Why is my formerly content baby suddenly fussy?

Question

She is one month old today (Happy Birthday to her!). This week, she has been much more fussy. It seems to happen in the evenings. Tonight, she was only happy when nursing or right after nursing when she was being burped and held (sleeping, fell asleep during nursing). As soon as I put her down, she wakes up and starts to cry. She screams bloody murder until I put her back to the breast. Then it starts back all over again.

It seems like colic to me, but I thought it would have presented itself before now. Right?

What about "cuddle cure?" http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/lifestyle/80970_cry.shtml

It is a pretty interesting article. Has it worked for anyone?

Answer 1

I had this issue with my baby around 4 weeks..she was really fussy at night and was hard to console..this lasted a while she is 12 weeks and a lot better.

Answer 2

If she's normally content, I'd say she's having a growth spurt.  I wouldn't head down the ol' colic road just yet.  Babies are generally more fussy and worlds more hungry when they are going through a growth spurt.  This might help: http://www.kellymom.com/bf/normal/growth...

I don't know if that cuddle cure works, but when my daughter's whailing, I'd be willing to give just about anything a try! =)  She does like to be swaddled, rocked and sung to... kind of on the same line I guess...  I'm pretty much pro whatever get us happily through the day... like if she wants to eat more... no problemo, I just keep on feeding her.  Somedays she eats a lot and some days not so much... somedays she's happy and some days not so much... babies aren't that much different then us... we all have our good and bad days.... not to mention our OMG I'm starving days.... ;)

Good luck! =)

Answer 3

if she is not wrapped you could try doing that. a couple of months ago when my youngest baby was 1 month old she stayed up all night with not a wink of sleep until 4 am so i started wrapping her and she slept right through the night from 2 weeks later until now and she is 3 months old. If you already wrap her you could try putting on some soft music our baby won't sleep if there is no noise because in the day time she sleeps and the other kids are very very noisy so at night she needed the noise. If all else fails you could try and put her to sleep in her bouncy chair and if she falls asleep in that just pick it up and put it in her cot... afterall it doesn't matter how you put baby to sleep the main thing is that you and baby get some. Oh and btw it could be a growth spurt she might want more food. but another thing i did was put a breast pad inder her sheet at night so she thought i was still there with her. good luck to you and your precious one

Answer 4

Fussiness normally *peaks* between 2-4 months, which means that it is going to start to increase a bit before then.  It's pretty normal, though you shouldn't rule out colic, or be quick to "diagnosis" it either.  

Your little girl was pretty happy before, but she may be realizing that you are her source of everything.  To her you are what sustains life.  Even though we know that she is perfectly safe in her bed or her swing, she doesn't.  She may be starting to think that if she isn't with you she will starve, freeze, or be eaten by wild animals.  She knows that with you she is safe.  Also, babies have a really strong sucking  reflex.  This ensures that they get proper nutrition, but it also ensures that they spend plenty of time with their care givers.  It isn't a bad thing, though it can be tiring.  Pacifiers are sticky territory, but if you aren't against it you could consider trying one instead of putting her to your breast when she is upset.  If you don't want to do that, it's fine.  Let her "nurse" as often as she wants.  It won't turn into her being 20 and wanting to nurse all day.  

It's also possible that she might be getting overly tired, which could be what's causing her to have such a hard time.  If she isn't getting enough sleep or is going too long between naps, by the time she is finally able to fall asleep she is so exhausted that she can't handle it and needs tons of extra help to calm down and actually sleep.  That could explain why she has such a high need to be held and to suck herself to sleep and why she fights when she is put down.  Try watching her for signs of sleepiness before she starts crying.  She might start fussing a bit, having droopy eyes, wanting non nutritive sucking and the like.  If you help her fall asleep then rather than when she is crying from being tired you may have better luck.

I just skimmed over the article, but I think I love the cuddle cure even for non colicky babies.  It provides all of the basics that a baby needs to be secure and happy, it acknowledges the reasons why a baby might be unhappy, and it works to address them rather than ignore and change them.  

Answer 5

You baby is perfectly normal. Almost all babies go through this phase. My answer? Just don't put her down. We're hardwired to be clsoe to our mothers. I recommend a sling, a Boppie, and co-sleeping.

Note that I can spell off with my husband, because he's worked very hard to bond with our baby. He gives her all her baths, takes a walk with her every morning, and so on.

At 9 months, my daughter has almost no separation anxiety, and is content to go crawling around the room without holding on to me, because she is secure in the knowledge that I am always there for her.

For more:

Mother Nature: Maternal Instincts and How They Shape the Human Species by Sarah Hrdy

Why Love Matters: How Affection Shapes a Baby's Brain by Sue Gerhardt

Our Babies, Ourselves: How Biology and Culture Shape the... by Meredith Small

Raising An Emotionally Intelligent Child by John Gottman

The Science of Parenting by Margot Sunderland

What's Going on in There? : How the Brain and Mind Develop in the First Five Years of Life by Lise Eliot

The Scientist in the Crib : What Early Learning Tells Us... by Alison Gopnik

What to Expect the First Year, by Heidi Murkoff

Caring for Your Baby and Young Child : Birth to Age 5 by American Academy Of Pediatrics

The Developing Mind: How Relationships and the Brain Interact to Shape Who We Are Daniel J. Siegel  

Answer 6

My son did this too, around the exact same age, I had to make a 2 am run to the store for some gas drops because nothing would make him stop anymore, not even cuddling or breastfeeding, after giving him the recommended doseage he was fine 10-15 mins later!  

Answer 7

That link you referred us to is viable.  I bought the book "The Happiest Baby On The Block" from the lactation consultants office the day after my daughter was born.  It works!  But, what works for one child might not work for another.  I used a vibrating bouncy chair, instead of a swing..she slept in that every night!  So, find out what works for you.  Also, have you changed anything in your eating habits?  Have you seen a lactation consultant?  Maybe she's not getting enough to eat.  

  

Answer 8

Babies change habits frequently-some days they just want to be held or nurse all day-she probably misses your womb-her previous home. why don't you wear her? I like the hug-a-bub wrap-leaves two hands free.You can find out about these things on attachment parenting website. There is a baby bed called an amby-like a hammock on a spring-my grandchildren slept in these for two years-check them out.

Answer 9

she is just getting old enough to really let her personality show !

Answer 10

Yes, Dr. Karp's suggestions work. My first child was extremely colicky and his advise was a lifesaver. Around a month, we moms start doing more, taking baby out, having them see more sights, hear more sounds and babies get very easily overstimulated...just singing or talking too much to a sensory sensitive baby can send her over the edge and the worse comes in the evening when she cannot calm herself down. The 5 S's are swaddling, sucking, side (or stomach), swinging, shushing...try swaddling your baby up tight and avoid eye contact or too much stimulation, now turn on running water or a static channel on you tv and make sure it is loud...this should calm you baby down, if it doesn't, put her head it you palm, with her ear on your palm and her body supported sideways and gently jiggle her, keep her swaddled and the shushing noise, if she will take a pacifer give her one. If this does not work it could be a growth spurt (common at this age) or reflux. If it continues for more than a week you could always ask your doctor about reflux. Good luck, this too shall pass.