4 Week Old Cries All the Time!!!

My second son cried constantly, also. He had to be held constantly or he would scream. He was also hyperalert and didn't like to be laid back, he wanted to be sitting up ( thought he had reflux but no) , just wanted to watch everything. My son cried like that until around 5 months , when he could sit up on his own and start moving around. I really think he was bored. He is such a good kid now, though. Good luck, just try different things and see what works.

My first baby was just as you described until 4 months. I called her the velcro baby because she was attached to me all day and all night long. Unlike your child, she did have feeding problems on top of everything else, so when I finally was able to produce enough milk for her to gain, it got a little better. I just want to assure you that there are other mothers that have made it through what you describe and are still alive and sane--well most days (: I did find help and comfort in a book I found at the library called The Fussy Baby Book by Dr. Robert Sears. My husband and I also did the 5 "S"s from Happiest Baby on the Block. I wore my daughter in a Baby Bjorn 5-6 hours a day and my husband took over carrying her after he got home from work. Those days were exhausting, but worth it. My daughter is now 6 years old, pleasant and adventuresome (but still not the most flexible child I've ever had), and very secure. Even after all those sleepless nights (and days--she napped 45 min tops) of rocking, wearing, jiggling and shushing and praying her to sleep, since age 3 she has consistently slept through the night 10-11 hours. You are doing a great job! Some kids just need a lot more parenting all day and all night. I went on to have 2 little boys with much more pleasant dispositions during the day, but my second didn't sleep through the night till 25 months and I'm still waiting for that day to come with my 19 month old.. God must know my limits even though I feel at times I have exceeded them. He continues to provide JUST ENOUGH energy and hope to get me through the next day. Saying a prayer for you.... Nurse Midwife Mom of 3

You just described my 3 year old when she was a newborn! OMG those days were hard. She was colic and high needs. She was exactly like your little guy. Honestly, nothing helped. One thing that did help calm her when she was crying nonstop was taking her outside or playing county music really loud (and I mean really loud). For some reason both those things would make her stop crying almost instantly. But later, it would start up again LOL. She grew out of this at around 3-4 months old. I know that seems like a lifetime away, but hang in there! I know what you are going through and there were days I wanted to just run away. But this too shall pass. Good luck mama.

Try the reflux meds - it can't hurt. Just be sure that your baby isn't hungry. It;s hard to measure how much he gets when breastfeeding as opposed to bottle feeding which is very exact. At 5 weeks my son started crying all the time. He fed for long periods of time but kept popping on and off the breast. People at my husbands work convinced him that soy formula might help colic and he bought some. I agreed to try just 2 oz. fearing I'd ruin breastfeeding. My son drank it from the bottle like pro. I gave him 2 oz more. He stopped crying and fell asleep immediately. He was hungry. I wasn't producing enough. I supplemented with regular formula (he didn't have any problem with dairy) and finally just switched over all together. He was a much happier baby. I immediately supplemented with my daughter. She ate but seemed miserable doing it. She arched her back, cried a lot and generally seemed miserable. Turns out she had a sensitivity to dairy. Soy solved the problem. She won't drink milk to this day if she knows what it is (she's 3 now). Just this year I finally discovered some vanilla milk that comes in a box like juice boxes do. We gave it our own name (we don't call it milk!) and she will drink it. She doesn't have a true allergy to milk, but it did bother her as a baby. She has outgrown this sensitivity but she just really doesn't like milk! Just keep trying, trying, trying. You will eventually discover something that helps him.

sounds like reflux to me, especially the part about not wanting to lay on his back. all 3 of my boys had issues with acid reflux, they all took prescription zantac, it worked wonders. i'd talk to the doctor again about that. could also be colic. I am so sorry, I know how stressful it can be!!!

I did not breastfeed, but i had the same problem w/ my son and it WAS acid reflux (if you haven't already, Google the term "GERD"). when he was about 2 months old, they put him on Prevacid (they tried Zantac first, but changed it) and since then, it's a world of difference. We have to watch what we give him a little bit - nothing too acidic, and I shy away from too much juice anyway b/c I'm diabetic myself, so I give him low-sugar juice, diluted, when I do.

Ethan also was VERY congested at that age. He grew out of it, and pretty quickly.

I really would try the reflux route - you said he doesn't spit up a lot, and that really clues me in! Ethan didn't either, and that was part of the problem; he should have been spitting up, and it was just getting trapped in his throat and made him sound congested in his throat, when really it was basically heartburn. His nose congestion was bad too, though, although like I said, he was small (5lbs 12oz) and his nasal cavities were just little and he outgrew it. Try a humidifier and, despite what they say, a TEENY TINY dab of Vicks not ON HIM, but on something he's wearing, etc. Humidifier(s) in his room make a world of difference and if you haven't been suctioning his nose, start. He'll hate it, and so will you (Ethan's 14 mos and STILL hates it!) but it has to be done sometimes. But I had the same problem and I kept thinking, "Is it colic?? What am I doing wrong??" I found a great pediatrician, though, and they determined acid reflux.

if the pedi hasn't tried an acid med, it can't hurt to demand it; and you can buy Prevacid at the store to see if it helps. It can't hurt him. Ethan was put on 7.5mg at 2 months and about 6 lbs and he's still on that dose, and that's half a 15mg tablet; he takes the dissolvable ones and now I just give it to him like a Cheerio, and it's as easy as pie.

Oh, and you can give him a little bit of Maalox. See if that doesn't help! Give him about as much as you get when you buy infant Tylenol and you get that dropper that comes w/ it - fill that size dropper with Maalox and see what results you get.

I've taken care of LOTS of newborns, it sounds like you have done just about everything possible. So here is a suggestion (and please Mama's I know this isn't ideal) try laying him on his stomach the next time he falls asleep. I know putting them down on the backs is best and that's what I do. However once I had a baby who did the same thing. So one day while sitting on the sofa I lay'd him down on his stomach. He slept for 3 hours. Turns out he had an ambilical hernia. I've seen this a few times now, most Dr's don't look for it unless it is pronounced. If he seems to sleep on his stomach let your Dr know. He can then check for hernia's. Four weeks is pretty early to see the little guy I described went on until four months old. Poor guy once we figured it out he did much better. Good luck.

I have one small suggestion and I don't know if it will help. My daughter will ONLY take certain pacis. It is really strange, but they have different shapes to them. So you could maybe try some different brands/sizes/types to see if the baby will take one. So sorry mama, hang in there!

Have you tried wearing him? My son was just like your son. I bought a Baby Bjorn that you strap on and wore him. It helped tremendously.

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Yes ask for the meds!!!! It won't hurt to try them if that is what the doctor suspects too...He is suffering needlessly. Call Pediatrician right away and get it started to see if it improves.

I'd hold him as much as possible in a carrier that will hold him against your chest, upright. Does a Maya wrap do that? I've had very fussy babies before, and I hold them almost constantly at that age. I also have others to take care of, which is why wrapping the baby on is so helpful. It frees up my hands to chase and play and snuggle with the other ones.

I'm so sorry it's being so difficult. They do seem to grow out of it for the most part. Hang in there!

ADDED: I just read some of the comments and a few have mentioned having him sleep on his tummy. The only worry to that is SIDS. I thought you might find this interesting. It's a New Zealand dr who believes he has found the cause of SIDS. It makes logical sense! And those who follow what he's discovered have had no babies die from SIDS. My point in sharing is that if you do place baby on his tummy, you probably want to know this info so you can be sure to help avoid SIDS. Here's one link, but I've read several articles that go into it. It's quite interesting.
http://www.healthychild.com/toxic-sleep/has-the-cause-of-...