Baby with colic...help!

Updated on May 31, 2008
C.L. asks from Anaheim, CA
113 answers

My daughter is 5 weeks old and get's fussy starting at 6pm and lasting all night. I've tried the gas drops and someone told me about gripe water, but no luck! Is there something else that has worked for anyone. I'll do anything!!!

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L.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Mylicon saved us from Colic Hell. My son had terrible Colic. After a few months it got better but all with the help of Mylicon!

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A.Z.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have a five week old and he does the same thing. He is just so hungry that we feed him a lot. My doctor said that it is an eating frenzy and it is normal.They are just stocking up for the night.

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J.D.

answers from Las Vegas on

Hi - I'm an older mom of seven (2 biological and 5 through adoption). Most people will tell you colic generally disappears by 3 mos. of age but if I were you I'd switch to formula and bottle feeding. Mom's need sleep especially with an active 2 yr. old all day. Good luck! J.

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M.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

My mom was raised on a farm when I was young and the babys would get colic my mom would take an oioin boil it in water until the oioin is soft and clear.Let it cool give the baby about a t spoon.put the baby face down on your lap sideways with your legs spred just a little so the babys belly is not touching to much and rub the back.pretty soon the gas will start to come out.I have seen this work 100s of times in the
last 41 years.once in awhile it takes 2 or3 spoons.M.

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V.M.

answers from San Diego on

Ok, this is going to sound reeeeeeeally weird, but it worked for us...

In a very small bowl, warm a few spoons of olive oil in a microwave (30 seconds maybe, test your microwave, oil should be warm not hot).

Take some cloth diapers (or washcloths, or blankets, or whatever) and run a hot iron over them (helps if a 2nd person does this).

With your fingers, rub the warmed olive oil over baby's tummy in small concentric circles starting at the belly button and working out to larger circles.

When belly is oiled (baby will probably start calming), hold the warmed cloth diaper over her tummy, keeping your hand on it for a very slight pressure. Rock, bounce, swing, whatever your normal calming movement is for baby, while holding the warm diaper on the belly.

Alternate diapers as the heat comes off of them until you think you're done. You can rub oil on again, between diapers if you want, too. ...After thinking about it, you could probably run them (the diapers) through the dryer, to keep warming them up, rather than using the iron.

I think this works because the oil will help hold the heat to baby's tummy. Honestly, I know it's the weirdest sounding thing, but when my son was colicky, a half hour of this, worked like a charm.

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D.Y.

answers from Los Angeles on

C.,

My daughter had colic as well. I was in denial at first, but indeed she had it! My doctor decided to tell me about this revolutionary study that was done on primarily breastfed babies. Although my baby was only breastfed for a short time and then was on formula, we went ahead and tried it anyway. It worked WONDERS! It's a little expensive, but so worth it. Again, this was recommended by my daughter's doctor. It's basically probiotics, but a particular kind called Lactobacillus Reuteri. There was a study done by a company called BioGaia that my doctor had told me about. I have attached the link to the article. It's very interesting. I was so desperate I didn't care and would have tried anything and this WORKED MIRACLES.

http://www.foodnavigator.com/news/news-ng.asp?n=62282-bio...

http://www.colichelp.com/shop/biogaia-probiotic-drops.html

You can buy the product from Everidis directly. There are different generic brands, but I wanted to only use the exact one that was used in the study so I bought it from this company which is where my doctor told me to get it. Like I said, it's a little expensive, but SO worth it!! It's completely natural. Here is the website for the drops and instructions (which also come with it). It's very easy to use and the babies don't have any problems with it because it has no bad taste or anything. They are completely calm. In 7 days my baby completely calmed and by 28 days, it was like I had a different baby!

http://www.childrensprobiotics.com/drops.aspx

Good luck and I totally understand what you are going through and feeling. It will definitely pass though. I counted the DAYS!! You can always email me on this site if you have any other questions. :)

D.

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K.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

colic typically has to do with lack of nutrients. Your baby may not be digesting her food properly. Try putting a couple drops of apple cider vinegar in her bottle.

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C.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

I experienced the same thing with both my kids. I did a lot of walking and baby wearing (baby bjorn). My second daughter wouldn't go in the swing or sleep in the bassinet. We finally got a snuggle nest for the bed. Something else she eventually liked was the Fisher Price Soothing Motions Glider. They have it at babies r us. It worked when a swing wouldn't. At around 3 1/2 mo, she turned a big corner and into the easiest baby -- so there is a light at the end of the tunnel!

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A.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

my son had colic and it was 4 full months of hell....I so empathize with you-
Everyone had a suggestion of how to control it and actually everything worked for a little while-just honestly there is nothing that was full proof-These were some of the things that we did-
1) gripe water
2) Get Harvey Karps dvd of the 4 S's-this dvd is golden and did work
3) Swaddle tight-this will give comfort
4) turn on a hairdryer, vaccuum and blast it by the babies crib while rocking the baby-sounds weird but worked-
5) get a sound machine and play it loudly-
6) shhh shhh loudly in the babies ear while they are swaddled and hold the baby on their side doing all of this together
7) but the babies legs back while putting light pressure on the tummy-(you want the baby to pass gas)

I wish you tons of luck and please know it will pass-make sure when you are at your wits end to trade off with your husband pr just ask for help as those screams can really make a person nuts-

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R.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

You might try changing your diet, it could be something you're eating is giving her gas. I am a grandmother and when my kids were young we would make a mint tea with honey and that would soothe their colic. Ours was fresh from the garden spearmint leaves but you could buy then in the produce section of your grocery store. Boil the leaves (without stems) in water let cool. It worked well for our kids. The poop will be dark green.

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M.M.

answers from San Luis Obispo on

Sounds like she's got gas; have you tried doing the "bicycle" with her legs? Lay her on her back, and gently do a bicycle motion with her legs, pushing them up towards her stomach - this will help relieve the gas that contributes to the fussiness. Another thing to help with the gas is this method of burping - it worked WONDERS on my son: put the baby over your right shoulder and make sure her arms are up over your shoulder too. Put your right hand in a "C" shape and starting right above her hips, run your hand up her side (your fingers will be on her back, and your thumb will be on her front. Your palm will be on her side) with gentle pressure, just to her arm pit. Do this a few times and you should get a very big belch. I hope this helps :) Good luck!

