What can be wrong with my 3 week old baby?

Question

I know i ask alot of questions about my newborn but i like to hear other peoples experience and if they have had the same. I know a lot of people ask this question too cause ive read plenty but there not all quite like my baby. I have a 3 week old and he just started this routine this week, where he will sleep real good through the night i have no problems and he doesnt spit up during the hours of 8 pm to 7 am, but the minute he wakes up at the 7 am or 8 am feeding its a nightmare from there. I feed him his normal 4 ounces and yes i burp him during and after feedings but he tends not to want to burp then after hes done with his 4 ounces i pat him and he doesnt seem to be the least tired and he will be happy for maybe 10 min then after he will spit up every time i try to put him to sleep but he just cries and doesnt want to sleep i try to hold him and rock him that doest work, his diaper is changed but lately everyday he has been farting a lot dont know of thats the issue or not he doesnt p**p often but when he does its not hard. i usually end up holding him walking around for an hour or more until he finall gets tired enough to pass out. This goes on for most of the day its like a routine that he spits up his food after every feeding up until night night then hes fine again, he barely wants to sleep during the day and only sleeps maybe 30 min to an hour then wakes up before his ext feeding time. Any suggestions, maybe hes gassy or colic or acid reflux i just dont know.

Answer 1

first baby makes mother doctor 4 d 2nd baby.  BE COOL....ITS NORMAL

Answer 2

I'm a nutritionist

it sounds like you are feeding him too large portions, a three week olds stomach holds about 2 oz or less, which is why he would spit the rest up. He should be eating every 1-3 hours round the clock a few ounces at a time.

colic would be unstopable crying for hours on end many days a week (this does not sound like colic).

acid reflux would be painful vomiting and weight loss (if the baby is gaining weight its not reflux)

farting and needing help calming down to sleep are normal for all babys.

Answer 3

Consult your pediatrician.  Breast is beast, but, it sounds like he still has gas bubbles.  Be persistent.  Hold him gently on your shoulder and massage his back below his ribs and about his bum.  If he squirms, he has a bubble.  Keep massaging until all are gone.  If he sleeps well through the night consider yourself blessed and don't try to force him to sleep all day.  Get a Snuggli, and wear him while you go about your daily routine.  At three weeks he is light enough to not bother your back.  And you will strengthen as he gains weight.

Answer 4

Sounds like my baby. She doesn't spit up at all between the hours of 8pm and about 5am. She'll eat, and go to sleep. During the day, however, she'll eat, spit up, stay awake, and then cry until she falls asleep. I have to stand up and walk around to comfort her & even then she usually continues to cry for awhile. I think she's just exhausted & is fighting her sleep, but I had planned on talking to my ped. about it this next week. I don't know what to do about it, but just so you know - you're not alone!

Answer 5

try pushing his legs to chest a few times too help burp him or drape himm over the length of arm hand between legs and pat he needs to burp odds are he will burp with persistance also and always ask your dr,as far as burps ect. us pros.6 can guide but not on med ? so call dr and while you wait try diffrent burp method until you find his choice

Answer 6

It does sound like it might be acid reflux or colic. Either way I would suggest a trip to the chiropractor. My son had both and the chiropractor worked better than any meds our doctor gave.

Answer 7

He's gassy. His body is learning how to process all these new things, and digestion is just one more thing to learn. My daughter was a horrible baby until we switched her to a soy formula and I had to put mylicon(cheap equate version actually works better) in every single bottle she drank. It doesn't absorb into their body, so they can have as much as they need, although I found one drop a bottle works well, you can watch it bring all the air bubbles to the top. Also, try a dr. browns or playtex ventaire bottle. They help the air escape before your baby swallows it down. Air bubbles coming up will bring spit up with them, and if he's tooting a lot, then there is air in his intestines as well, which makes them cranky and not wanting to lay down. Also try laying him at an angle for a while, with my daughter she slept in the bouncer seat or her swing with her head up, it helped the food stay down. If that doesn't work, check with the pediatrician at the wellbaby appointment you should have in the next week, he might have reflux and need medication.

