Need advice for colicky/cranky baby

[mabdoo]

Our DD is two and a half months old. We are at our wits end with her because (we think) she is colicky. She definitely has a schedule of screaming from 4 pm to 8 or 9 pm. She will stop only if she is held and we walk around. Once she goes to sleep she is fine. During the night she wakes up, eats and usually goes back to sleep within 30 to 60 minutes. She does still get up every 4 hours during the night :-( In the morning she is not as bad but she does need to be held. I can put her down on the floor for about 10 minutes and play with her before she screams. By the way, when I say she screams, she screams so loud I am afraid the neighbors will hear and and she turns beet red and she gets soaked with sweat. She sometimes will sit in the swing but that also only lasts for about 10 minutes. The doctor has changed her formula a couple of times hoping that would help. My other concern is that maybe she is just spoiled but then I have read that you can't spoil them at this age. Any suggestions or advice would be helpful. Thanks.

 

[debbydarestobefit]

sounds like you may be on right track

My nephew and now his daughter were very colicky (and my mother said my brother was too - their father/grandfather). The major help came in finding an infant formula that was less sensitive to their little tummys. Also holding them tightly seemed to help, as well as swaddling them -- essentially wrapping them fairly tightly in like a baby blanket -- seems to make them feel safer or something. Colic can be difficult cuz you're right -- the crying is loud and distressing to everyone. Hang in there -- it also seemed to get better once they could start moving around on their own - rolling, crawling, walking. Best of luck! Deb

 

[aandjtravis]

Both of my children ( now ages 4 and 6) had to be held to be comforted. Some babies need this and others don't. If she stops crying as long as you are holding her, i think that is her way of letting you know that. It can seem impossible to hold her for such longs periods of time but this phase will quickly pass ( i know it feels like forever). I would have to walk my children (holding them) for hours to get them to sleep. I think you should just wait it out - hold her as long as she needs it. I have heard it will make them more secure as children when their comfort needs are met.

 

[LaughingWater]

My first daughter was like that. It's a tough time, but it will end. I promise.

We tried all kinds of things, read all kinds of books and opinions, tried following our doc's advice, but the only thing that worked was carrying her. We finally gave up and did just that. She spent the first few months of life attached to one of us, both asleep and awake.

And no...you won't spoil her. She needs to be near you guys now. I swear, she will outgrow this phase. It make take another month or two, but she will get past it. You just need to snuggle her through it. <3

Make it easier on yourself too. Use this time to cuddle with her, as those opportunities will lessen as she gets older. My colicky baby is now 13 and only lets me kiss her goodnight on the forehead. I didn't get much done back when she was so attached to me, but now I'm so glad I had that time with her.

 

[Jess_jugs]

Oh, I feel for you!!! My 2nd dd had colic for the first NINE months! I kid you not! It was awful. I tried everything- I was nursing so I cut out caffeine, dairy, wheat, you name it... nothing helped. We tried the gas drops, gripe water (my SIL sent me some from Canada), everything. I bought a sling and just carried her around in it constantly. She loved it and felt comfortable next to me, and that was the only thing I found that worked for her. Of course, it's hard to get a break when you're carrying a kid around constantly, but at least she wasn't screaming!

Anyway... carrying does help along w/ the colic/ football hold. Stand up and kind of cradle her over in your arm w/ your hand pushing a bit on her belly. (it helps especially if there is gas pain)

I did take her to the Dr. countless times and he just kept telling me she'd outgrow it. I remember telling him one time that he could take her until she outgrew it if he didn't find out what was wrong w/ her!!

Good luck and give her a snuggle. They grow up too fast!

Jess

 

[AlisonK]

You have already gotten a lot of great advice and encouragement. I just wanted to add mine as well. I did not have colicky babies but did have 3 babies who had many restless nights and cranky days. It does seem to go on forever but when you look back you will think it passed in the blink of an eye. Hang in there and hold and hug that baby as much as you can. I also agree at that young age you can't spoil them.

My one suggestion is to check out The Miracle Blanket, here is the link:

http://www.miracleblanket.com/index.htm

I only wish I knew about this amazing product before I had my third child. It is really a miracle! Read the website and the testimonials. I couldn't believe the difference it made..immediately! My third son was a horrible sleeper and this blanket was such a blessing.