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C.L.

answers from Reno on

You poor thing colic sucks lol

Check your diet if your nursing sweets and dairy sometimes will effect babys tummy.

Message, message, message we would rub DD tummy clockwise for a few genly raise her legs for a sec kinda like how they do at the dr's when taking a temp hold and then gentle shake out wash rense and repaeat a few times generally produces alot of gassy farts lol

anything that moves try a bassinett that rocks we rocked little one for hours till she finially went to sleep on more than one nite

very closely monitored tummy time helps at 5 weeks we did DD across my lap but she was very small being a premie and fit well on my lap

pacies help someting the sucking does

Be proactive with the drops its okay to use them before the fuss gives a chance for them to do their job instead of when the baby is fussy and waiting for them to take effect we would give Dra hers about 5 to 5:30 pm knowing we were going to start winding down for the day soon and eating our last feeding

and last but not least take deep breaths, stay calm, leave the room if u have to its okay and know that this to shall pass

best of luck to you hun

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B.P.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C., luckily I 've never dealt with a colicky child but I had heard from a friend who is a nurse that if you just let them lay over your knee on their tummy and just try burping then that helps them release gas also my sister had a colicky daughter and heres an old wives tale rub olive oil on their tummy before bed time or as needed.That seemed to help a lot my sister said.

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T.

answers from Las Vegas on

C.,

From what I've heard, almost all colic is actually food intolerances. My now 18 month old was a colicy, fussy, miserable baby. I eliminated dairy, soy protein and eggs from my diet (both hidden and obvious) and he was an entirely new, happy, sleeping baby. Was it easy? No. Was it worth it? Yes. At 18 months old he's still intolerant to dairy and soy (he'll be up screaming for hours if he eats any) but he can eat eggs now. Our pediatric GI doctor said most babies outgrow their food intolerances between 6-18 months but almost all outgrow them by the time they are 3. That's what I'm hoping for - that he'll outgrow it before he's school aged. It is fairly easy to control his diet now but it won't be later. I nursed him until a few weeks ago when I weaned him over to Similac Alimentum (a hypoallergenic formula that he didn't tolerate when he was younger but he does now - there is a "more" hypoallergenic formula called Neocate that you can special order). In my experience pediatricians aren't much help when dealing with a food intolerant baby. For whatever reason they don't seem to believe that babies can be intolerant to stuff. But i have to say that it made a world of difference for my son when I changed my diet. He went from being miserable to being really happy in a really short period of time. When I started the elimination diet, I used the list I found here http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/t083301.asp and eliminated the foods I thought were most likely to be causing problems (dairy, soy, eggs, caffeine, chocolate, fish, shellfish, citrus, nuts). He started improving immediately so I stopped there and started adding foods back in one at a time. If he wouldn't have improved, I would have eliminated corn and gluten next.

Another good resource is www.kellymom.com There is a good "hidden dairy" list there.

My son was also diagnoses with silent reflux (reflux minus all the spitting up). Once I got his food intolerances under control, that improved dramatically also.

Good luck,
T.

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H.W.

answers from Reno on

Hi C.,

Both my Daughter now 2, and son 9 months had colic. I was breast feeding both and took a more drastic approach with my son. I cut out all Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt), no chocolate and no peanuts. I lived on Soy Milk, meat and veggies. I saw results within a week, he was only on breast milk.

Talk to your Dr. too as I know this kind of diet can effect you. Be sure to take your prenatal pills to keep your body healthy.

Also... with my daughter the ONLY thing that worked was changing her formula to Alimentum by Similac. I breast fed and supplemented with formula.

Another trick.... both of my kids slept in their swing in our room. We downloaded Vacuum sounds onto our computer and then looped them on the MP3 player. I just ran the vacuum with my daughter the first time around.

Sing to you daughter, love on her just as you did your first. The crying will stop!

Also a great resource in town is Family to Family (Ron Wood Center). They have Toddler time for your oldest and you can bring the baby. It will get you out once a week! They meet Wednesday mornings 9:30 AM.

The center is behind the Safeway on Carson St and Winnie lane.

Best of luck,
H.

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L.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

With both my daughters I gave them Camomile tea and it worked fine-without any sugar, I diluted it and to this day we all drink it with any stomach problems- and have confrmed with doctors this was a good practice as a natural tool for colic and stomach iritations

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J.W.

answers from San Diego on

Oh Dear C.,

I feel for you. My son had colic and it was such a very hard time for us. I read a lot--the best was "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp, it was fun and light-hearted but also very helpful in understanding and not feeling guilty and isolated. I believe my son had a very hard time settling down for sleep and was very overtired. You may try to get your son to sleep as much as possible. The baby swing and white noise helped a lot--they love the movement and sound that recreates the womb experience. My son is now 18 months, a very energetic, healthy, happy and secure boy and very enjoyable--and funny thing is he doesn't like the swing at the playground.

Also, if you want more support, I am happy to exchange emails with you, etc. It is a very tough time that seems to pass very slowly. You are doing a super job!

-J.

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M.N.

answers from Los Angeles on

I agree with many of the posts here. She's breastfeeding, correct? If so, what are you eating? My first baby could have no dairy at all (even in my diet!) and the second baby had no problem with dairy, but couldn't take broccoli or gas producing vegetables. I ate white rice and chicken and spinach. I swear it makes a huge difference what you eat. There are 5 culprits (according to the Nursing Mother's Companion.) Vegetables, spicy spices, dairy, citrus and something else that I can't remember at 12:30 at night. Good luck with that craziness! You poor thing!

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J.P.

answers from Los Angeles on

I took 10 potassium gluconate (to get some into the breastmilk) daily and within 12 hours, my first son was MUCH calmer and within 48 hours, he was perfectly calm...then I slowly decreased the dosage. I also made sure I wasn't eating corn (including corn syrup) and tomatoes and no dairy, but I found that the potassium helped TREMENDOUSLY!!!!

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S.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

try spearmint tea (diluted) with a little karo syrup. and/or placing the baby accross your knees faced down and slowly move your knees side to side. the motion on the baby's stomach helps them burp.

