Our 4 month old has been pretty happy-go-lucky until recently (say a week or so). He had been eating 4 ounce bottles but was eating them more often so we bumped him up to 6 ounces which has given him almost another hour between feedings (was 4oz. every 2-3 hours and now it's more like 6oz. every 3-3.5 hours). He sleeps from approx. 9pm-6am and has since about 10 weeks. The kicker is now he likes to scream cry out of nowhere. He will be playing in his bouncer or laying in his pack-n-play and all of a sudden he starts with a loud cry, followed by tears, lots of slobber and breaks into screaming fits throughout the crying. Holding doesn't seem to help, leaving him be doesn't help, his diaper isn't soiled, he didn't get scared or hurt...he just starts with this maddness and I don't know how to help him. I pick him up, rub his back and offer a paci and that seems to make it worse. My husband will try, same thing - no help! The only thing that seems to soothe him is a bottle.
Is it hunger? Can it come on that quick - like a light switch?? What about if he just ate 6oz. an hour or so prior...is he hungry already? If we feed him 2-3 ounces he starts up with the screaming again once that amount is finished. He only seems satisfied if it's another 4-6 ounces.
I've questioned all of my Mom friends and some even say maybe teething. The Dr. said he might be teething last time we went in because of the drool, constant gnawing on his hand and everything else in sight. Can teething pain happen all of a sudden like this?
Any and all thoughts, suggestions and stories welcomed. I feel so hopeless and I really can't stand to see him scream like this. I usually think of screaming being associated with serious pain but when I call the Dr. office they don't seem terribly concerned. I've also spoken to the nurse line a few times too and they chalk it up to being hungry and saying that it's quite possible he is hungry again. Whow would have known such a little person could be so confusing!!
Sounds like gas and/or hunger. My son was an eating machine and he was/is very long and skinny. He ate a huge amount very frequently. He would stop when he was full. I'd feed you little one. Good luck! :)
It is either hunger, or he is OVER-tired or OVER-stimulated. OR both at the SAME time.
For a baby, the only way they can "communicate" is by crying/screaming.
For a baby, when they are over-stimulated or over-tired... the way they "Shut-Out" and STOP the external noise/tiredness/over stimulation... is by crying/fussing/screaming.
Know your baby's cues....
He also needs to nap.
And, feed him ON-demand... not on a schedule...
they have varying appetites and growth-spurts... which means they get hungry.... often. Even every hour. This is called "cluster feeding." And they need it and their intake... NEEDS to keep pace WITH them and their growing.
My kids as babies, had GINORMOUS MEGA huge appetites... they OFTEN nursed, every single hour...
this is normal.
ALWAYS feed a baby, on-demand. 24/7.
AND yes it may be teething... which can happen... and can happen at the same time as him being hungry.
At his age, only 2-3 ounces is not enough. My kids at that ages, were drinking 6 ounces. Why not give him the amount HE needs?
He is growing and has a big appetite. This is also normal.
all the best,
Susan
Well...I would say he's in pain from something...but I only have a 2 month old. Question, when you feed him after his crying attacks....is he eating the full oz or keeps crying while you feed him?? Remember... when an infant cries, it's not always that he's hungry. I'm surprised your Pedi isn't giving you some piece of mind. But I have read that their are babies who start teething as early as 3-4 months. The "normal" time to start teething for most babies is at 6 months.
Also, when they go through a growth spurt they eat all the time, too!!
Good luck!
yes he is hungry. There is no answer and it doesn't matter. Your doctor's office has heard it before. Just feed him and by the time he is several months old he will stop crying. Riding in the car often helps. I had three babies and one was rather like this. It is not unusual and there has never been a solution. breast fed, bottle fed, ride around the house or in the car, a
music box, something that sounds like being in the womb. etc. etc. You know the song....A baby without a cry......
just give him another bottle and love him. it will be fine......
My daughter screamed a lot out of nowhere and it ended up being she was lactose intolorant. I was nursing and as soon as I went off dairy it mostly stopped. Also my other kids would do this sometimes and it would be gas. I would give them gas medicine and that would help.
