My 4 week old seems to be in pain in her crib

by Dawn Cleverley
(Derbyshire)

Question: Hi, My 4 week old daughter will not sleep in her crib. I put her down and she will sleep for approximately 30 minutes and then whilst still asleep - she starts throwing her arms and legs about and squealing and sometimes crying - all whilst still asleep. She also looks to be in pain.

As soon as I sit up and hold her to my chest she starts to sleep calmly again.

I am not sure what to do as at the moment either myself or my husband are up all night holding her. Is this normal?

Many thanks,

Dawn

Heidi's Answer: Hi Dawn,

I am thinking of a number of possibilities that could cause your little girl to be uncomfortable in her crib:

- her diaper, clothing and/or covers may be uncomfortable (too tight, too warm, ...)

- the mattress she is lying on may not be comfortable

- she may have digestive issues related to acid reflux

- she may have a nerve stuck in her spine which causes her pain when lying down

To help us pin it down more precisely, please add some more information (just post a comment below):

- Does she also seem uncomfortable when lying down during the day, when awake (e.g. playing)?

- Are you sure she is not awake when she does that squealing or crying? What happens if you put her down again as soon as she calms down?

- What happens if you wait a few moments before going to her?

- How are her naps?

- When has this started?

- How does she go down when first going to sleep? Awake? Asleep after feeding/holding?

This and any extra info you can think of will help us get a better idea of why it is happening.

Kindly,
Heidi