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C.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi,

I thought my daughter had colic too. She didn't cry continuously, but she cried a lot. Have you read the book The Happiest Baby on the Block by Harvey Karp? There's also a DVD that you could purchase. It was really helpful to me in learning how to calm and soothe the baby. The main idea is that you want to recreate the womb for the baby. The 5 S's that he talks about are: Swaddling, Shushing (real loud right next to the baby's ear), Side/Stomach (hold baby angled on the stomach or side), Swing (little jiggling), and Suck (pacifier). For the first few months, the way I put Sarah to sleep was I swaddled her, held her sideways (but she often preferred upright), and I sat on an exercise ball bouncing. I also had the radio on a static station. It's amazing how it works. Just as an aside, it also helped to put static on in the car when she got upset.

I hope this helps.

C.

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M.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

What worked for us:
- Swaddle tight!
- Lights out, shower on!
- Warm compress on the tummy - I was surprised how well this worked!
- Bicycling his legs - it helped him toot which is what made him colicky to begin with.

I never tried the gripe water - these things did the trick! :o)

Good luck!

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S.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try rubbing camomille oil on her stomach and bottom of feet the cover her feet with socks.

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T.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son screamed for 6 hours everyday -- it was one of the hardest times in my life. Really the only thing that worked for me was to keep him moving. I would put him in the carrier on my chest and turn up the music and walk around the house and move, move, move.

A pediatric nurse also told me to put his receiving blanket in the dryer to warm it up and then wrap him very snugly. Also those bouncy chairs that vibrate were a lifesaver, too. Don't over feed, only feed on schedule, and make sure you burp her well.

Good luck! My son grew out of it around 4 months old and they say that the babies that are colicky will be able to speak up for themselves when they are older -- I liked thinking that it was his way of speaking up for himself.

t

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B.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

swaddling really helps along with very loud shushing....
the happiest baby on the block is a great book about this!!

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R.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

You might want to try white noise in combination with the other tricks you are using. We purchased a CD at Borders called 'Infant Calm', but there are lots of others out there. I've also heard there are white noise machines, but I haven't tried that. We discovered that the white noise helped him calm down by turning the vacuum cleaner on and instant happy baby. Rather than continuing to turn on the vacuum we opted for the CD. We use the CD both at home and sometimes in the car. It might be worth a try! Good luck!

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A.A.

answers from Los Angeles on

My now 9 month old daughter also had colic when she was around 6 weeks to 12 weeks old. I exclusively breastfed. While there are many studies that show that what you eat can cause your baby to have gas and an upset tummy, there is not solid evidence. My doctor told me to eliminate the main things that cause gas, which are dairy, spicy foods and vegetables such as broccoli and cauliflower. I did this and it didn't make any difference. In my case I truly don't think it had anything to do with my diet. A lot of times babies will just cry for no reason and all you can do is try to find things that calm them. For us it was bathing her, taking her outside and this may sound crazy but I used to hold her while doing lunges around the house. To this day, when she wakes up in the middle of the night and can't go back to sleep, the lunges still do the trick. Good luck, and hang in there.

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A.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have five kids of my own and was an infant teacher for 13 years, so I've seen my share of colic. This helps for most babies:
Lay your daughter on your lap or on the changing table on her back. Gently hold her legs and slowly move her bent knees up toward her chest and then move them away and back and forth until she has passed some gas. You can also massage her bare tummy - make sure your hands are warm and this too helps move the gas. Don't give up on the drops. Sometimes one dose a day doesn't do it and with the doctor may give you permission to use the drops two or three times a day. They work best if administered after meals or before bedtime.
Curing colic can sometimes be as simply as changing the way you are feeding the baby. If she is formula fed, her current formula may not agree with her. Changing the type of bottles you use too may help. (Personally, I like Avent bottles.) If you are breast feeding, be aware that there does seem to be some correlation between what you eat and the level of the baby's gas. If you are eating something that could give you gas, it may give it to your daughter too. If you are using a combo of breast feeding and formula feeding, you may want to be sure to use a low iron formula; breastfed babies often have trouble with the high iron formulas. Good luck - I know what you are going thru!

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A.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

sometimes it might not be gas, sometimes babies are irritated by growing rashes, My advice to all newborns parents are please rinse your diaper wipes with clean water, most of baby wipes contain chemicals and newborns reacts to those chemicals and gets irritated and develope rashes. Wash newborn with water if you use wipes rinse it with water before using it see it that helps.

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K.P.

answers from Las Vegas on

C.,
My doctors told me my son had colic and it turned out he was just hungry. Once we solved that issue he would still be a bit cranky in the evenings and I would put him in a sling and vacuum. He would be asleep within 3 minutes.
Good luck!
K.

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K.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

No Colic!!!! Its the "witching hour" All my kids at 5pm every night for 5 weeks cried at the same time for about 2 hours!!! Hang in there in will pass. I used the drops and the gripe water too, nothing worked. Sometimes just walking would calm them down.

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S.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Check out acid reflux. Does she have hiccups? and fuss while eating? That could be it. Good luck.

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D.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

hi there! my daughter is now 6months old now, and although she did not have colic, she was very fussy most evenings from 6 onward. it was very hard at times. i too am exclusively breastfeeding, and i made sure to stay away from dairy, soy, chocolate, and cruciferous vegetables. when i did eat them, she was very fussy. when i didn't.. she wasn't. now she is fussy for new reasons...teething, digestion of solids, tired.....oh you know, you have other children. this is my first! another thing that always seemed to calm her down some was making her a cup of chamomile tea. sometimes i made mint tea as well. i served it to her half strength in a dropper, bottle, or now a sippy cup.
hope this helps.
D.

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M.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try something different shortly before this fussy time usually happens. Take her on a walk, give her a bath, wear her in a sling, etc..
M.

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J.M.

answers from Honolulu on

Wow! Lots of answers. My baby was a little colicky too for the first few months. I used to think he was having digestion problems because a lot of the time he would fuss and then a poop would be the culprit. Now I have just discovered Elimination Communication (EC) and I wonder if the problem was that it's unnatural to pee and poop on ourselves and the baby was frustrated about it. Here is a website to learn more: http://www.tribalbaby.org/ECindex.html .

