fussy 13weeks old baby?

Question

my 13weeks old baby girl doesn't like her swing, she fusses most of the times. I guess she is teething, because she is drooling alot and her fingers are in her mouth all the time. At night she goes to sleep around 7:30-8 and wakes up around 1am, then she wakes up every 2 hours, is this normal? any suggestions?

Answer 1

My 8 month old baby still feeds every 2-3 hours, so yes it can be normal. And he was consistantly teething from 4 months of age until his first tooth came in 3 weeks ago. Drooling, face rash, cranky, chomping the whole bit. And he is cutting his 4th tooth right now so it is kind of non stop.

If she is teething you can use natural remedies such as cloves or homeopathics, frozen teethers, frozen washclothes. Gripe water can help with stomach problems caused by teething. Because teething lasts so long I don't think routine use of tylenol or advil is a good plan. If you/she are really suffering then go ahead, but don't think just because she is waking or pink in the cheeks you need to drug her.

Try going out more. Keeping you both busy should help. Anything from walking around the block, a trip to the mall to a parenting group or class.

Go with your gut though if you think she needs medical attention go get it. Otherwise it will probably work itself out.

As for sleeping through the night it is a myth! More babies still wake 2-3 times a night than not until age 1.

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Edited to add:

A word of caution about ice cubes. Ice cubes can be a choking hazard but more importantly excess water is dangerous for a young baby. It can cause water intoxication, diarrhea and even death.

I let my baby play around with a bottle with water in it until one day around 4 months he decided to drink it all while I was washing the dishes. He had bloody diarrhea. It just isn't worth the risk IMHO. You can freeze cubes of formula or breastmilk and place them in special mesh bags to prevent choking.

Also cheap freezies without sharp edges make great teethers. So what if they melt in 5 min, you have 20 more in the freezer.

Answer 2

Other than when they're sick, babies often get fussy for the following reasons:

Too much "frazzling" stuff going on in the environment - too many people, a frazzled mother, too many different things like bright lights and televisions and people talking loudly. If they get handed from one person to another or if there are too many people talking to them - all of these things can lead to a baby's getting overstimulated and frazzled. (So can too much playing.)

If she's waking up that often, though, I'm wondering if the room she sleeps in is too cold or if she doesn't have something on that keeps her toasty-warm enough. Then if she hasn't gotten good enough sleep she'll be fussy. Being just the slightest bit too cool is enough to keep a baby from really getting high-quality sleep.

The teething if a possibility, but it depends on how long she's been this fussy. Usually, the youngest a baby gets the first tooth is about four months old. If she's been fussy for a few weeks it probably isn't teething. I know teething can make babies fussy, but few people talk about the fact that teething can occur in babies with little more than a little drooling. With the exception of a couple of drooling periods, none of my three kids showed any fussiness or other signs during teething. My point is don't be too quick to blame teething (although, of course, its one possibillity).

If she isn't full enough she won't sleep well. Is there any chance she isn't getting as much milk as she needs? Their needs change.

If she goes to sleep as early as you say it can be normal that she wakes for more milk at 1. What is more a problem (and not quite as normal as it should be) is the waking up every two hours.

Something else that occurs to me is that she may be having some kind of digestive problem after drinking. If she has gas she hasn't burped up or if, by any chance, she's a baby who gets formula but has a reaction to it it could cause belly pains that would wake her up. If she's getting breast milk there's the chance she isn't getting enough. If she's getting formula with iron there's the chance it is causing digestive issues.

Usually, if you hold babies or rock them calmly or walk with them and sing slow songs for a while before they go to sleep it will act like a "calmative" and help them sleep better. Is there any chance she's going from something like the baby swing to bed without having you do anything that would help her switch from a play "mode" to a calmer "mode"?

My instinct - without knowing your baby or more information - is to guess that she's either not getting enough to eat before sleeping, too cold, or too frazzled.

It could be that the teething is bothering her, but even if it is if you do something like make it a point to rock her or walk with her and sing calmly before she heads off to sleep it can make the difference between her being so uncomfortable with the gums she's cries and being uncomfortable but calm enough to be able to deal with the gum discomfort a little better.

As you know, if she's not getting the right sleep most nights that, in turn, will cause her to be overtired and fussy all the time. Then if she's fussy she'll be too frazzled to sleep. Its a cycle.

My suggestion is don't worry about the 1 a.m. waking right now. Concentrate on the things that may prevent a deeper sleep after that feeding.

Try, too, for now, to make sure the environment she is in is not to chaotic (at least to her). That doesn't mean people can't talk or televisions/radios can't be on. It means just making sure there aren't too many loud and/or bright things all going on at once and making sure she isn't handled to too many people or by someone who cannot remain calm.

Babies change from month to month, though - so chances are in a few weeks whatever it is she's doing will change to be something else. Still, with brain development occurring at the rate it is, it is wise to try to make sure she is nice and comfortable and secure feeling now; because being too upset and fussy for too long will stress her out more than is healthy for her.

Answer 3

Perfectly normal, but ask her Dr. if she is colicky too. But at that age they wake up usually every 2-4 hours to eat. If she doesn't, you should wake her up to eat. My Dr. said they need to eat that often until they are around 4 months, because if they don't their blood sugar will drop. My older daughter didn't like her swing either.

Answer 4

She may have collic. I know my baby did that alot and that is what he had. some babys do cry alot and then again some don't. she may be teething. i know when my baby was teething he had really loose bowels and was constantly sticking hes fingers in his mouth, and also he cried constantly for no reason. he would not sleep much either. so see if your baby hgirl is having any of those symptoms.

Answer 5

That is normal. Babies wake up every hour for the first 3 months of their life and as they grow older the intervals becomes longer.Put a pacifier so that she will not suck her fingers and it will calm her to sleep longer.

Answer 6

tie her to your back, I lived in africa for a long time and Its a shame that women in the US don't tie their babies to their backs! It is much safer than the carriers that strap on the front because there is less rick of suffocation. The baby LOVES it! she gets to be close pressed against you, and she is wrapped tight which simulates the womb. She can also hear your heartbeat :)

For younger babies, put the cloth higher to support their head and neck.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4BSNGnBg_U

Answer 7

it is normal try getting some teething tablets and a nice soothing bath before u lay her down at nite good luck if there is a fever give her some tylenol

Answer 8

try giving her ice cubes to ease the pain. she may have colic from being out in the air or sleeping under a window gl hope she feels better

Answer 9

yes she is a baby get a book to read about babies that tells you there week to week progression that is the only thing that got me through my daughter because I didnt know anything about babies and I use to worry but when I got a book it answered all my questions

Answer 10

if she is teething, of course. a friend of mine, his daughter got her first tooth at 3 months. so it is very possible. another thing to try is carry her backwards. with your arm on her stomach. could be gassy also