Since then I have told so many moms and almost all of them have come back to thank me and tell me they wish they had it for their older children. By the way, I have no connection with the company. I was just a very thankful customer.

Keep us posted and enjoy every precious moment. I know everyone says it but it just goes by so fast.

Alison

 

[CollinsMom]

When my DS was very young, someone gave me a copy of The Happiest Baby on the Block. I now give this book to EVERYONE I know who has a baby. I highly suggest you read it, it might provide some relief!

 

[jodijodi]

All the advice you've gotten is very good. Count my vote for the Happiest Baby on the Block book and the miracle blanket used together. My third kid really was the happiest baby on the block using those two. It's amazing.

And ITA with everyone who says to hang in there. I know it sounds easy to say now, but they really do outgrow this by about 4 months or so, sometimes sooner, sometimes a little later. It just takes their little systems a few months to get used to being outside the womb (the Happiest Baby book explains this very well.)

Another suggestion from the book: try a white noise machine, turned up pretty loud. It helps mimic the loud noises in the womb. (My DD still sleeps with one on at night years later.) You can also use the noise of a hair dryer, pointed away from the baby, but you may find that it grates on your nerves too much. The loud droning noises help to "reset" their systems somehow.

Invest in a good sling and/or snuggli (or baby bjorn) carrier. It will make it easier on your back, and it will free up your hands for other things.

And finally, try to get some help so you can take a break once in a while. Babies can sense when you're tense and stressed, so getting some relief will help all of you feel better! Hire a babysitter or get a friend, neighbor or relative to take over the walking for an hour or two.

Good luck! I know how utterly exhausted you are, but you really will look back at this and be amazed how quickly your little one has grown. (My colicky firstborn is starting middle school in a couple of weeks...sigh!)

 

[buffettgirl]

My grandson was colicky. Sometimes he would settle down if you put your little finger in his mouth to suck. Passifiers, bottles and his thumb wouldn't work. We could also sometimes get him to quiet by putting him across our knees, belly down and lightly bounce him. DH has a tape of him crying. It makes us smile to hear it now. Maybe you should try recording your daughter's howls for posterity.

 

[lala1]

Yes, I remember those days. and 4 hours of sleep at a time is still pretty good for a 2 1/2 month old. How I envied those moms whose kids slept all night...mind didn´t til...well a LONG time. My first two had colic: for my DS the doc prescribed some type of gas reliever, now that was 22 years ago, but it helped and I think it´s an OTC thing. My DD needed lots of holding and like the football hold. I haven´t heard about the Miracle Blanket, but if it´s a swaddling thing, it will probably do the trick! good Luck, and it really DOESN´T last forever...just seems like it.

 

[Boilergal]

Oh, I have SO been where you are right now! My DD screamed, on the dot, from 9PM to midnight EVERY NIGHT for three months. The thing is, not one trick works for every baby! Here is what worked for us: Playtex bottles with slow flow nipples and drop in disposable liners. When baby sucks, the bag collapses, drawing out the air. As soon as we switched to these, we saw the screaming go waaaaaaaaaaaaaay down. You can get these at any grocery store/drugstore. Here are some other tricks to try:

*Putting baby in her car seat, put on dryer, run a cycle. (Some kids respond to the vibrations...but my kid screamed her head off, LOL.)
*Take baby for a ride in the car (ONLY if you are awake enough to drive around the block!)
*Swaddle baby
*Hold baby up to you, position tummy on breast, hold tightly. The pressure of the breast against the tummy can help with gas.
*Mylicon drops for gas, Gripe Water
*Bouncer chair on vibrate

I promise you, as other wise women here have said, this WILL stop. We turned the corner at 4 months and it was like having a whole new kid! But please try to take some breaks--this is so hard on parents, and mixed with sleep depravation, this can be brutal. If you need to put DD down for a few minutes in her crib, do it, walk outside, take some deep breaths and embrace the quiet. You need to do this for your sanity. But this will pass. It truly will!!

Feel free to PM me if you ever want to talk about this--I know how hard this is. Hang in there, OK?

 

[allwildgirl]

Oh, I so feel your pain! I was there with my DD. It was hell. But as others have said, it DOES end! And the nice thing about colicky babies is that it's been proven that they cry LESS as toddlers, and I certainly found that to be true!