Here is one more idea for calming that I don't think anyone put. Hold baby and then sit on the yoga ball and bounce. If you don't have one, they are only $10. at Walmart. We also put baby on it now at 5 months to teach balancing (lay on stomach).

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M.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Are you eating something at dinner that could upset her tummy via your milk?

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K.B.

answers from San Diego on

I'm a new Grandma of a 2 month old little girl. She has always been pretty good but SWADDLING her always helped. I never had a colicy baby but this MIGHT help!!?
My heart goes out to you.....hang in there!!! K. B.

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R.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hello C.: Try giving your daughter her bath and nurse before you put her to bed. It worked for me. I am the mother of four. Good luck. Rosie

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S.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have had 3 children and they are now 15,12 & 10. I am also the eldest of 5 and helped raise my younger siblings and was babysitting by 12, infants & up. So that is a little about me and my experience.

The clue here is that the baby's colic everynight!. Colic is associated with what a child eats or drink.

First question are you breastfeeding? If yes keep a diary of what YOU eat everyday. If the child is colicy around 6:00pm and you are breastfeeding than it is something you are eating or drinking after noon sometime.

I breast feed all my children and discovered these items did not agree with them, all dairy products, milk, cheese, ice cream and anything with caffeine, coffee, soda, chocolate(was a killer)

I started by not drinking milk which was very difficult and used a soy substitue. But then I would have buttered toast and or mac & cheese and the baby would be misserable after feeding as soon as 2 hours later.

This really helped me and by my 3rd I knew what to stay away from and was blessed with colic free babies, which makes life so much easier. Also each child is different, something that didn't effect my first 2 really upset the 3rd. It is trial and error until you get the right mix. But use the food diary it really helped me!

Hopes this helps!!!!

S. Chase

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H.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

ok, this one i can help like crazy!!! first off...be calm, it's ok and try to get a baby sitter! that being said...there is nothing to cure this. it will go away in a few months (although my son is almost 7 and i don't think he ever became the easy kid i expected). try long walks in the stroller - i took my son outside every chance i got, it calmed him for some reason. nursing him also helped...constantly as i remember!!! it won't hurt him and it will allow you some peace. my son wanted to be held, upright. he also liked water as long as i was holding him.
it's a hard hard hard time! but i promise it will go away. take short breaks with a baby sitter when you can. it helps to have a family member who realizes the baby will cry a lot. be reassured that it's nothing you can change with drops, etc. and she's not in any pain. there's so many theories on it, but i believe their little systems aren't ready to develop and they just need time so all they know how to do is cry.
here's some good things to look forward to: they say colicky babies are better problem solvers later, you will bond better with them because you have to work harder at it, they tend to be smarter too.
if you need support, feel free to write separately, i probably have more thoughts tucked away ( i tried to repress the memory hehehe).
good luck...check back in a few months...: )

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J.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,

In addition to wonderful advice above please talk to your ped about REFLUX! I wish I had known that "colic" isn't something you have to endure and wait out in every circumstance. Most babies spit up a lot, but the ones who don't often have a lot of uncomfortable burning in their esophagus. It is sooo common and becoming much more recognized as cause of colic.

My daughter would fuss for hours starting @ 3 weeks at least 4 times a week & would arch when feeding. I know I should of cut out dairy and some other foods, but when I finally did, it didn't make any difference. She would only fall asleep if I held her 1/2 laying down and sucking on my finger. This would go on for 2-3 hours and I was getting burnt-out! As she neared her 3 month check-up (when colic is supposed to end) She was arching and pulling away more when nursing. I called the La Leche league and they couldn't help. I was so desperate and concerned because she was cutting her feedings down to only 5 min. and then 3 min. I mentioned this to the doctor and she says "Oh, sounds like she has a little reflux".

All she needed was some liquid Zantac and she was fine within a week! I couldn't believe it!!!! I wish I would have thought to talk to her doc about this, but believed all the books and magazines that you just have to "wait it out". She was so used to associating nursing w/ discomfort that she began to ween herself and I had to hand pump to supplement w/ breastmilk.

A daughter of a friend of mine had 24-hour reflux and literally barely slept. It took 2 or 3 doctors before she was properly diagnosed. Thank God my sleep-deprived friend would not take no for an answer! A client of mine who is a gastro-interologist has had 2 sweet little girls and and they both had reflux. She deals w/ this daily in adults, but had no idea her girls had it until she told me the feeding habits and fussiness of her 1st girl. (Her baby fed just fine out of a bottle-due to being upright). Sure enough-reflux!

It is sooo common and I was very glad I could help her avoid endless nights of crying!

I hope this helps!

J.

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T.K.

answers from Honolulu on

Aloha C.,

Hang in there! My now 8 month old son was colicky until about 3 months of age ... I, too, wanted to pull my hair out ... but it does end. Things that helped us was bouncing (while sitting) on a big yoga ball (baby sitting on your lap). Bathing our son also seemed to calm him. There wasn't much else we could do for him ... we did give him the gas drops and if you're breastfeeding, you should probably really watch what you eat. I had to cut out all dairy, caffeine, etc.

Anyway, hope this helps.
Good Luck!

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K.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

So sorry to hear that. My question for you is this; Are you breast feeding or formula feeding? My niece had colic as well. Once mom, my SIL, who BF eliminated all milk from her diet the colic went away. It might be worth a try for you. Try it for 2 weeks and see if it helps. That means cheese and yogurt too.

Hope things improve for you soon. Sorry I could not be of more help.

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A.T.

answers from Reno on

May putting him to sleep a little earlier work?
i had a colicky baby. I am sure you are doing all the things you can: rocking, carrying facing inward/outward, bouncing, stroller rides, car rides, etc.
The good news is that he will get better everyday:). By the time they are around 4 months old, they tend to be calmer. Hang in there!