I'm so glad you asked this question! My daughter just turned 5 months old, and she's doing the exact same thing! We're pretty good at putting her to sleep when she's tired, and feeding her when she's hungry, so I'm convinced these screaming fits in her sleep are teething pain. She chews on the nipple of the bottle a lot, and has just self-weaned and is biting everything in sight! It's awful when she screams like that, and the tears are unbearable. But if I hold her and calm her down, she usually goes back to sleep. If you have any other insight or advice, please let me know. It breaks my heart to see her in so much pain.
ALSO- my daughter has had pretty bad acid reflux since she was 6 weeks old. Now that she's teething and producing more drool, our doctor told us the drool is very acidic and making her reflux even worse. Oh the joy!
Yes it's teething. My 4 month old is doing the same thing. Just give him teething tablets
My oldest daughter had teething pain like how you are describing - sleeping soundly, etc. then waking up and screaming in pain. I'd start stocking up on baby orajel (my daughters preferred grape & the ones in the q-tip that you break open & rub on their gums) and Tempra/baby tylenol. I also used a naturopathic teething medicine called Camilia by Boiron that was also very helpful - especially when you're starting to have the symptoms but it may be a while before the teeth come through (sometimes they go through spells of teething for a week or two, then subside for a while, then start up again). The last one is like a small vial of water and has no Tylenol, etc. in it - mainly just an essence of chamomile in sterile water. Cold wash cloths to chew/suck on as well as the Razzberry teething soother (it's bumpy for them to chew on) worked really well too. My second daughter was a much calmer teether - just a lot of drool and chewing - less screaming/being really in pain. Hope this helps - good luck!
sounds like both he is at the age of a growth spurt at that age my youngest was eating so much every hour or less i put him on cereal but he was also teething at that age. see if his gums are hot. does he eat the bottle or chew on it? I would guess probably both some moms will say to young for teething but mine started at 5 weeks and broke his first one at 8 weeks and my sil said I was crazy but the good news was he was done by 4 months.
could be colic too if so give him mylacon drops and swaddle him. does he tuck his legs? warm peppermint water helps colic too. good luck and follow your gut
Updated
sounds like both he is at the age of a growth spurt at that age my youngest was eating so much every hour or less i put him on cereal but he was also teething at that age. see if his gums are hot. does he eat the bottle or chew on it? I would guess probably both some moms will say to young for teething but mine started at 5 weeks and broke his first one at 8 weeks and my sil said I was crazy but the good news was he was done by 4 months.
could be colic too if so give him mylacon drops and swaddle him. does he tuck his legs? warm peppermint water helps colic too. good luck and follow your gut
So let's go in a different direction. When were his shots in relation to when this started? Are you on a delayed schedule? If everything else seems to be ok and taken care of, what is going on inside the body. What you are saying about the drooling and gnawing does sound like teething so just keep a watch.
BTW - Tylenol puts the immune system on hold for up to 22 days so please find an alternative for pain relief. We've used Motrin with great success.
I am where you are at now! My son usually is very corporative, then all of a sudden became very confusing as well. He is just a little over 3 months and BOY can he eat!!! We feed him 8oz and he would still demand more. We have also been infusing rice cereal with his formula to give him a little more bulk, but now I feel like its not working because he will eat at least 16oz in a matter of 1 hour and 30 mins. **sometimes that is not enough** We always burp him in between 2 ounces. Usually when he is fussy we try to hug/hold/sway/ and bounce him in our laps and when all else fails we put him in his swing with soothing music. If he has gas we try to push his legs up to his chest and pull each leg straight the motion from you pulling and pushing usually works. Or we massage gentling on his sides (below his ribs) then we ease our hands toward the stomach and then motion it downwards which also helps. We have noticed how much he drools and how he look at his hands (its pretty funny seeing him all focused on them and trying all his might to fit two hands in that little mouth). He does have the same high screeching cry as your son does, I do think his teeth are trying to come out. I feel his gums now and again to see if it had hardened and it has, but I don't see any white tips. It has certainly been a lot of stress especially when you want to make your child feel comfortable during their teething stages. But one thing my husband and I always made sure to do is to have some time for ourselves to recoup. That way we are more patient and more loving and more understanding. Oh yes and our pediatrician says this age comes with a lot of tears and drools, so make sure you guys are happy first, cause a happy couple means a happy baby :-)
