What`s the Deal with my Baby??? Eating AND Sleeping

S

Shenzhennifer

Registered User
So, finally starting to get better at breastfeeding my 3.5 week old boy, and baby was following a nice little pattern there, and now everything has changed.
For the past week he is either very very hungry or has started snacking. He wants to eat alllll the time. Also it looks like he is barely sleeping, and he is a very noisy baby, always making noises and moving about. For example, I will feed him at 2pm(both sides), put him down at 2.45 and then at 3.15 he is crying. I tried the process of elimination, but it`s for sure food he`s after. so I give him another go at one side - 10 minutes later he`s out, I put him down, and lie down also, but within another 15 minutes he`s up again, crying. I also think he`s got some kind of gas that keeps him up. This time I just took him in bed with me for 2 hrs, fed him again at 6(one side only as he`s fallen asleep) and then down at 6.45, only to wake up for more at 7.15! it`s like this now, endless, even at night time too!
Aside from being exhausting for me to feed him nearly every hour, I`m totally mystified as to why he`s like this. I know he`s getting milk - I compress my breasts, and I hear the milk going in and being swallowed. And he`s totally tired when he pulls himself off. He just falls asleep.
Was anyone`s baby like this too? Is this just a phase? I just worry that bad habits will develop and I will have to continue like this for months to come.
Any advice is welcome.
 
babies will always keep you guessing. just when you think you've figured that little bundle out... EVERYTHING CHANGES!

get use to it! my kids are 2 & 4 and they still like to change things up on me!

keep in mind that babies generally go through growth spurts at 3 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months....that could be a large part of the problem.
 
Have you thought that he might have an allergy to your milk ? You can try to do a dairy free diet during a few days, and within the next 10 days, you should see if that's the problem.
It's not easy at the beginning, but the results are really good (on your baby and on you too).
Apart from that... can be a growth spurt...
 
from the description, it doesn't sound like he's having a reaction. rather, it sounds like he is VERY hungry, but using all of his energy to suck, then falls asleep without finishing... then wakes up realises that he's still hungry and then starts again....
 
A baby crying everytime, shortly after being fed, can be a symptom of reaction to the milk. It's true that generally the symptoms can be a lot more obvious, but cramps due to allergy can cause excessive crying, relieved by nursing, but starting again and again...
There is no need to stop breastfeeding, but if it lasts, could be interesting to do an allergy test, just to make sure...
 
my daughter was lactose intolerant. i ended up taking her to the doctor because she seemed either to sleep or scream. there was no middle ground.

he prescribed lactase drops. they worked a miracle on her. it is the enzyme that breaks down the lactose in the milk. she took them for about 3 weeks and by that point she had gotten over the discomfort.

however, she is now two and still has quite the temper on her. i don't know if it is a carry over from her first few months of life or not as her brother was a very calm, quiet baby and is still on the subdued side of the coin
 
Carang - you`re right - he falls asleep bc he thinks he`s had enough, but then will wake up shortly for more bc his stomach is still not full. He`s not the best sleeper as he`s very noisy, and prefers not to be swaddled so I think he wakes himself up easily and then realises he`s hungry. However, he also does this when I nurse him from both breasts and I feel he`s had a full feed. Also, I don`t know what babies are typically like, but he`s always pooping and farting. I do notice that often this seems to be painful for him, and he does lift his legs up and flail his arms about. It is after a feed, maybe 30-60 minutes, but I just assume that his body is digesting at that time.

Frenchie - yes, you could be right too. I have thought about the possibility that something I`m eating could give him some tummy trouble. But aside from my morning yogurt(which I skipped today) I don`t consume dairy anymore. I eat eggs nearly every day so that could be it, but aside from that, I wouldn`t know where to start - muesli, whole wheat bread, rice, (oily) Chinese food, pork, etc. My diet is not so exotic right now.
He doesn`t cry excessively - he only cries when he needs his diaper changed, or when he needs to eat. For his gassy spells, it`s more crying out and whimpering and moving his body about, and you can tell once gas gets released or he poops, he calms down, until the next one comes. He`s done this since birth.
I also notice this often happens more in the afternoon.

How or where can I get an allergy test?
 
both of my kids were big farters... actually my daughter still is.

one of her first complete sentences was, "mummy, riley fart!"

remember that their system is not used to all this "eating" and it takes a while for them to become used to the new feelings.
 
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