When our babies are first born, that initial cry - wail, even - is awfully satisfying. The ultimate relief. My baby's OK. They're supposed to cry.

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The next wave of cries are a learning curve. We follow them like instructions, to try to calm them, give them what they need: are they hungry? Sleepy? Sick? Too hot? Too cold?

Of course, some newborns don't seem to fall into those obvious categories. They cry non-stop, a near constant wail unexplained by all the usual suspects.

Newborn days are rarely easy, but we do feel for those new mums who are really going through the ringer with cry after cry after cry.

Sarah Turner, best known to many as The Unmumsy Mum, seems to be riding it out right now with her 3rd child, Wilf.

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She took to her Instagram to share an update on Wilf's progress - and in the pic, Sarah's giving the camera a lovely smile, but gorgeous baby Wilf is, naturally, having a good old bawl.

sarah turner

"This is what parenthood looks like for us at the moment," she wrote candidly.

"I’d have liked to have posted a few more of those blissful snuggling-with-the-baby type photos by now but alas, little Wilfie is not a very happy chappy so this right here is how we are spending 90% of our time."

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"I’m not going to lie, the last few weeks have been testing (a low point being The Night of a Thousand Feeds when I simply didn’t bother removing him from my boob for around 8 hours because doing so resulted in blood-curdling screams).

"And having to leave early from 3 out of the 4 catch ups with friends because there was simply no point trying to ‘catch up’ over the din (as tough as I am, the ‘why isn’t she sorting that crying out?’ stares from strangers does get you down after a while, even 3 babies later!)

"BUT we are doing OK. Really truly we are. I loved this boy from the moment he was the size of a cranberry or whatever they are on those pregnancy apps, and though I am tired and a little disheartened that he isn’t cooing and smiling just yet, I am still somehow finding it all easier this time around.

"I know this isn’t forever, I know ‘this too shall pass’ and I know we are lucky to have him."

We have to confess: we totally get what Sarah's saying here, especially when she admits she's a little bit gutted that Wilf isn't giving off any gooey, gummy baby smiles just yet.

Sometimes, they're just that little boost, a little affirmation that all the 1am, 3am, 5am wake up calls are worth it. SO worth it.

The exact cause of Wilf's troubles has yet to be determined - though Sarah did say she was exploring lots of options, and was even trialing a diary-free diet to see if a milk allergy has anything to do with it...

"Thank you all SO much for continuing to message with advice on colic/reflux/cows milk protein intolerance," she added.

"(Alongside suggestions regarding tongue tie, cranial osteopathy, dummies, white noise, slings - so much advice and I’m genuinely grateful).

"We’re still not entirely sure what’s troubling him but he’s been put on ranitidine for reflux and I am now 6 days into a dairy-free diet, so hoping to see a happier Wilf soon ❤️ "

Here's hoping they get there before too long!

Images: Instagram/The Unmumsy Mum

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