a different child.No more crying, and when I say crying, I mean screaming in pain, red face, mouth wide open crying. It was like a miracle drug!! We kept him on it for quite some time and never had another problem. After a while tough, he didn't need it any more.

I will say that he is 9 now, and still has issues with reflux from time to time, but it's mainly when he eats foods high in acid, and he manages fine on his own.

 

[golfgal]

I would agree with trying a bottle of formula to see if it is a hunger issue. If that doesn't help they need to bring the baby to the doctor. If it IS a hunger issue, nurse the baby, pump for 10 minutes after you nurse to make it seem like the baby is eating more. This will increase her production quicker. When the twins were born the lactation consultant at the hospital had me do this from their first feeding on. I could feed both babies and pump out about 10 oz of milk from each side within a couple days. I had a lot of breast milk stored .

 

[Buckalew11]

At 3 days after birth her milk might not have come in yet, in which case she needs him on the breast as much as possible to stimulate the milk to come in and give him a chance to get the colostrum. She shouldn't be trying to limit his nursing time right now.

He's gonna be a hungry baby!

 

[Robinrs]

Thanks to ALL of you!! I feel so bad for her, it's painful to see your baby unhappy. I also asked if he was getting enough to fill him up, there is no way to measure with breastfeeding.

The nurse told us he probably is not getting enough food because it's so early. GERD is a def possibility, also. Whatever it is I hope they find out soon!

 

[OhMari]

Thanks to ALL of you!! I feel so bad for her, it's painful to see your baby unhappy. I also asked if he was getting enough to fill him up, there is no way to measure with breastfeeding.

The nurse told us he probably is not getting enough food because it's so early. GERD is a def possibility, also. Whatever it is I hope they find out soon!

I had big babies, and I agree, the baby is hungry. She has to take the baby in and get him weighed. If he has lost weight, he is definately hungry. I had to give my babies formula, because I couldn't produce milk fast enough. Breast milk also digest so much faster, thus her baby wants to eat all the time.

 

[RitaZ.]

Thanks to ALL of you!! I feel so bad for her, it's painful to see your baby unhappy. I also asked if he was getting enough to fill him up, there is no way to measure with breastfeeding.

The nurse told us he probably is not getting enough food because it's so early. GERD is a def possibility, also. Whatever it is I hope they find out soon!

Actually, there is. The number of wet and soiled diapers in a day should indicate if he is getting enough breast milk.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

I wondre if he is not getting enough to eat. He is a big baby and she may not be producing enough milk for him. Has she tried to pump and give him a bottle, then she would know how much milk she is producing and how much he is consuming.

That is what I think too. The baby is probably HUNGRY! That is a lot of baby to feed.

 

[Robinrs]

Actually, there is. The number of wet and soiled diapers in a day should indicate if he is getting enough breast milk.

Wow, I didn't know that!

I'm so busy gathering all the ideas, it's so good to get good ol' Mama wisdom!