Our 4 week year old child is crabby and doesn't want to sleep?

Question

[SERIOUS REPLIES ONLY!]
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For the past two days our little girl (4 weeks old) has been fussing. She eats and eats well. However, when she falls asleep she falls asleep in our arms. When we set her down, she begins to scream like crazy. We pick her up and she calms down. At night she does the same thing. She won't really sleep anymore. At the most she sleeps 1 1/2 hours and wakes up hungry. Before she would sleep anywhere between 3-4 hours. We just don't know what to do. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

She is maturing and getting smarter. Before, she didn't realize that you were putting her down. Now she does. This could be just her body getting more used to living in this world, or, if you had drugs during labor, the medications could be wearing off more now (it can take up to 2 months following an epidural, for instance).

It is not *normal* for a baby to sleep alone. She spent 9 months in constant contact with you, and at the end in a tight hug. Babies need a *lot* of physical contact, including while they are sleeping.

Babies are also programmed to need to nurse every 2 hours. Nursing for 20-30 minutes, then sleeping an hour and a half is *normal*, too. And, even if you are bottle feeding, this doesn't change the fact that babies are preprogrammed for what is normal, not for modern inventions.

Please *don't* let her cry. Babies *cannot* be spoiled. Even older children are *never* spoiled by love. You can't love a child too much!! Spoiling is giving *things*, not giving of yourself. And crying can severely harm a child. A baby who is crying alone secretes cortisol--a stress hormone--even after she stops crying. This means that calories that she needs for growth and development go instead to managing stress. Leaving her to cry also teaches her that when she is completely dependent, the people who love her the most won't help her.

Lastly, babies aren't supposed to sleep long or deeply. This is a risk factor for SIDS. "Good sleep" is sleep they wake up from the next morning!! So when you have to wake up in the middle of the night to nurse your baby, keep in the back of your mind that you might just be saving her life. Believe me, you won't resent it nearly as much...

Answer 2

It is an attention thing. She has figured out that if she cries she gets attention. She needs to learn to put herself back to sleep. My daughter did the same thing.....the hardest thing is to let her cry herself to sleep a few times. Check on her but dont pick her up. Let her go longer and longer. You will be suprised how quickly she will learn to put herself to sleep. Also, ask the Dr if you can give her cereal this early to keep her full longer. This is gonna be hard, i'm not gonna lie, I cried and paced and felt like it was the end of the world for a few days, then suddenly......she was sleeping for four to six hours at a time and she would wake up and play not cry. I wish you the best of luck.....I feel for you, really I do.

Answer 3

if your baby eats, does she burp really well for you? If not, she could have a gas problem. Try wrapping her up really snug, (swaddle) and it should relieve the gas. Also, there are over the counter infant gas relief drops you can give her. I don't know if she would be big enough for them yet, the medicine dosage goes by weight. Or it could be that she wants to feel security, as that is what she gets when being held. Swaddling her can provide the same comfort. Good Luck!

Answer 4

The swing was my best friend. Getting my baby asleep was crazy!! He loved the swing. I wouldn't let him fall asleep while holding him Id set him in the swing and stay close, rub his feet or arm and once he fell asleep ( which was never long) I'd leave the room. He would stay asleep for awhile, which was really nice.

Answer 5

Does your little sweetheart have colic? Hunger is a common sympton because they feel thirsty and SO many many babies suffer this as ther little tummies are immature and struggle to cope with milk, You never mentioned if she was breastfeeding? sometimes whatever you eat can transfer throught the milk and cause problems, things like orange juice, veg. It can be many things so is trial and error. If she is bottle feeding try different flow teats (your pharmacist will advise) or remedies are availble over the counter. Colic is so common and very distressing for parents and baby, it never ceases to amaze me how it is never mentioned to mums, I have been caring for babies for years and many of them suffer. Colic symptoms are usually,
drawing up of knees,
high pitch squealing,
constant feeding,
Colic tends to occur at the same time each day/evening (but may change)
Passing lots of wind (usually after symptoms abate, but not always)
If you suspect its colic then it is solvable and you need not sufer so speak to you G.P.
Good Luck
xxx

Answer 6

Is she on formula??? She could of built an intolerance to it. My son did talk to your Dr he may switch formula. If he's breastfed I have no idea sorry. Logan was a great baby and then at about 2 months he got really fussy the Dr switched formula and he's not fussy anymore.

Answer 7

Go to the doctor.She may be colicy.If you go to the doctors they will give you a medication or something to help her not to be so fusy al lthe time.But remember she is only 4weeks she is little yet.My son only sleep for 20minutes and woke up fussy and wouldnt go back to bed.Finally i went to the doctors and the gave me medicine for him.It helped out alot.He slept alot better and much much longer.

Answer 8

Get use to this type of behavior for a few more weeks. Believe me she will sleep more than you

Answer 9

Suffer through it and hold her as much as she wants. She will get over it I promise. You will sleep again! Have you tried co-sleeping?