Good luck!  

Answer 8

I had massive problems with getting my 3 month old son to sleep.  He would just lie awake and cry for hours, then when he finally went to sleep he would wake every hour or two hours through the night and cry again!  Talk about pulling our hair out .... we were absolutely desperate for sleep!

It was a baby sleep audio program recommended by a friend that finally saved us. We followed the advice and began by creating a baby sleep routine which included bathtime, dimming of the lights, putting Paul into his crib, final nappy change and then lullabies. We also made recommended changes to his naps during the day and used some of the other recommended techniques. Within two weeks he was sleeping through the night most nights with just the odd night where he would just wake once!

Definitely start by creating a good baby sleep routine though and you could find that solves most of your baby sleep problems.

Good luck!

If you want to take a look, the audio program is at http://www.babysleepsolution.com

Answer 9

A 3 week old baby should be eating every couple of hours, and if he is going longer than that, you should try feeding him sooner. It's quite possible his stomach is reacting to the large amount. Try smaller amounts closer together. Is he sleeping during the night? At 3 weeks this is not healthy. Try waking him up at least every four hours to eat, if not sooner.

Babies do not usually have routines until they are closer to 4 months, and is not usually healthy before this age, and often associated with babies who are diagnosed failure to thrive.

If he is vomiting when you are laying him down, try elevating his mattress slightly at the end where his head is. UNDER the mattress, never put anything under the babies head. This might help him sleep better as well if he has a slight incline.

I assume you are formula feeding since you stated the ounce he is drinking so you might want to look at a different type of formula. He might be reacting to the brand you are using. A little spit up after eating is normal, but projectile vomiting is not, and he needs to see his doctor if this is the case.

Make sure he is gaining weight, not looking dehydrated, etc.

Hope that helps a bit..

Answer 10

I think you just need to try different burping positions. When my son was very young he would spit up if he had not burped properly. It has to be the gas causing him this discomfort. Try sitting him up and supporting his head, while rubbing and patting his back gently. Try laying him across your lap with his head turned to the side and rub and pat. Of course, over the shoulder works too, but try rocking back and forth while in this position while rubbing and patting. It takes a little time to figure out that one position of burping... or sometimes it takes several. He might very well not have to burp until he is done. Don't try to burp him while he is happily eating. Wait until he stops or slows down a lot and easily breaks off, or when he starts to squirm. I hope I helped at least a little bit. BUT, younger babies tend to spit up a lot anyway, especially with formula, because their body has to get used to it.

Answer 11

i just wanted to say that sleeping thru the night at 3 weeks is very unusual,  and you should definately see a pediatrician. and also to Melissa S.- just a side note but parents don't usually take their newborns/infants to chiropractors.  you must've gotten confused.

~proud mother of a 10 year old, 7 year old, and almost 6 week old.

Answer 12

my baby had colic and gas for the first 6 months of his life...he would cry constantly and sleep was horrible--he would only sleep for 10-20 min at a time and maybe one time at night he might sleep for 2 or 3 hour stretch.  I tried mylicon for the gas, i tired changing formulas but nothing helped..similac soy-enfamil-nutrimigen, back to similac--nothing helped...finally after 6 months he stopped crying nonstop--he was and still is at 11 months a fussy and occasionally gassy baby but way better than before ... he never really spit up though .  at 11 months he is still a horrible sleeper--wakes up every 2 -3 hours at night and he needs to be rocked back to sleep and still fusses during the day.  you can try changing formulas an giving mylicon--it may work for your baby. P.S. my baby was horrible from day 2...so at least you had the first three weeks of peace:)

Answer 13

Have you taken him to the pediatrician? It sounds like something they need to diagnose. It could be acid reflux. My youngest son did the same thing, and my ped said he was gaining weight, so not to worry. (But of course I did, I am a mother) But I would take him to the doctor, in case it is something else. Also, if he is formula fed, it could be the formula you are using. They make formula specifically for babies w/ gas, and for colic babies.