PLEASE HELP!! My baby cries ALLL the time! Even in his sleep, what is going on???

Question

My son will be 9 wks old tomorrow, he was born early @ 36 wks & was a nicu baby. He cries ALLLL the time!! He even cries throughout his sleep. He wakes up crying!! He seems like he is such an unhappy baby or that he is in pain, but I cant figure out what is going on or why he is crying like this! He wont lay on a blanket on the floor or in his pack & play, his swing, his bouncer, even when someone is holding him he cries. He does coo or really make any other noises. Occasionaly he will make a few cooing sounds but it only lastest for about a min or two! Then he starts crying!

He was in the nicu for 15 days, b/c when he was born he had trouble breathing on his own & couldnt maintain his oxygen level. He was on a ventalor, a cpap, nose cannal, feeding tube & ended up needing a partical blood trasfusion, he had lung diease & phenomia when he was born. 2 wks ago, he had to have surgery done, b/c he has pyloric stenonis, which is where he was projectile vomiting, was consitipated, had very little wet diapers, and was losing weight very quickly/rapidly. The vomiting has gone away some, it is still there at times and he now coughs. He is on special formula for colic and gas, but that doesnt even seem to work. I was just wondering if anyone else has ever go through anything like this and if there was anything truly wrong with the baby. I have 2 other children and they have never gone through anything like what my little angel has been going through. I am taking him to the doctors tomorrow so hopefully I will find something out there!

I feel like I am not doing enough to help my baby boy!! I feel helpless!! I try everything possible but nothing ever seems to work, I try to cuddle him, change his diaper, change his clothes if I think he is too hot or add more if I think he is too cool, rock him, sing to him, feed him, everything, NOTHING works!!

Answer 1

i feel for you hun.. and for that angel baby boy of yours.  the poor little guy... and poor you and  your other kids having to listen to the painful cries helplessly... i am keeping you in my prayers.. bless you and your family..

i hate to hear that he had the surgery for pyloric stenosis after alll that he already had to go through.  that surgery is something that they say is mandatory, but do you know how many babies were told that they had to have that surgery, and the moms opted not to.. and they grew out of it?  i guess every situation is different, but they tried telling me thats what dylan had too.. and i didnt believe it.  but dylan was gaining weight so really i didnt see the point, just a lot of laundry...

it sounds like really what it is is acid reflux.  and ive been there, and can tell you.. it DOES get better.  dylan is now 4 months old, and itss FINALLY starting to subside.. but the puking, crying, fussing, lasted soo long... if it wasnt the acid reflux, it was the constipation, or it was something else and sometimes.. NOTHING worked for him, which is where colic came into play.. and its very possible thats what your little guy has.  

they do grow out of it.  and there IS a light at the end of the tunnel.  he may have gas, he may be sore from surgeries, or they may possibly be a medical issue... but whtaever you do, please dont put the blame on  yourself!! babies cry.. and they can feel your tension and your guilt.  just relax... let him know his mommy and know that she is okay and she will relieve his comfort!!  even if he doesnt stop crying when you hold him, dont give up.. he needs you!!  just walk with him... talk to him, sing to him, shhh him.... and swaddle him.  and most of all, LOVE him!!  

also... at this age now, he may need some stimulation (or... if you have other kids who are loud, it very well be he is overstimulated... try taking him to a quiet, dark room and see what happens) ... but try the baby einstein dvd's.  when dylan was at that age - although it was the peak of the puking and crying, he would sit soo contently for sooo long in his bouncer watching the DVD.. he didnt want me or a bottle or a nap or a walk or anything, but the baby einstein dvd! (baby mozart or baby neptune) ... try playing with your little guy...

he had a rough start to life, but it doesnt mean it has to carry through now.. hes getting bigger and older, and before you know it, he'll be running around playing with your other two kids.  regardless, demand they check for EVERYTHING tomorrow!!! dont let them give you some excuses or pawn it off as colic until they eliminate everything!!  

you will be just fine, i promise.. and so will your baby.  like i said, i'm praying for you and i'm truly so sorry you had to go t hrough all of this already... it's just making you stronger though!! and remember.... God wouldn't throw you into a situation or give you something that he didn't think you were capable of dealing with or getting through.... keep your head up.. and good luck and congrats on your newest edition

Answer 2

May be he is not still feeling well feel restless all the time.  you need to be patience. you GP can provide you best advice.  GOOD LUCK!!!!!!!!!

Answer 3

Hi, he has had a very bad start in life, and he may even have some pain or something, why don't you insist on a scan to check nothing wrong after op! goood luck! I had had lots of health probs with my kids and 2 of them were born at 33 weeks so i know how you feel! I even heard my son cry when he wasn't as he cried so much!  

Answer 4

wow, that sounds REALLY hard. My baby is 8 weeks. She is a bit colicky at night and not a lot calms her down when she gets going. However, since she likes to be close to me, I use a baby bjorn and wear it around the house with her in, this works. But I also hold her while sitting on a yoga ball and bounce up and down. This always works!! but it can get tiring!

I heard the colic goes away by the third month, hang in there and good luck.

Answer 5

Sounds like it's probably a medical issue like a reaction to the formula or acid reflux or something to do with his surgeries.  It could even be something like a hernia.

When he is really upset have you tried the kangaroo method?  Where you strip baby down to diapers and have him cuddle with you skin to skin.  So, you'd be topless or he'd just cuddle under your shirt.

Another thing that may or may not help is wearing him in a sling.  He was a premie, he could just miss the womb.  By wearing him you'll give him the sense that he's in the womb.  White noise while he's sleeping would help and keeping him swaddled too.  I have a cool mist humidifier in my daughters room, that would help his breathing too.

The only other thing that I can think of is Infant Massage classes.  My baby was extremely fussy as well.  She was also an preemie and spent some time in the NICU.  I was at my wits end and I read somewhere that infant massage will help digestion and sleep.  I didn't do it until she was about 4 months old, but it worked a little bit at least.  That and I took a book out of the library called baby yoga.  I was willing to try anything and everything.

I'm glad you're seeing a doctor, it is so frustrating when something is wrong and you're absolutely helpless.  I went through that and it's not something I would wish on my worst enemy.

Good luck!  I hope you find some solutions or peace of mind at least!

Answer 6

aaahhhh!!! bless you and youre little angel baby boy, he really did have a bad start didn't he?? i really feel for you, truly. my baby boy was really hard work for the first 4 mos and i was in despair he wanted 2 be on breast ALL THE TIME, wouldmn lay down i had to hold him all the time etc...... i really think it could be medical if nothing else is working take him to the doctors pronto!!

hope it all works out for you and youre baby and theres nothing serious going on with him hes been through enough!! good luck it does get easier as you know