fussy baby - help!

[lines]

My 5 1/2 month daughter has been very fussy for the past few days/nights. She has been tossing a lot in her sleep and not sleeping well. Last night she started crying/tossing every couple of hours. Before this and in general she is not a fussy baby at all. She usually sleeps 8 hours at night, naps okay. I started her on rice cereal on Monday so I'm wondering if this is the culprit. I read in a previous post that rice cereal causes gassiness, and was wondering if this was the problem, but she hasn't been farting, etc. any more than usual, so I'm not sure how I can tell if this is what is wrong.

Any suggestions/advice is greatly appreciated!

[Momof3Labs]

It could very well be the rice cereal causing her to be a little bloated and gassy. Or it could be teething - have you tried giving her some Motrin or Tylenol at bedtime?

When do you give her the cereal? If it is right before bedtime, try offering it first thing in the morning instead so it has time to move through her system. If nothing else works, you can always stop the cereal for a few days and see if she settles down.

[lines]

I've been feeding her the cereal a little for lunch and a little for dinner. She's not fussy when she's awake, just when she is sleeping, mostly. Could it be teething if she's not fussy when she's wide awake? Also, how do you know if they are gassy?

[lizajane]

super easy to tell. stop feeding her rice cereal.

my son didn't tolerate it until EIGHT months. and it wasn't even cereal then- it was pears. and ONLY one teaspoon.

if i gave him cereal, he woke up. if i didn't, he slept. easy as pie. at 5.5 months, she doesn't need it. so just wait another month.

[mudder17]

My pede office also said that rice cereal causes bloating and gassiness far more often than oat cereal or barley cereal. Keep in mind that this is based on their years of experience with their patience, not on scientific studies or anything like that.

And Liza is right--she doesn't really need the cereal right now.


Eileen

Mother of Beautiful Kaya
born 22 February 2004

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http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo..._garnet_6m.gif Breastfed 6 months and counting

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[Momof3Labs]

Yes, it could be teething or the cereal if she is fussy at bedtime but not when wide awake. Could be her position, or just that she's more distracted during the day. You don't necessarily know if they are gassy - except the fussiness. Don't think "farts" when you think gas, also think about abdominal cramping and fullness, bloating, etc. Those can be pretty uncomfortable!

[lines]

thanks.. yes, I am going to stop the cereal for a while and see if she gets back to normal! The only reason I wanted to start her on solids was because she seems like she wants it (watches me when I eat, practially drooling =). But it definitely won't hurt to wait a little longer.

Thanks for the suggestions!

[Rachels]

You know, I started my baby on solids when she seemed like she wanted it (actually, she CLEARLY wanted it), but I'll use different criteria next time. Her interest was there, but her intestines weren't ready. I think with the next baby if I feel like I really MUST respond to the interest, I'll offer something innocuous like powdery crushed ice, and wait a good while longer for actual solids.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies...haracter39.gif

"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...pphire_24m.gif Two years and counting!

[lizajane]

oooooooh. breastmilk snow cones... :)

[Rachels]

Exactly!!!

:)

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

http://www.planetsmilies.com/smilies...haracter39.gif

"When you know better, you do better."
Maya Angelou

http://www.gynosaur.com/assets/ribbo...pphire_24m.gif Two years and counting!