Fussy 6 Wk Old...

She might have acid reflux. Not all babies with acid reflux spit up. My son didn't have projectile spit up. As soon as we tried the Zantac for babies (dr prescribed based on weight) all his pain was gone. It's worth a try!

Try getting her into a good tight swaddle. Most LOVE it.
Here is a video: http://video.about.com/babyparenting/How-to-Swaddle-a-Bab...
Hope this helps.
C.

Yep...mine "woke up" about that time too and started fussing every night from 7-10. My friend recommended the dvd Happiest Baby on the Block; it shows you how to use the 5 "S'es" to calm your baby. "Suck=paci, shake=jiggle the head just a little but very gently, swing=rock them, swaddle=swaddle them up, if you don't have a velcro one, buy one, shush=make a shushing sound near the baby's ear to mimic the sound of your womb." Do all of these things at the same time. It makes sense if you see the video, I promise! If you're lucky yours is just "waking up" and not going to be colicky, mine was not colicky, she was just adjusting to all the stimulation and her new environment.
Good luck, the first 2 months are the hardest but they will be over before you know it!

It sounds like a lot of Mamas have already given you very good reasons why she might be crying a lot. My son went through bouts of this as well. I am not sure if it was colic or reflux but it made things very hard. We took him to a chiropractor who had experience manipulating infants. I wouldn't have believed the change in my son if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes. He SLEPT and was peaceful immediately afterwards and the crying was noticeably less. My son later had a bit of reflux so I suspect that he was beginning to feel it at six weeks. We continued to take him to the chiropractor whenever he seemed too miserable to sleep or be awake without crying.
The chiropractor that helped him had experience with infants with SEVERE reflux.
Dr. Jerrod Wright in Southlake
http://www.wrightwellness.com/

She may have colic, or she maybe gassy. If she doesn't stop soon take her to the doctor!

Have you tried gripe water? We gave this to our son with colic, and it did wonders! It's herbal, and doesn't have side effects, at least that we noticed. Pediatrician said it wasn't bad to try, and if it helps - use it! Been around for YEARS!

Hi C.,

There are several things that can contribute to your childs fussiness. One of the main contributors can be digestive tract problems. She may be sensitive to something you are eating if you are breast feeding or she could be sensitive to the formula she is on if you are formula feeding her. Also, if you or she was on antibiotics after she was delivered it can throw off the natural bacteria in the digestive tract and lead to an overgrowth of yeast in her system. Last but not least, when areas of the spine are out of place it can cause digestive tract problems. Also, if the bones in her head (her cranials) are not aligned correctly it can cause her to feel pressure on her head. The sucking motion allieviates the pressure and can help her feel better. I am a Chiropractor and I work with children on a regular basis. These are just a few of the possible reasons she could be in pain. However, there are many other things that we can evaluate to give your little girl some relief. If you are interested in more information, please don't hesitate to call me at ###-###-#### or visit my website at sullivanchiropractic.com. Thanks! Dr. Sandra S.

Try a pacifier. This works well for my kids. Also, my kids loved to be in a sling. They feel secure and closer to you.

That's about the time my daughter started crying all the time. We eventually figured out she had reflux, and so we put her on medicine at that point. She was a totally different child after that, super happy! The dr wanted to rule out colic and milk allergy too. They can all look alike, behavior-wise. I'd check with your dr if you're concerned. Good luck, and hang in there!

gripw water and mylicon drops are the best!

That is when a lot of babies become really fussy - it may be a developmental stage that she is going through. I also recommend "The Happiest Baby on the Block" (ckeck your library for the DVD), and swaddling. After 2 babies, I am a firm believer in the idea of the "4th trimester." Babies' brains are really immature when they are born, and - during the first 3 months (your 4th trimester) - their brains go through a lot of development. Swaddling helps them feel more secure and it is familiar to them. It also keeps their arms and legs still - when their arms and legs get going, it can startle them, because they have no idea what those things are or how to control them. We had the best luck with the Miracle Blanket, but there are a lot of swaddling blankets out there to choose from.

This is a rough time, but it gets better. Hang in there!

She could be going through a growth spurt. It may take a few days of her nursing every 1.5-2 hours to get your milk supply up. Or is it something you have been eating that is upsetting her. For instance, fibrious foods (salads, veggies) tend to make them real gassy. Could that be it? That would be my gut reaction.

maybe she has a colic.

i highly recomend the baby whisperer book my little girl was alwys crying when she was aout a month old,this book help me a lot to understand her..

Check out the Post Institute. I SOOOOOOO wish I had this training/knowledge when my daughter was an infant. She's 5 now. www.Postinstitute.com. Read around the site to get a feel for what the message is.

Bond, bond, bond...connect. Love on her.

I also suggest you get a Miracle Blanket and swaddle her for comfort, even if it's just for a little while to calm her down so you can give her some eye-to-eye bonding.

I feel for you!

S.

I have read the responses and I agree with all of them but I also had to put in that both of my sons had ear infections at this age..I know it seems young but we must just have the anatomy or predispositions to allergies. I nursed both exclusively so it wasn't a food allergy. Looking back I would bet the oldest had reflux also. He had many ear infection and ended up having tubes at 5 months. When he had them he would be extreamly fussy and expecially when I laid him down. Only the doc can say for sure, but before I went I gave him tylenol (1/3 of kids with ear infections don't run a fever) and was still a human pacifier! Hang in there. This too shall pass!

There are a couple of reasons of why she may be fussy. She might not be getting enough to eat at each feeding. I know that doctors dont recommend it, so you just dont tell them. But my firstborn was the same way. We started feeding him cereal(rice cereal)we would put it in his bottle mixed with his formula. Make it a little on the runny side. Or you can try a little on a baby spoon.

Does your child spit up a lot after eating? If so, it might be a case of reflux. After each feeding, burp her, and then make sure she stays in an upright position for at least 30 minutes after eating. Put her in her car seat, swing, bouncer, or hold her upright. All 3 of my kids were fussy, and we tried these things and it seemed to work for us.

Good Luck!

Our little one seemed to 'wake up' at 5 weeks and cried non-stop for the next month. Eventually through trial and error we discovered he had a milk allergy and colic. If she is still fussy after a few days, call your doctor. There is a simple test they can do to check their stool.

get a prince lionheart slumber bear. It makes the sound of a heartbeat from inside the womb. It's great! Also get The Happiest Baby on the Block. It was my life saver!!

It sounds like it might be colic. Have you tried Gripe Water. It worked for us!

I was there with my son. Here's my advice-

Get The Happiest Baby on the Block. Buy a sound machine and a couple of "swaddle blankets" - they have velcro to hold the swaddle tight (can find them online or at Babies R Us). I also used a sling to carry my child in. It was the only thing that made him happy, and I got to get stuff done also.

Sorry that I don't have time to write more detail at the moment. Let me know if you have questions.

She could be going through a growth spurt - most babies typically start at 6 weeks, try increasing the amount she's eating, she may be hungry.