beccalynn1998

My daughter is 14 months old now. From the day after she was born she has cried/fussed all the time. First, at 2 weeks we found she had reflux, started medication and I thought maybe now she'll be better, Nope! It did help with the refluxing but still fussy. Then, at 7 months ear infections started. I thought maybe that was her problem. Had tubes put in at 12 months, still fussy. At 12 months we also found her iron was low, started a vitamin, which has helped her iron level but not the fussiness. A couple weeks ago the doctor said maybe allergies due to red puffy eyes and nasal drainage. Started Claritin, once again I thought maybe the crying would stop, didn't happen. It's not like she cries constantly all the time, she has 15 minutes here and there that she's happy but it never lasts long and usually it's not full blown crying it's just fussy whining. She doesn't eat like my son did, but I'm sure she gets enough but she also seems like she's tired a lot. She goes to bed at 8 p.m., sometimes wakes once but goes back to sleep and sleeps until 9 or 10 a.m. if I let her. Then 2 hours after she gets up, she's ready for nap, sleeps about 2 hours and 3-4 hours later is ready for another nap which is 1-2 hours and by 6 p.m. she's so fussy it seems like she needs to go to bed again. I thought it was her iron level making her tired but it's normal now. Any thoughts on what might be wrong, if anything?

LadyLane

In between all the sleeping, how does she behave? Is she hitting all her milestones? Walking, starting to talk? Makes good eye contact, etc? What does the pediatrician say about all the naps, etc?

My niece is seventeen months and she gets up around seven, then naps between ten and eleven, then again around two until four or five, and then is in bed by seven. So your daughter sounds normal. I know my daughter at that age slept like a log, twelve hours straight at night and took one 3-4 hour nap every afternoon. My friends with babies hated me because she slept so well!!

I was thinking, if you're nervous about something, maybe try a neurologist? Maybe her ears are very sensitive to sound or something; like too much stimulation is upsetting to her.

Good luck!

beccalynn1998

It makes me feel a little better to know all the sleeping could just be normal. In between sleeping she's pretty much fussy except for 1 or 2 15 minute breaks of happy playing. My son was never like this, he was happy all the time. I know kids are different and some aren't as good as my son was but I hate seeing her upset all the time and nothing helps. She acts like she wants picked up so I do but in less than 5 minutes she acts like she wants down, so I put her down and she cries. Nothing makes her happy, it's like she doesn't know what she wants. The way she acts is the way most kids act when they get overtired but I don't see how she can be. The last time she saw the doctor was when her iron was low so we figured that was the reason for all the sleep. She goes back in a month and I'll ask about it since that isn't why she's so tired. Some people have said girls are just fussy but I just worry that something else could be wrong.

LadyLane

Well whoever said that girls are just fussy either has bratty girls or only boys.

My daughter and all my nieces were sweet, even-tempered babies who were fussy just as much as any other babies - when they were told no, or they fell, were teething, tired, too hot, hungry, etc.

But I'd say if its to the point that she's constantly unhappy, and always has been this way, I'd ask the doctor what they recommend when you go back.

graebelle

When i read your blog about your daughter, it was as if i was typing it myself. It is comforting to know that other mothers out there are experiencing the same issues as i am with my 8 month old son. My first child(daughter) was very easy and i had no issues, besides typical experiences you would expect. Then my son came, and I live at the doctors. My son is either fussing or crying, very little in between. You can not sit down and play with him for more than 5 minutes before he starts to have a melt down. He is always tired, within 3 hours of being up, only takes an hour nap if i am lucky. And nights- up all the time. This all started about 3m of age. Took him to the doctors they told us it was colic. Even though i knew better, i went along with it. I knew it wasnt colic because he would cry all the time, and not designated times like colic is associated with. Then he had ear infections that would not go away, so they thought that was the problem. Plus acid reflux was also mentioned. I also breast feed and they said he had food allergies to dairy. So i am on the elimination diet. I could go on and on about all the theories as to why doctors believe he is the way he is, nothing has changed. My sister believes he is what they label a :high needs/fussy baby. WHich Dr. Sears has a book about, maybe that could be it. I would really love to correspond with you if you happen to read this and discuss this issue some more. Good luck

Alex

I'm new to this site, but my 7 month old baby boy sounds just like what your baby is/was like!! I'm just wondering if things are getting better...did you figure anything out? I would love some tips on dealing w/ older fussy babies!

Xoote

i would like some tips too. my son is 15 months

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Alex

Is he pretty fussy, too? Has he always been kindof high needs? Mine definitely has!!