3-Week-old Screams Every Night

S.,
I would try to rock him to sleep about 9:30 and try to make that a schedule nightly. If that doesn't work I would talk to your pediatrician. Try that for about a week that way it is something that is consistant for a short period of time and maybe he will catch on. I never had that problem to bad but Tanner had reflux so feeding him anything he got sick. If you know that he has eaten and is on schedule with his feedings I wouldn't try to feed him it may throw him of schedule and think that every time he cries that you are going to give him food.

Let me know how it works
H.

Others have mentioned gas, colic and reflux, all of which are pretty common and must be painful and scary for a newborn. If you've ever had bad heartburn (which is essentially what infant reflux is) you'll know how awful it can be. Things to try are smaller, more frequent meals, keeping him upright after feeding, raising the head of his crib so that his head is higher than his tummy, changing your own diet (coffee, onions, beans and broccoli can give breast-fed babies gas or heartburn). OTC simethicone drops might help, or if it is reflux a doctor's prescription may be needed.

It may just be a matter of an immature nervous and digestive system. In that case time is the only real cure. Until his autonomic system catches up with the requirements of life outside the womb, the best thing you can give him is love and comfort. Simulating the comfort of the womb by swaddling, rocking and holding your baby can help a lot. You may not be able to stop him from crying but you'll teach him the wonderful lesson that you can be relied on to be there for him. If holding him while he cries distresses you, my recommendation is an iPod with in-ear headphones.

At 3 weeks old, I would think that if he's crying, he needs you. He's just barely out of the womb... I doubt he's developed the cognition to realize "Hey, when I cry, Mom comes running" just yet. Also, with breastfeeding, it's hard to tell how much he's eating versus how much he's throwing up. He may very well be keeping down a good portion of the milk. I would check the way you have him sleeping... Maybe he's too hot/cold, something that he's wearing is bothering him, not enough soothing things/too many soothing things (mobile or toys and such), etc. Babies are a lot more sensitive than we are. There could be something that's bothering him that you wouldn't think of normally.

Have you ever thought of the possibility that he could be collicy? (sp?) Does he sleep well during the day or scream a lot during the day? I used the cry-it-out or "extinction" method with my daughter, but not until she was 4 mo. old! I don't know what to tell you, except they say that if you are going to ignore the crying--don't go in there at all--not even after an hour or more of crying. They say you have to let them learn to self-sooth and put themselves back to sleep. This has to last for about 3 nights in a row in order for it to start working. I just don't think a 3 week old should be expected of that... however, I can't imagine what I would do in your situation. Maybe just keep trying what you are trying, but he may eventually get used to that treatment and expect it, never learning to self-sooth. Well, just hang in there... it will get better!

By reading one of the other responses, I remember a few other things I went through:
I made a list of what could be wrong when my baby cried.
1)wet/dirty diaper, 2)hungry, 3)gas (try Little Tummies Gas Relief Drops), 4)needed pacifier, or 5)just wanted held. Like one of the gals said, you'll figure out his needs when he cries!

Oh--and try a sound machine. This is extremely helpful with helping them relax. Turn it on the same sound, same volume every night and they will start to associate it with sleeping!

At three weeks old, you can't put him down and let him cry it out. I know that you must want to be with your husband sometimes, but welcome to motherhood! :) It will be hard for a little while, but baby first!
Because he is in the infant stage, if he crys, he needs something. You probably just need a little more time to get to know him, then you'll know his cries - what he wants for each time he cries. Too, make sure he has a clean diaper when he gets up at that time in the morning. When my baby girl was an infant, I was getting up at about the same time with her. I would change her, feed her, and rock her back to sleep. You'll get it. Just remember - it's a little exhausting getting up at night, but take a nap when he does during the day. You'll have to be on his schedule for a little while. But, don't be too frustrated or just put him down after so much crying, because he will not be this little for long at all, so no matter how tired you are, enjoy that little snuggly boy - because he'll grow out of that! :)
Good luck and God bless!

I guess my first thought is reflux. Have you tried holding him differently? Like hold him face down in your arms. That really worked for my daughter. But I also let her sleep on her belly, even though the experts say its a no-no. My advise is call her doctor and have a chech-up and dicuss this with her/him. I don't believe its colic if he only does this at night for a couple of hours.