11 answers

2 Month Old with Colic

My son just turned two months old and we have been trying everything to deal with his colic. You name it and we have tried it! My concern is that we are still sleeping with him through the nights either in our bed or on the couch (on nights my husband has to work). This has been working to keep him sleeping through the night except for feedings of course. He wakes up about every three hours. My concern is that he will not learn to sleep on his own if we continue to do this. I have read that colic usually ends at around 3 or 4 months and that there is really no point in trying to teach them to sleep until then since their schedule is so sporadic. But he is getting bigger and my back aches from laying with him and carrying him around all day. He might sleep in his swing during the day for about a half hour tops. He will also sleep if I carry him around in a baby wrap. But otherwise, if he is put down, he is screaming.
I had the doctor check and it is not acid reflux but he is just an extremely fussy baby. I'm wondering if anyone else has gone through this and can offer some words of wisdom. When did you start to lay them in their crib at night and what worked for you? Thank you so much.

What can I do next?

Featured Answers

Dr. Sears has a wonderful book called "The Fussy Baby Book". No matter how you feel about attachment parenting, the book is full of wonderful personal stories from other mothers with high need babies. Sometimes exhausted parents have feelings and thoughts they're not proud of, and this book acknowledges the realness of them. It also has lots of baby soothing techniques, possible hidden causes, exc. I found the book to be extremely helpful with both of my fussy babies. You can probably buy it on Amazon pretty cheap.

More Answers

Do whatever you have to do!
My daughter was the most colicky baby anyone had ever seen. Nursing her to sleep on my bed and wearing her during the day were the only things that kept me sane.
At 4 months she got quite a bit better and we actually transitioned her to her crib in her own room shortly after that. I was ready for it to be a challenge, but she went in there very easily. We did not follow any of the "rules" for sleep training. I did whatever my daughter wanted to make her feel comfy and happy and relaxed enough to go to sleep. Everyone gave me a hard time for spoiling her and not "teaching her how to soothe herself" and whatever.
Well, she was uber-colicky...and is a high-needs baby/toddler, and is the best sleeper I know. She never cries at bedtime and sleeps 12 solid hours...and does not cry when she wakes up.
So that's my 2 cents LOL
If the wearing is getting painful you might try looking into an Ergo or Beco carrier. They put the bulk of the weight on your hips instead of your back/shoulders and they are sooo much more comfortable.
I used a Bjorn until my daughter hit 13 pounds and then the pain became unbearable. I got a Beco and I can still carry her at 16 months and 26 pounds.
Good luck and do know that it gets better :)

There is nothing wrong with co-sleeping. I did with our dd until she was 4 months old. She then moved to a pack and play in our bedroom. At six months I moved her to her crib. She had no problems with the transition. I wouldn't worry too much about him learning to sleep on his own. He'll be fine. It sounds like you just have a needy baby. I don't mean that in a bad way. He just feels safe and comfortable snuggled up to mommy, there's nothing wrong with that! If you want to put him down during the day, I would do it gradually. You could lay him down on the floor, but lay with him. Let him know you are still there. Get him interested in some type of toy, then gradually move farther and farther away. It will probably take some time. You may have to try it for several days for several times. Once he realizes that it's ok to be alone for a bit, then you can work on doing the same thing at night. I know it's easier said than done. GOOD LUCK!

Read "The Happiest Baby on the Block". The techniques really work. We did it at 1 month, and the change was amazing and really fast. I buy the book for all of my pregnant friends! It's a fast read too, and what was really amazing is my husband actaully read it with me so that we follow it together.

I know exactly what you are going through.....my third had colic and OH MY GOD!!! I was a walking zombie for quite sometime. Then a friend of my mom's told me to go a remedy or vitamin shop and ask for something that would calm her. I was at my wits end so I figured what the heck at this point I will try WHATEVER. They gave me a special tea (I honestly cannot remember what it was called) but I know it had "cat" in the name. I also then called my doctor and we went over what was in it and he said to go ahead and try it. I would give her 2 ounces of it luke warm in her bottle each morning and within one week she was cured. That was it!! The nightmare was over. I bought mine at Nature's Door. So maybe give it a try and I hope it works for you both as well as it did for us. Good luck.

Do whatever gets you some sleep. Especially if you have a 19 month old to also take care of. My son was colicky, and was diagnosed with reflux. I finally eliminated all dairy out of my diet, and that helped with his outbursts. I also purchased a "Happi Tummi", which you can find on Amazon, Ebay, or One Step Ahead. It is a herbal wrap that you warm in the microwave, and it helps with gas, colic, fussiness. I have used it a few times and noticed a little difference, but any difference is worth it. My son outgrew his colic time, and it was right after his 2 month immunizations (and me closely watching my entire diet). My son is now such a laid back, happy boy now. It does get better, so hang in there!!

Hi B.,

I totally understand. My oldest was 17 months, and our little one was 2 months and colic. We were never actaully diagnosed, I treated her as a colic baby and we switched dr.'s b/c of it. Anyway, there is a wonderful cosleeper that we used. Its a wedge that the baby sleeps in, and you can sleep too. She loved it. and i did too! I think we got it at Target, its maybe $10.00. they sleep on a blanket that is attached and the wedge supports them from rolling or you rolling into them.
And don't worry about the baby developing any sleeping patterns. My youngest is now 3, sleeps full nights in her bed, well, some nights she roams to our room. ;-)

Also, our dr. finally prescibed us Zantac, and I am not one to give medication to a baby, but OMG. it helped like you would not belive! She went from screaming 6 hrs to 4 in a week, to 2 in 2 weeks to 1 in a month to none.
Anything to comfort the baby and she was so happy when we did! And so were my husband and I. Massage helps a little, but the medication helped ALOT!!! Something to think about.

I hope your baby will be over the colic soon, I know how frustrating and stressful it can be.

Best of luck!

;-) H.

Wow. I felt like I was the only one going through this! I have a one month old that is doing the same thing! We tried everything! Carriers, baths, holding him in different positions, massage, walking, singing, talking, even crying along with him. ;) But the one thing that always seems to work with ours is going outside. Period. No matter what the temperature. He falls right to sleep. In fact, even the process of getting him ready to go out calms him. It's weird. Maybe try that? I will say that I wanted it to be anything but colic, but the doctor says that's what it is, and we have to just get through it. But please write me if you find something new that works! I need all the help I can get too!

Dr. Sears has a wonderful book called "The Fussy Baby Book". No matter how you feel about attachment parenting, the book is full of wonderful personal stories from other mothers with high need babies. Sometimes exhausted parents have feelings and thoughts they're not proud of, and this book acknowledges the realness of them. It also has lots of baby soothing techniques, possible hidden causes, exc. I found the book to be extremely helpful with both of my fussy babies. You can probably buy it on Amazon pretty cheap.

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