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J.W.

answers from Los Angeles on

I did not read all of your responses, but are you breast feeding? If you are check into what you are eating. Simple things like broccoli, cabbage, garlic, and onions can be so h*** o* their little tummies. I found this out the hard way. Hope you get it resolved, hang in there mommy. : )

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S.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try feeding her while you are lying on your back propped up with a pillow under your upper back and neck and let her lie face down on you to feed....so that she can control how much milk she's getting. My son had colic and this worked for me. He had gas and projectile vomiting and when I started feeding him this way, it all went away. Hope it works for you.

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S.H.

answers from Honolulu on

Is your baby getting enough intake from breastfeeding? Is she gaining weight appropriately.... is she nursing properly and latching on well enough to nurse and suckle enough milk?

The reason I ask.. .is I have had a handful of friends (good attentive first time parents), that this has happened to. In all their cases, their baby was not latching on/nursing well enough to be getting enough intake at each feeding. Visually, they "thought" their baby was suckling fine enough. Meanwhile, because the baby was not latching on or suckling appropriately, the baby was NOT getting enough intake or calories. In other words, the baby was starving. Thus, this makes a baby hungry, and by the end of the day, by night time, the baby was just SOOOO hungry by then already and could not go to sleep at night. Thus, this makes a baby who cannot sleep, is very fussy, and cannot be soothed.

In tandem with this, if a baby is not getting enough intake because of poor nursing/feeding/suckling ability... this "may" affect their growth/development rate..and in worst cases causes dehydration.

In one case, with my friend, I told them to see a lactation consultant. They did, their baby did not nurse well...was not growing as quickly etc. and the mother did not have a good flow of milk. The Doc ordered them to start supplementing with formula right away. Needless to say, their baby responded differently within 24 hours... he actually got "full" and slept better waking up only once during the night ever since then, AND he is not longer fussy or inconsolable at night.

I know this is not always the case. But I have seen this so many times, personally. It is not an intentional oversight.. just because a baby is at the breast does not mean the baby is necessarily suckling productively. The crying/fussy signals from the baby can "seem" like colic... when the baby is actually hungry and starving and not nursing well enough to intake enough, and/or there is not enough milk flowing.

I would check with a Lactation Consultant to make extra sure, just in case. Just sharing what I have experienced.
Good luck and take care,
~Susan
www.cafepress.com/littlegoogoo

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C.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.. I have had an extremely collicy baby (my daughter, now 7). She cried from 7am until 10pm without any relief. I tried everything. Finally at 12 weeks we could not take it any more. My neighbor suggested we try soy formula. It worked! We discovered she was lactose intolerant. Even when I was pumping breast milk for her, she was collicy. That is because I ate dairy products. I now have a 7 week old and he is a bit collicy. For him it is gas. We have switched him to soy,which has helped some, the thing that works best is to swaddle him very tight and hold him close to me in breast feeding position agains my stomach and chest. This seems to calm him. It is difficult because I have two other children and they need attention too, but I know that this will pass in a few more weeks. Hang in there. It does get better.

Christine

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D.D.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.
Just a quick note: if it truly is colic- infant massage can be very helpful. Also, chiropratic, cranial sacral, or acupuncture. I work for Premium Birth Services which has lots of resources including postpartum doulas, and other services mentioned above. Please check us out: www.premiumbirthservices.com
Hang in there and make sure you are letting others help you out so you can get a break.
peace
D.

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M.Z.

answers from Los Angeles on

C., I know she is young, but have you tried letting her nap on her tummy? That way she can push the gas out instead of letting it sit all day...also try to hold her upright for 20-30 minutes if you can after you feed her and burp her, that way her food can settle instead of having her lay down right away. Some babies just cry, you can try white noise CD's, they are probably better then having a blow dryer on all the time or the vaccum cleaner. Good luck!

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K.H.

answers from San Diego on

Hi there,
Pick up the book or DVD of The Happiest Baby on the Block. It is GREAT! It is time to swaddle her and use the tricks that the book indicates. My daughter didn't have colic and I believe that the reason was that we followed this book's advice.
GL!

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K.R.

answers from Santa Barbara on

What are you eating? Her colic is very likely connected to what you are eating. It goes through the breastmilk. I could not get near chocolate/spicy foods. My sister can't have sesame or avocado. My daughter couldn't have several things too. My best suggestion to you is to do an elimination diet. Pay attention to what you are eating, eliminate chocolate first (common) and anything else you eat often. Then see. Sometimes it is eggs too.
Limit your diet, bring things in one at a time as much as you can. It can take three days to show sometimes.

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M.V.

answers from San Diego on

My first baby was very fussy--what finally worked for us was to not let him be awake for more than 2 hrs at a time--after he had been up for 1 1/2 hours we would swaddle him (waffle blankets work best, and you have to do it tight enough so they can't get their arms out)--and then bounce them--we've used a variety of ways to bounce from waling around the house to bouncing on an exercise ball--the vibrating/bounce chair worked well to when my arms/back were tired i could put them in there all swaddled and bounce it with my foot--making a shhhhh noice next to his ear while bouncing helped too when he was particularly fussy...
my sister-in-law read a book called "the happiest baby on the block" and it really helped her with my niece (who was a VERY difficult baby)--most of my ideas were from her and likely from this book
if all else fails take some comfort in knowing that it usually tapers off by 3 months (i know this may seem like an eternity now!!)
good luck!! :) :) :)

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T.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

I used chamomile tea in my son's formula rather than water. It settled his tummy altogether within a few hours - and I kept using it through about 4 months or so. He had no issues after that. Good luck and God Bless You!

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T.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Are you breast feeding????? I am a Chiropractor and I have had soooo many cases like this. I can help you. Call me, and we can go through a couple of different suggestions. ###-###-####. My name is Dr T.. It could be something very simple.

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S.E.

answers from Los Angeles on

Some babies are really sensitive to dairy. Try to cut it out of your diet for a week if you are nursing and see if it helps her. dont forget to take a good calcium suppliment though!

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C.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

C.,
Call me at ###-###-####. I am a family wellness chiropractor specializing in pediatrics and pregnancy. There may have been some trauma to her spine during birth that could be causing her colic. Chiropractic adjustments can help relieve that pressure and in turn help her symptoms.
In health,
C. Tanaka, DC
www.naturallifechiro.com

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C.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C., I had the same problem with my twin girls. I tried BioGaia and it worked like magic. My doctor told me it was new from Europe at the time. Hope it works for you too!

