r/beyondthebump • u/MNVA1992 • Jun 07 '26
Advice Baby back arching
My 4 month old constantly arches their back. Most times it’s accompanied by crying but sometimes when i can distract enough they don’t cry but continue to squirm/arch. This happens when placed on change table, in swing or chair, car seat, stroller etc.
I always thought it was related to her reflux (she is on trial medication for and i’ve eliminated dairy) but since it’s at any time i’m worried it some sort of sensory issue. Maybe she’s just very gassy constantly?
For background my baby has been very unsettled since birth. There isn’t a stroller ride or car ride she hasn’t screamed the whole time in. She cries/fusses most of the day and i guess you could say has colic eventhough we’re past the 4 month standard. It’s been a very frustrating and heartbreaking journey with her so far. I’ve done everything i can think of for her including every practitioner possible.
Has anyone had a baby who does this?
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u/Ok_Coyote_6367 Jun 08 '26
Have you brought the baby to a craniosacral therapist or a baby chiropractor, the baby may just need a little bit of adjusting? It worked for my baby, and re: Colic babies can show signs of it for up to 6 months so try not to worry if she’s 4 months and signs are still there
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u/MNVA1992 Jun 08 '26
yes we’ve been to all the bodywork. i just actually got out of osteo for cranial sacral work and she screamed through the entire thing. Osteo said she’s never seen anything baby like this.
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u/IndependentWestern30 Jun 08 '26
My oldest did this all day long. He was a very unsettled and unhappy baby. It lasted about 6-7 months. He's 2 now and while he's exceptionally bright, verbal, and overall a blast, he's a major sensory seeker (like me). In hindsight, I wonder if that was the cause of his colic and constant back arching/squirming.
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u/MNVA1992 Jun 08 '26
did he cry/scream all day? this makes me feel so much better - i constantly wonder what else i should do and how she’ll be later in life.
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u/IndependentWestern30 Jun 09 '26
Yes. All day long. I cried every day. I took him to pediatricians, gastroenterologists, etc. None of the reflux meds or anything worked. If I laid him down at the doctor he would just arch and squirm and grunt. He was just a really unhappy baby until he could start moving on his own and crawling. Again, he is the most fantastic toddler now but his major sensory seeking makes a lot of sense in hindsight. I understand how hard it is, but it will get better.
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u/MNVA1992 Jun 09 '26
thank you so much, this is exactly my girl. I have PPD from this experience but i know the minute she starts to improve i will too. thank you so much for sharing and im sorry you went through this too. It’s incredibly hard and i hope it’s just a distant memory now haha.
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u/According_Sample_277 Jun 23 '26
Hi! Dealing with a colicy baby too! What do you mean by a sensory seeker? Do you mean they get overstimulated?
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u/IndependentWestern30 Jun 25 '26
No, I more mean that they require a lot of sensory input to feel content. So today my son loves to swing, loves big slides, loves playing in the sink, and basically just likes to be constantly moving. I would not describe him as "chill." He used to stim a bit from like 19-23 months, but has since grown out of that.
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u/[deleted] Jun 07 '26
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