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My three week old baby sleeps very well at night but now cries a good part of the day. Specifically, she starts crying about 1 hour after a feeding and sometimes doesn't stop until her next feeding (feedings every 3 hours). It seems like gas pains and she has trouble with constipation. Is this normal and if so, what can we do to ease her pain and crying?
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My three week old baby sleeps very well at night but now cries a good part of the day. Specifically, she starts crying about 1 hour after a feeding and sometimes doesn't stop until her next feeding (feedings every 3 hours). It seems like gas pains and she has trouble with constipation. Is this normal and if so, what can we do to ease her pain and crying?
Fussiness after feedings can be related to several causes. If a baby is swallowing air with feedings, gas pains can cause fussiness. Simple measures like burping well after feeds, holding her upright after feeds for 20-30 minutes, and even trying simethicone gas drops like Mylicon can be helpful. Constipation in an infant is typically evidenced by hard ball-like stools, not just infrequent bowel movements, and you can discuss possible remedies with your pediatrician. Another consideration for fussiness after feedings could be related to gastroesophageal reflux, in which acidic stomach contents go back up to the esophagus and can cause pain. However, allthough most infants have some degree of mild spitting up and reflux, if it is significant reflux, infants will have frequent vomiting episodes and sometimes poor weight gain.
If you have tried a variety of measures to address these concerns, and there is no medical cause for her fussiness, then just doing simple things like rocking, swinging, bouncing, holding, and trying changes in her environment, are all good comfort measures you can try.
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