crying baby

[Vics128]

I dont really know if this is a question, or just somewhere to have a whinge.
My baby is 17 weeks old and doesnt stop crying.
I have to hold him constantly if I want a bit of peace (he is nearly 18lb already and breaking my back) although i dont know why I do as it doesnt always stop him cry. I try and leave him to cry it out, but he gets so worked up and its upsetting for all involved. If I could play with him all day I think he would be happier, but I have a 3 yr old too, so I have to share my time.
Ok, it is a question.. Any hints on how I can leave him on mat/ bouncy chair/ rubber ring with dangly things to play with, for just a little while, especially at 5pm when we try to sit down with our older son for a family meal.
He has seen a GP, who says nothing wrong with him

[redcrx]

oh you have my sympathy there, its hard with a toddler and a baby to share the attention and yet babies will cry.

Have you tried playing peekaboo? I had to do it when my ledest got seperation anxiety (they all got through a stage). Put baby somewhere safe and walk away a few steps then lokk back and say peekaboo.

each time you do it, walk away further or leave it a little longer. Baby will realise that you always come back and hopefully should soon start to settle and allow you to leave him alone for a minute withoiut crying.

Its all a matter of getting him to forget that he wants to cry.

good luck

[katerich48]

Maybe you have what used to be called a "hungry baby" and he won't really settle down until he's on solids - is he a sturdy little chap? ..it might just be that he's hungry..I was advised by the midwife (years ago) to put Farleys powder in my baby's bottle at night to fill her up and to stop her waking up in the night for a feed. worked like a charm

[Vics128]

Yes he has a big boy, Iv started topping his lunch time and night time feed up with formula. and he is still up in night for feed (but at least only one now hes having more)
maybe weening is answer, but he crys after he is fed aswell. there doesnt seem to be anything to stop him, except full on playing. he likes standing on my lap with me holding his hands rocking him back and forth and playing boo. makes him giggle, but if I stop for a second he starts shouting.. screaming like he isin pain. but i kind of know he isnt cos as soon as i pull him up and play again he gives me the biggestg smile ever.....

[Vics128]

sorry redcrx, wasnt ignoring you!!
ill give the peekaboo a try. He likes playing it with amuslin, so ill give it a go walking away.
Thanks

[sara3]

if you've covered all the basics.. he's well, dry nappy, no wind, etc.. you're just gonna have to let him cry for a bit. if he knows he can shout for a while then get a cuddle, it's a fair reward!

but I understand that it must be painful on your poor ears! I was told most baby issues can be ironed out in 3 days if you don't give in, and I found that to be true.

[Vics128]

Yes iv heard that too, and it worked for ging to bed, He doesnt often cry now when I put him to bed, and if he does its just for a short while. but dont know where to begin when he is awake. Should I just leave him screaming untill he stops..? I dont really like the old fashioned methods of parenting, but i think he has got out of hand, I litterally carry him all day.

[Tups]

Take a lesson from me on what not to do: I carried my first child around with me all the time because he demanded it. I got really good at pegging out the washing with said child on my hip! To cut a long story short, I ended up in hospital, very ill with stress and fatigue when he was two and a half years old! I was told I had MS but, thankfully, that was a wrong diagnosis. My mum looked after him for a couple of months. When he started sleeping and behaving less possessively around the age of three, I got better. If I could have my time over again, I would have been stronger and left him to cry, having first checked he was ok, of course. Hard but wise!

[Iolanthe]

We all sympathise with you as it's very wearing, having a baby cry a lot. First of all, I expect that you've checked that he's not in acute pain eg earache.

Some babies who are constantly crying benefit from treatment from an osteopath - cranial osteopathy, very gentle and not at all painful. This needs to be done only by a qualified person. My friend's daughter is an osteopath and has had great success in treating crying babies. It realigns the bones in the skull which can sometimes cause babies to be in pain.

Does he switch off crying when you pay attention to him?
He might be bored if he can't sleep. Try putting on some quiet, soothing music near him - not pop. Mozart has often been successful in soothing crying babies. Perhaps you could record your voice, speaking or singing, and leave it playing nearby.

When my oldest grandson was a baby, and we were baby-sitting, he was an s*d to get off to sleep, and I used to sing to him - probably bored him silly!

Has he got something to look at eg a mobile? Until babies are big enough to sit up, they often get bored, so something colourful and active can help to occupy them. Perhaps he could be with you in the kitchen, lying in his baby chair, as often, all they want to do is see you and feel secure. Don't carry him round all the time - it'll only hurt your back and he needs to get used to the fact that sometimes he can just to be close to you, but not picked up. Talk to the baby while you are giving your other child his Mummy time. He'll get used to it if you have the energy to cope with it.

I know this is a bit dodgy with a boy, but when my daughter was about that age, we used to take her nappy off, putting an absorbent wad/towel under her in the pram, so that she could kick her legs freely, and that usually gave us time to eat our meal.

When he's a bit older, he could go into a baby bouncer for

[lauralane]

My sister swears by the dvd Happiest Baby on the Block. Can be ordered off Amazon. Or check out website http://thehappiestbaby.com/

[Vics128]

thanks for all your answers.
he has been to docs to check ears.. all good
he`has had cranial osteopathy and was told he had slight tension, but nothing too major
I will take your advice Tups, just hope the neighbours dont , but mind!!!
yes it does sometimes stop when he gets attention but he starts up again the second I stop. He has lots of toys when he is on the floor or in his chair and he is in the room with me werever i am.
Think he is just a bit of a misery!! Hopefully when he gets weened he will cheer up a bit!!!

[vickys]

hi there i know exactlly how you feel my son is like that and has been since birth his now 10 months old. he was born with a milk allergy which we hoped would settle it down and it did as far as the stomach aches etc relating to that but he will continuously scream and whing and nothing works. we have been keeping diarys etc to show hv and last time i saw her she was hopein to get him looked into adhd cos luckily she has witnessed it when i go in there.