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A.M.

answers from San Diego on

I also had a baby with colic and found that baby massage on his tummy worked. After I breast fed, I would lay him on my lap and rub his tummy. There are great books and classes on baby massage. I would also do the gas drops on a regular basis. I think there tummys are very sensitive so I also ate mostly bland food-not too spicy to do the best i could to help. The light at the end of the tunnel is that it only last a few long months. By about four months, he began to sleep better, cry less and have less gas.
Good luck.
A.

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C.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

What helped my daughter was Hyland's colic tablets, it's a all natural ingredients. Also, if you are not nursing, use Dr. Brown's bottles you can find them anywhere (Target,Babies r us) these bottles really work for babies that have colic, they worked good for both of my girls.

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

This may sound silly, but it works! Buy a large yoga ball and when she gets fussy, sit on the ball and bounce. It may work miracles for you.

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A.A.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.
I really think a baby sling would help. Have you heard of the Maya Wrap? I am a distributor if you are interested. They are amazing. You wear the baby right against your chest. In my experience my son would immediately relax once I put him in it. I can send you a picture of it if you'd like and if you don't already have something like it. The baby bjorn is ok, I have one of those too but the sling is so much more comfortable for you and the baby.


A. :)

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M.B.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son was the same way. We took him to our doctor in Glendale who specializes in gastric- intestinal issues. She said he had a form of Reflux. She put him on baby Zantac and what a world of difference that made. I was nervous about using medicine for a baby. But honestly, it really helped. He was crying because his esophagus was in pain from all the reflux. He was not spitting up, it was a silent form of it. He did get hiccups a lot.
I also cut out Wheat and Dairy and Soy. When I put back in Soy and Dairy to my diet he was fine, but when I ate wheat, he went berserk. So Wheat is out of the question. I also feed him formula and I had to switch to Simulac Alementium. Again, this formula worked miracles from the other formula's I tried. And I tried them ALL. But the doc recommended this and she was right. Sometimes camomila tea worked before I went to the doc to calm the intestines down. Try that too. Just one ounce at night.

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N.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

You absolutely MUST go get the Happiest Baby on the Block dvd. I promise you it will save your lives. We followed all the suggestions and they worked like a charm. Try to take a huge breath and leap of faith when you do it and you'll be in great shape.

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C.R.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.. I see you got a LOT of advice and I didn't get a chance to read it all, but I highly suggest you reading "The Happiest Baby on the Block." There's a DVD too but I read the book. The 5 S's really do work. I know it's hard to try to find time to read a book, but I read while I was nursing. Just a suggestion. Good luck to you.

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G.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

try chiropractic work. if your breastfeeding try knocking out milk and citrus from your diet, if you're formula feeding try breastfeeding or a different formula. there is so much that they can be allergic to. eggs, wheat, milk, citrus...sometimes their tummy's just aren't ready for the diet we eat.

the chiropractor is also right about their spine being out of whack after birth, this can happen during a vaginal birth or a c-section.

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J.M.

answers from Las Vegas on

Sounds a lot like colic. My son has gas, and the mylicon works but not the gripe water. Do you formula feed? Could be she's allergic to milk. Write down everything and take it to your doctor and he will help you through this. FOr myself, I've gone through several different formulas and found the best ( of the worst) is the Enfamil Soy. Nothing helps with cure everything with my son, but this helped the most. If it's gas, a heating pad on the stomach works miracles and having her face down over your lap while patting his back also works. I definitely feel your pain. Hope this helps.

J.

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L.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try the Dr. Brown's bottles followed by the Mylicon gas drops after every feeding. Also, it could be the formula. Good Start seemed to work for us. It's broken down a bit more than the others.

Also, make sure to swaddle, swing, & ssh really loud.
It seemed to help my daughter.

Good luck and God Bless.

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A.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

Very little worked for us and we just had to wait it out, but here's a couple of things that did: the miracle blanket (you can order it on line) and very rough stroller rides. We would take him over the grass in his stroller through the park for a very bouncy ride. As soon as we got back on the smooth pavement he would start crying again! The good news is that it does end and now is the sweetest, happiest baby, it's hard to believe we had to go through that! Good luck.

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E.G.

answers from San Diego on

I haven't had my baby yet - but have got a handful of friends that swear by "the Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp, M.D. book. Hopefully that helps you, they swear by it as a lifesaver.

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C.I.

answers from Los Angeles on

Use the Dr. Brown's bottles, they are available at Target. I have a 3 week old granddaughter and my daughter has been using them and there have been no colic problems. Good Luck to you.

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M.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

doctors told me it was colic but the figured out it was acid reflux when he was 6 weeks old. he had no symptoms other than arching his back. we tried zantac and now use axid for the acid reflux and he is a different baby. also, we put a childrens electric toothbrush next to him and it helps to calm him down and sleep. good luck!

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S.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

If you are breastfeeding, does your baby choke on the milk right after letdown? If so, you might have an over-active letdown. I have this, and after doing a lot of research on the web, I ended up nursing my baby while laying down. We did this for about 3 months until he figured out how to keep up with the fast flow of milk. Look this up on the internet if you think this could be the problem. Also, with my first daughter, walking outside for fresh air, and turning on the hair dryer for white noise helped. Try reading "Happiest Baby on the Block" for tips, too.

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M.H.

answers from San Luis Obispo on

My second daughter was had colic, too. Since I was nursing, I tried to see how what I was eating my affecting my baby. I went to the BRAT diet for myself and slowly added things back in until I realized I had to give up mustard, peanut butter, beans, and berries.
I also massaged my daughter's lower abdomen in little circles around her belly button. (Check out baby massage books and websites.) Another technique I used was putting the soles of her feet in my hands and very gently, but repetitively, moving her knees towards her tummy until she got the gas out of her tummy and she was happier. To this day my daughter and I absorb each other's moods so I also made every effort when she cried to stop what I was doing, swaddle her, and hold her close to me. I tried picturing my happy place so that I was not adding to the intensity. I'm not sure how we ever ate dinner back then. . .she did outgrow it. 5-6pm was our bewitching hour.

