What's going on!?

[@llli*tanpixie]

My 4 month old darling LO has just started crying like she's in pain.
At her 3 month check up the pediatrician told me her gums were slightly swollen, I can't see anything in there that makes me assume she's teething, her gums don't look swollen to me and there's no teeth poking through that I can feel. She does stick EVERYTHING in her mouth, including her hands, my hands and my nipple if she can get it all in - she munches on them like a little gremlin and then sometimes spits things out of her mouth (her hands) and bursts into tears - then there's the crying when she feeds and spitting up after every feed - and i mean a lot of spitting up - like projectile spitting up.

Things have been going great until maybe the last 2 weeks - I"m going through bibs as well like crazy - drooling and spitting up - she just cries, she cried non stop for at least an hour today and I couldn't settle her at all - anyone have any idea?

I tried teething gel but that did very little.

I only ask as I hate to say this but I don't think the pedi knows - she said (i phoned her) it could be teething, sore tummy or she's tired .... I kinda would like something more solid - she is starting to sit up now - so I'm wondering if maybe she needs more than my milk to satisfy?

She feeds every 2 hours but could probably go longer - I just feed her as soon as she shows signs of hunger and feeding on demand still - anyway very confused Mumma!

oh and one last thing, she is know waking up every 2 hours to feed at night where she use to sleep for 5 and then wake up every 2 - last night I feel as though she was awake every hour wanting to feed ..... that's only recently happened .... last 2 nights - I'm a zombie.
Any thoughts?
Sorry this is so long!

[@llli*nsm]

For the waking, there is something called the 4 month sleep regression. If you google it there is a lot of information. Teething takes a long time before their teeth actually poke through. My baby was chewing on everything and fussy for what seemed like forever before her first tooth and after the first one the others didn't seem as bad.

[@llli*mommal]

4 month sleep regression + the 4 month fussies + teething.

Everything you describe is (sigh!) normal, and not an indication of baby needing solids to "satisfy". Remember, a baby can be adequately nourished by breastmilk alone until some time around the first birthday. 4 month-olds just don't need solids (with the caveat that certain premature babies may require iron supplementation prior to 6 months).

[@llli*tanpixie]

That totally sounds like it! She's so distracted when she feeds and her cousins have been here for the past week and she's be ultra distracted - Im so glad i googled this, I was up 5 times last night feeding - and i put her down an hour ago just before and she has just woken up again wanting to be fed - thank you - All the other stuff I hope is teething - or perhaps a sore tummy?

So nice to hear it's 'norma'l though ... x

My sister was telling me it's because I don't have enough milk.... really bothers me when people say that and you have a wonderful growing - well nourished baby!

[@llli*mommal]

Did your sister nurse her kids? I mean, there are plenty of people who nurse or who have nursed who also subscribe to silly myths about milk supply and adequacy, but in my experience there are even more formula-feeding moms who are convinced that they (and by extension, lots of other people) just don't have enough milk.

[@llli*mommylove]

Tanpixie!

Sounds like we are in the same boat! My Little babe is pretty much doing exactly the same thing! Take heart! I have been posting just today about night waking- my little babe is 15+ weeks and seems to be teething like mad. I mean, I am TIRED from being up so much. And I definitely need to look up 4 month old sleep regression as well....

hang in there !
Erin

[@llli*phi]

4 month sleep regression + the 4 month fussies + teething.

Four months was an absolutely miserable time for us. My son was an angry little monster all the time at four months. He was often happier outside, so we took lots of walks every day with him in the Ergo. He still liked his baths at that age, so he got a bath every night too.

Sorry. It's no fun, but like everything else this too will pass in time.

[@llli*tanpixie]

Tanpixie!

Sounds like we are in the same boat!
Erin

oh yeah ..... good to know I'm not alone with this one - she's just woken up again, that's like 2 times in 2 hours where normally she sleeps through till 2am! She normally gives me 5 hours .... but at the moment she just seems a bit grumpy and hungry but she goes straight back to sleep again after a quick feed... I'm glad to hear phi that it was miserable for you too ha ha ... you know what i mean

And yes my sister did breast-feed both her children, but she was a schedule Mum from the word go!
Even if they cried for food before her 2 hour - then 3 hour schedule she wouldn't budge ... she was a strict feeder and had to stop feeding her daughter at 5 months i believe because she just couldn't keep up her milk supply due to her 'schedule' feeding on 'her' schedule rather than her babies ( not that I'd tell her that) but both kids are amazing and she's pregnant again - we have just decided that we agree on a different way to do it.

[@llli*mommal]

The scheduled feedings explain it all. Supply = demand, and a mom who restricts demand will also reduce her supply. Rigid scheduling often leads to problems right in the 3-5 month window. Your sister thinks you don't have enough milk because she didn't- and sadly, she is totally missing the most important piece of the puzzle, which is that her schedule is what caused her milk supply to fail.

[@llli*kae.dowdy]

For the teething pain, try Gentle Naturals teething drops. The gel and tablets never worked for my DS, but those drops were a life saver. They are all natural and my son just loved them. I can't find it in stores anymore, but you can buy them online. Definitely give them a try!