Crying, unhappy babies

My girls are the most unhappy babies I have ever been around. When they are awake and not nursing, they are crying. I am not exagerating. I have tried so many different things to entertain them like toys, swing, bouncy seat, pacifier, swaddling, etc., but they just want to cry. Then at night, they refuse to go down. We have got each of them asleep 3 different times tonight and within 5 minutes of laying them in their crib, they start crying, no screaming to the top of their lungs. The only thing that calms them down is nursing them. In addition, they act like they are starving most of the time. They are gaining weight a bit more than average, and I think that is because I am nursing them on demand and their demand is more than necessary. One of mine would nurse every hour if I would let her. I told my Dr. and he said don't let them nurse more than every two hours. I trust his judgement, but he is not the one who has to listen to them scream like they are dying. Sometimes when I don't have help, I just have to let one scream and I hate to do that, but I can only do so much. This has been going on pretty much since week 2, so it can not be a growth spurt.

I feel so sorry for our 5 year old, he will never want children after this. He calls them whiners since that is all they do.

HELP!!!!!!

 

I'm sorry you are having a rough time, you are definitely in the thick of it. What time of day are they wanting to nurse constantly? at that age, my kids started cluster feeding, it was crazy from like 5-9pm...and then they started sleeping 5 hour stretches (from what I remember).

As far the eating on demand, vs. schedule that's a tough one. And it's even harder if you are nursing because you don't really know if they are pacifying or eating. It could be a growth spurt...or who knows what. The only thing I can suggest is a bit of trial and error and if you can write down what happens, when for a few days. I KNOW IT'S VERY HARD...but then you can go back and see what the pattern is.

Good luck, it gets easier
Miriam

 

I'm sure you'll hear this a bunch more, but 6-8 weeks was AWFUL. They cried constantly. No matter what I did. Then it just suddenly stopped. Those two weeks were the longest of my life! Mine are 8 months old now, and they are truly the happiest babies I've ever seen. Don't worry, it will end, and someday you'll write a post like this for someone else. Hang in there.

Reyna

 

6-9 weeks was HORRIBLE for us! it was SO hard. And it was the very worst in the evening. Aside from enlisting some help to give you a break, I don't have any wise suggestions. Keep up the good work, though...It's going to get more fun!

 

HAD ONE THAT WAS THE SAME SHE HAS GROWN OUT OF IT NO REAL ADVICE JUST HANG IN THERE :hug99: [codebox]<a href="http://www.tickercentral.com"><img border="0" src="http://www.tickercentral.com/view/9a85/1.png"></a>[/codebox]

 

Order the DVD "Happiest Baby on the Block" from Amazon.com and watch it. It was super helpful for tips on calming them down. Like everyone has said the time you are in is the worst. They do cry a lot at that age. It is normal and it will get better. I used swings, bouncies, swaddling, white noise...anything I could to get them to sleep. Hang in there.

 

Hang in there and remember the bfing forum http://www.twinstuff.com/forum/index.php?showforum=55 too. This too shall pass, and I had one with colic that about drove me crazy. In my honest opinion you cannot nurse enough, especially if it makes things easier. I found it easiest to set up my bfing pillow and nurse away, they were qiet and I could watch tv You can also try swaddling, paci, swing, rocking, sling, walks, car, etc, lol

 

QUOTE(mrsfussypants @ Jan 2 2008, 11:30 PM) [snapback]555402[/snapback]
I'm sure you'll hear this a bunch more, but 6-8 weeks was AWFUL. They cried constantly. No matter what I did. Then it just suddenly stopped. Those two weeks were the longest of my life! Mine are 8 months old now, and they are truly the happiest babies I've ever seen. Don't worry, it will end, and someday you'll write a post like this for someone else. Hang in there.

Reyna


Ditto, weeks 6-10 sucked, and then got a little better, once they hit the 12 week (adjusted) mark it was like magic, they started sleeping better, cooing more, and crying less.

Hang in there, you are at the hardest part, it only gets better from here.

 

QUOTE
In my honest opinion you cannot nurse enough, especially if it makes things easier. I found it easiest to set up my bfing pillow and nurse away, they were qiet and I could watch tv


Totally agree! There is nothing to gain from not letting them nurse. Just hunker down with the remote, a good book, magazines, whatever... Breastfed babies do not overeat.

I second the recommendation for the Happiest Baby on the Block DVD!

And agree with pps that it's just a rotten age, and it will pass. I know that's no help right now - but you're not doing anything wrong, you're doing the best you can. Try not to be hard on yourself if you can't stop the crying despite your best efforts - just try to cope with the crying however you can. It gets better, I promise! :hug99:

 

I'm right there with you!! My dd wants to nurse from 5pm until she conks out... 9pm...10pm..even 12am... Then she'll sleep great, but only b/c I'm co-sleeping with her. I've never co-slept with any of my kids before and it's making a HUGE difference. All my other kids were up every 2 hours at this point. Do your girls spit up? My dd gets really fussy during the day b/c of reflux too. It's a cycle. One thing I have done the past 2 days that has helped is to just let her nurse extra long on one side so that she's getting more of the fatty milk. It helps keep it down...and helps ensure she's not being overfed with the gassy foremilk. obviously bf twins would be different. I'm sure you've tried everything like pacifiers, swings, bouncers...I would just keep trying them. If your older dc has a quiet time maybe you can use that time to work on getting your babies to sleep...maybe lying down on the floor with them. I've found that sleep begets sleep...do what you need to do to try to get them to sleep and you may find that subsequent naps go better. When my dd is overtired she doesn't nurse well and then she snoozes during bf, which leads her to wake up when it's done...it's a cycle.

 

QUOTE(xavier2001 @ Jan 3 2008, 08:08 AM) [snapback]555508[/snapback]
Ditto, weeks 6-10 sucked, and then got a little better, once they hit the 12 week (adjusted) mark it was like magic, they started sleeping better, cooing more, and crying less.

Hang in there, you are at the hardest part, it only gets better from here.


Ditto to the ditto!!

I'm currently having napping issues - however, it's NOTHING compared to what those early weeks were like. There would be days I'd call my DH at 5pm, and say that the babies were in their cribs crying, and were going to stay there until he got home, so he better get a move on!! lol. Just remember, everyday brings you closer to happy babies!! (I also don't think this is the time to worry about habits - or how often they are feeding. -- they probibly are using you as a pacifer some, but at this point, it was in the "anything to survive" mode -- I always said at that point, my job is to keep the babies fed and dry -- all the rest is gravy!)

 

QUOTE(xavier2001 @ Jan 3 2008, 08:08 AM) [snapback]555508[/snapback]
Ditto, weeks 6-10 sucked, and then got a little better, once they hit the 12 week (adjusted) mark it was like magic, they started sleeping better, cooing more, and crying less.

Hang in there, you are at the hardest part, it only gets better from here.


Wow, alot of us agree here. Me ditto times 5. Mine really have seemed to calm down...especially dd in the last week. It is really hard I know. Hang in there. Just keep telling them you love them. Say it out loud over and over. It was the best thing I could do when I just couldn't take it anymore. I would cry, they would be crying while both in my arms, my 2 y/o would be crying all while trying to watch Dora the Explorer. It was mad mayhem at my house. We still have good days and bad but now they are 14 weeks and we're having better days. Just count down the time, before you know it it will be here and you can give your advice to other moms who are in your shoes. It does go by fast when you look back. I know at the time you don't see the end. It's okay if the laundry is piling, the house isn't clean and the dinner isn't made. Your priorities are with those precious babies right now. You'll get thru it, trust us.