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A.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

The only thing that worked for my child with colic was adding a hypoallergenic formula to her diet. I continued to breastfeed, but added the formula and it worked wonders.

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R.S.

answers from San Diego on

Also--try a bath. My son LOVED to be in warm water about that time. Also--the stroller or else just in your arms and walk around the neighborhood. Sometimes this worked for us--sometimes it didn't--but when it did it was magical!!!

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K.R.

answers from Los Angeles on

Get the book or DVD THE HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK. it explains the 5 s technique for turning on a baby's calming reflex. it's genius and works right away if done correctly. http://www.amazon.com/Happiest-Baby-Block-Crying-Newborn/...

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S.J.

answers from Wilmington on

C., My daughter was a colic baby. My friend in NY recommended Hyland's Colic Tablets available at most regular pharmacies (CVS, Rite-Aid,etc.) Doubtful but desperate, I crushed up a tablet in a spoonful of H2O and gave her a dropperful; she was so little that I was afraid to do more. IT WORKED! I had tried everything else to no avail but the Hyland's did work for us. It changed our lives. I hope it helps!

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M.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son did the same sort of thing...I started to notice that days he didn't sleep as much during the day or days our day was busier and he might have been too stimulated where the worst. Maybe just try and really stick to naps as well as try and keep the activity down for a little bit...It really helped us...

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L.N.

answers from Los Angeles on

My mom's method worked great for us. Someone would sit on the couch with our legs together and then, we placed the baby faced down on our lap, so that she was resting her head over the side of one leg and legs over the other side. Then, we would slowly move our legs back and forth and push her butt forward and back. For some reason, this helped get the gas out and calmed her down. A lot of times, she fell asleep this way.

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R.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Colic is frequently a symptom of infant allergy and/or GERD. The inconsolable crying in such cases is a symptom of pain. Ask your doctor for a consultation. BTW, allergy is frequently an inheritted disease, so if there is a family history of allergy, there is a good chance that your child will be allergic, too.

If you're nursing, keep a food diary and see if your baby's colic gets worse or better depending on what you're eating during the day. Allergy testing in such a small infant is not usually recommended, but you can try an elimination diet for yourself. Prime allergens are milk, eggs, wheat, corn, nuts, peanuts, fish and soy (most allergies at this age are food related). Elimination diets require discipline, but can be worth it. To eliminate egss, for example, you have to eliminate eggs in every form -- this means checking labels carefully. Eliminate each suspected allergen by itself for 1 - 2 weeks to see if the colic improves.

If you're using formula, consider changing formula type (better yet, nurse!). If you're using milk, use soy. If that doesn't work, try a hypoallergenic formula.

If it turns out that your baby is allergic, it is very important to remove the allergens from her diet completely. Strict avoidance can keep her from developing more allergies as she gets older, and recent research has shown that avoidance of food allergans in infancy and toddlerhood can prevent the progression of allergic disease to its natural endpoint, which is asthma.

Good Luck!

R.

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D.H.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C., In my family we have used this for colic fussy babies. A little fresh Spearmint tea is the way to go. You can use a fresh sprig and boil strain and give just a little in a bottle plain. If your baby dose not like the tea plain add just a tiny bit of sugar to take the bitterness away. However plain is best .

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A.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try to bring her to a chiropractor or even better, a cranio-sacral therapist. I've heard they can do wonders in a few sessions! If I ever have a colicky baby, that's what I'll do.

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P.G.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C.,
I'm P., I have a 2yr old & 4 mos old and breast feed. I know every baby is different so you'll have to figure out exactly what the culprit is, but I know if I eat the wrong foods my baby will have problems. It's usually the foods that are high in acid that are the worst such as spaghetti sauce, citrus fruit and chocolate seems to cause her cradle cap. I found that whatever wouldn't sit right in my stomach when I was pregnant, would cause problems for her through breast milk. Remember it takes about 24hrs for a meal to become milk, she eats everything you eat.
If you keep track of everything you eat and drink for a week you'll figure it out. GOOD LUCK !!!

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M.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

Have you read The best little baby on the block? This book discusses ways you can calm your baby. I have a 16 month old daughter and when she turned 2 weeks od the colic started, although I was nursing, eating well, etc. I struggled but finally was told about Gripe water. The gripe water that is sold now in drug stores is a combination of fennel and something else. I used fennel ony gripe water that I only located at an Indian market in Cerritos on Pioneer Blvd. Once I started using it, my baby got better. I only would give her a couple of drops in her mouth but I have heard about mothers putting a few drops into the bottle. It took a lot of trial and error to finally get my baby to settle. You can also try massaging your baby's back before evening to try to sooth her before the "withching hour" which is what I called the colic time. Good Luck, and believe it or not, this too shall pass!

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A.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

I'm so sorry to tell you this but NOTHING works. I have a 7 month old now and he had colic from about 1 week old. We tried everything on the market, including ordering some holistic "Colic Calm" from England. At about 3 1/2 months it started to subside. The only thing to do is ride it out and hang in there.

So sorry, I feel your pain. I know how hard it is. The good news is that it will get better with time.

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L.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

Two things helped releave my daughter's colic: the first was a homeopathic colic formula readily available at health food stores. The second was using a rectal thermometer to gently open the anus and release the gas. If you are breast feeding, don't eat gassy foods yourself. If you are using formula - that could be the culprit!

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M.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son was the same way when he was little, You may want to try a Soy formula.

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S.F.

answers from Santa Barbara on

Dear C.,
I so feel for you. Last year this time, my husband and I were doing shifts as if we were running a marathon which didn't have a sure end (our son had what the pediatrician called all day colic- yes all day). It turned out our son had GERD and was also intolerant of dairy and probably several other things we may never know. That being said- my first suggestion is to find help- anyone doesn't mind rocking a crying baby for two hours- so you can get a bath or walk away for a while. Secondly, though nothing worked completely, we tried 95% of the suggestions you have received here and really the thing that consistently had some positive effect was sitting with him in our arms on the exercise ball, and bouncing up and down. A lactation consultant showed this to us, and she bounced him quite hard. I cannot tell you how many days and nights I remember counting up to several thousand bounces before he calmed down. I pray that your little ones'case will clear up soon. Try eating a bland diet with no coffee, chocolate or dairy to start. And swaddle her snuggly. And get her out in nature every day to hear some birds, feel some sunshine. Craniosacral therapy also. And definitely try the exercise ball. And the biggest thing is time, time, time. Now our son is 14 months and the happiest, warmest sweetheart you can imagine.