Driving used to help mine (not at 2 in the morning, mind you). Putting her in her baby carrier close to my chest and walking up and down the stairs (consider it a workout)... anything that involved movement, though it didn't always work, that's for sure. And she REFUSED to go to her dad. She'd cry even harder. Good luck! Feel free to come here and vent if you need to. I know it feels an awful lot like you're alone but take comfort in the fact that several of us went through it and lived to tell the tale

 

[mabdoo]

Thank you so much for all of the suggestions. She does sleep much better when swaddled. Some nights she sleeps in her car seat. I am going to amazon now to check out the Happiest Baby book.

 

[Blessed!]

Im with you.. Im a new mom on my first beautiful daugther... She just turned 1 month yesterday.
She was suffering with the colics by day 5... the doctor recomended that I switched bottles,.. I tried several, and once I tried Avent she hastn had any colics.. I also brestfeed her....
The doctor also told me that when she has colics to massage her tummy and move her feet to the tummy direction... that helped to release the gas...

Also, chamonilla tea... Im not sure if that is the name in english.. in spanish is "manzanilla" (Im from Mexico)... that HELPED!! inmediately she released the gasses.. just give her or him 1 oz of tea and it works wonders...

Also, pray with her, I know that was what releaved her pain above all.

 

[Sunshine1528]

I also TA with all you have been told about swaddling (had three and they all slept once I put them down). I swaddled even in the very warm summer as long as it wasn't making them to warm. They really enjoy feeling surrounded.

Sometimes it is simply because they cannot control their arm and leg movements yet and actually scare themselves when their limbs move. It also makes them feel vulnerable. Snuggling definitely gives them a feeling of comfort.

Snuggli worked well for me too. I could wash dishes, fold clothes, eat, etc. while still holding my babies.

And the suggestion that you won't be able to snuggle for long is so true. Let me tell you how absolutely wonderful it has been to snuggle again with my first grandchild. Oh how I miss it.

So hard to remember all the frustrations of bringing them up. I completely remember the fun, love and warmth they brought when they were young. Take advantage while you can - all else will wait.

Best of luck that it will change for you soon.

 

[cocob1]

acid reflux/colic

I will never forget the months of colic with my now 11 year old son. After visiting several pediatricians I found one who suggested he may a esophageal reflux and he prescribed liquid Xantach. It was a life saver.
I was so sleep deprived I ran a stop sign. We could have gotten killed or killed someone else.
Good luck.
Colleen

 

[1gruntgal]

Im with you.. Im a new mom on my first beautiful daugther... She just turned 1 month yesterday.
She was suffering with the colics by day 5... the doctor recomended that I switched bottles,.. I tried several, and once I tried Avent she hastn had any colics.. I also brestfeed her....

I *believe* colic usually doesn't set in until about 5 or 6 weeks old. If your baby is having issues before that it is probably belly related & not colic. You said it's been better since you switched bottles?
I have heard great things about the Happiest Baby book & swaddling for colic sufferers.
Hope you get some relieve soon!

 

[Mikki]

Hey hang in there, it is a tough time for sure. I don't know that I can give any different advice than what you have already gotten, my personal experience with dd started when she was 3 weeks old and lasted 3-4 weeks of constant hysterical crying from 7-9pm every evening no matter what we did. We tried baths, swaddling, feeding, cars, snuggli, pacifier. I don't know why she stopped but she did, much to my relief. It will pass....just not fast enough.

 

[fitgrandma]

My grandaughter was also a very colicy baby. I know this sounds strange, but she loved being bounced on the stability ball. We would wrap her tight in a blanket, hold her tight, and then sit and bounce on the stability ball. That was the only way we could get her to stop crying. My daughter also changed her formula to Good Start Soy which seemed to also help.

 

[MommaPew]

Fisher Price Swing

I'd forgotten about this stage but as I read over all the posts it's all coming back to me and my DS is only 3!

I remember around the 6 week mark in the evenings for several hours he would turn colicky. It lasted for around 6 weeks and suddenly stopped. Swaddling definetly helped but also putting him in a swing. It would instantly quiet him down and put him to sleep. I used to wait until I couldn't take it anymore before putting him in the swing b/c I didn't want him to get used to only going to sleep with a rocking motion. If there is ever a time I'm in the same position I'd say forget about what may happen do what you can in the moment.