Feel like a bad mum

Hey, I'm literally in the exact same boat as you only with a little boy!! Babies will cry regardless of having everything they could need, it's just what they do unfortunately!! Please don't feel like a bad mum, this job is tough and you're doing all you can, be kind to yourself xx

Have you tried infacol? Or maybe there's some irritated skin e.g. under armpit folds that some sudocrem could help with? Grapeseed oil is good for dry itchy skin. Sometimes there does seem to be no reason and it's totally normal to need to take a few minutes, don't beat yourself up I'm sure you're doing great mama! X

I felt like this at 3 weeks too, could be gassy or potentially colic? I thought not all babies suffered with colic but it’s so much more common than you think. Started using intact and it’s helped us so much. You could also try gripe water when your LO is a month old if that doesn’t help. Babies cry and that’s okay as long as you’re doing all you can which you are💗

Infacol ***

You're doing great and it gets easier xx as long as they are clean, fed and loved you're doing everything right! My second is now 5 weeks old and compared to my first, he's the most unsettled baby ever! Even well fed and changed he cries a lot. He also hates the pram and carseat which were all tricks that worked first time round! Do you have a birthing ball? It's become my saving grace as he loves being bounced! If you have one, hug your lil one close and just bounce.... it's the only thing that calms him during a bad day. Keep doing what you're doing and look after yourself. Don't be afraid to put lil one down in a safe space and walk away to recompose or get a cuppa / large chunk of chocolate. Have you got anyone around who can help to allow you o get some rest?

I had this with my first, it was most days and was awful up until about 9 weeks. This one's pretty much the same but I've learnt a few things from my first that have helped so he doesn't cry as much. First is to stay as calm as possible, they really feel our emotions so the more frustrated we get the more they cry. As above, bouncing on yoga ball really helps. Using a dummy is a game changer - my first didn't take one but this baby does. Skin to skin On days where these don't work I've made a playlist and listen to it with my earphones in to block out the crying and also singing can help. Definitely don't feel bad leaving her to cry to calm yourself down, as long as he needs have been met she'll be fine crying for a few minutes.

Have you tried a dummy? I never thought id use one, but when my 5 day old is crying during a change we pop it in and it really comforts her. I don’t plan to use it a lot or long term. She’s breastfed and it’s not affected that at all

@Amy Rose thank you xxx it’s reassuring that everything she’s doing is normal but gets so hard sometimes

@Kaya haven’t tried infacol as I get mixed reviews about it. She did have dry skin straight after birth but seems ok now. I feel like some days she just wants to cry with no reason as the next day she’ll be absolutely fine and settled. Thank you! xx

@Eden I’m not sure if it’s colic. She does have trapped wind sometimes so maybe that. It’s really hard not knowing if there’s an issue or if she’s just crying with no reason!

@Naomi thanks for the reassurance xxx I do still have my birthing ball so will try this. Yes, I have help but not always and it’s almost like she knows when there are people around as she’ll be settled when they visit to help or they come during the day when she’s sleeping!

@Louise thank you for the tips and reassurance xx

@Georgie never tried a dummy. She’s breastfed too. I guess it’s an option as well for extra comfort. Thank you x

We are exactly the same but with a little boy. It does get hard at times but you are doing everything you can to be the best mum for your baby girl and that's all that matters. If you need to leave her for 5mins to calm yourself down, that's totally okay. I found that the bath calms him, the dummy also helps when he is completely inconsolable and it has not affected breastfeeding. I wasn't planning on using one but it was the only thing that made him stop crying on a really bad day so worth a try when feeling helpless xx

I literally went through this yesterday with my 3 week old too, he was up loads through the night then feeding every hour basically not off the breast for the FULL day! I was done😟 I’m guessing there’s some kind of fussiness/growth spurt in 3 weeks because I’ve seen a lot of posts! We aren’t bad mums we’re just having a tough day and it happens ❤️

@Mishy thank you! Yes I also noticed she’s much calmer after a bath xx

@Ellie I was also wondering if it’s a growth spurt. She was the same last night up every single hour from 11pm to 6am even when fed she’d still wake up again and drink more! x

I had this!!! I was going out of my mind I really didn’t know what to do! I introduced a dummy and that seems to have really helped. My little one was screaming 6 hours on and off I thought it was colic. Now she has the dummy it’s a lot better