I will look forward to hearing that she is better and what you did. Take care of yourself!

S.

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S.L.

answers from Las Vegas on

Try removing milk from your diet. Sometimes the fussiness can be a reaction to dairy products.

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W.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

What is her schedule at that time, would she normally be sleeping? have you tried swaddling her? I didn't like the "swaddling blankets", but instead tried the thermal weave recieving blankets, I think they were just Babies r us brand, or Koala kids brand. They stretched and would stay wrapped around my daughter really tightly. I also tried the Happiest Baby on the Block technique for crying babies. It really worked for my daughter. My 1st (son) was an angel also. The first 3 weeks of my daughter's life, if she was awake, she was crying. So that's when i heard of the 5 S's of Happiest BB. It REALLY worked for us. Give it a try. Hope it helps.

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M.K.

answers from Los Angeles on

Swaddling (tightly) and the swing really helped me with my colicky triplets! Also, THE HAPPIEST BABY ON THE BLOCK is the greatest book EVER! Saved my sanity. One of my boys also liked to be held under his arms out in front of me and gently bounced up and down. He'd actually fall asleep like that.

Good luck!

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N.H.

answers from San Luis Obispo on

C.. First off, hang in there. I know it can be tough. Have you checked your diet for anything that may cause gas? The reason I ask is that for over a year I wasn't able to eat broccoli or cabbage because it gave my baby gas... and having her cry was just not worth it. My greatest help with newborn nursing was "Nursing, a Mother's companion"... by Kathleen Huggins? I'm not sure about the author, it's been a while. Anyway, the book answered a lot of my questions. Also, my sister-in-law helped me with this hint: Starting from noon on every day, have every snack/meal, etc. contain protein. It takes longer to break down so babies getting 'protein milk' feel full longer. With more protein in my diet, my milk was "stronger" at the end of the day. Just my hint. Good luck.

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C.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

we went to whole foods and got colic pills you put them in the milk they dissolve. they worked wonders for us. good lucj

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N.V.

answers from Los Angeles on

Hi C., make sure you're not eating foods that create gas because your baby will get it through your breastmilk. Remember broccoli, beans, cauliflower,etc. I'm sure you can get a full list of foods that cause gas online. Another thing, burp your baby more often than you already do.

Hope this helps.

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M.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

The Happiest Baby on the Block DVD was a life saver for me!

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G.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

My 4 1/2 month old had this from about 4 weeks until she was 12 weeks old. Its hard - but try Harvey Karps book the Happiest Baby on the Block as many of the techniques in there work - particularly the motion and the swaddling. Also, we started taking her for a long stroller ride about 5:00 and that would help - if you have too, pump and then when she's calmer, you can either try to nurse again or bottle feed. Our pediatrician did say that they try to eat more at this time as well so not to worry if that happens.

Motion is really great - break out the swings, bouncy, anything that moves as that will help keep them calmer. Good luck - it will pass....

Once we got past 12 weeks, she calmed way down...

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A.M.

answers from Reno on

Hi C.,
My son was colic. It was really hard. In fact that's why we've waited over 4 years to have another one. Anyway, there are some postions you can use to hold her that may help. I would suggest looking it up so you can see pics. Also, white noise! Nothing worked like white noise for us. I would vaccuum to get him to nap. A fan or static TV to get him to bed at night. Any white noise. It was my only peace at that point. Remember it doesn't last more than 8 months at the most. Good luck with it. I'll be thinking of you.

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T.O.

answers from Los Angeles on

put the baby in her car seat, and put the car seat on top of the dryer, put the baby in the car and drive around for an hour or so, in parking lots, I used to do that when the family went to bed, from about 11-12 am. There is some medicine, that can be musused and could cause respiratory depression, which is why the doctors ar reluctand to prescribe it, called levsin drops, ...it was very very helpful and did work!

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D.C.

answers from Los Angeles on

You could try taking an infant massage class. There are some massages that are supposed to help move the gas through the baby's system. What really helped my daughter was to suck on my finger (nail side down towards her tongue) after each feeding.

You mentioned that you are nursing. One tip someone gave to me to make sure the baby is full at night is to make sure you feed her off of both breasts. Most of the milk comes out within the first five minutes of nursing, and their jaws can get tired after a while. You want to get as much milk into her so that she's full. Latch her onto the first side and let her nurse until she stops swallowing with every suck, or when you feel her make the quivering motion, and then switch her to the other side. You can either let her finish up on the second side or keep switching back and forth. One side will always produce much more milk than the other side. I didn't really know this until I went back to work and started pumping. Using this technique really helped me get her down for the night. I found out about this and started doing it when she was around 5 months old, and she immediately started sleeping longer between feedings at night.

A gentleman that I work with said his daughter had severe colic, and their pediatrician recommended a little bit of cranberry juice. He said it helped and their daughter still loves cranberry juice to this day.

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C.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

You must understand and know what works with your child.

One of the biggest causes for colic is weaning. When a baby is weaned this shouldn’t happen all in one go. Usually it’s much easier on a child if weaning is done gradually, and slowly. A good way is to start feeding the child with bottle milk while at the same time breast feeding, but as you go you should increase the bottle milk and decrease the breast milk.

It has also been reported that some women find what they eat affects their child when being breast fed and avoiding those foods has helped reduce the colic. A good way to know which foods might be causing the problems for you and your child is by eliminating the food you suspect of creating colic. Later introduce it back into your diet, and see the results of your little experiment. If the baby begins crying again, then you know for sure what to avoid.

Another good reason for colic to occur is when a baby swallows air whilst being bottle fed. To reduce this simply change the positioning of the baby bottle, or get a bottle which is specifically designed to reduce the amount of air a baby swallows while drinking milk. These bottles are normally curved and or have a small vent in the middle.

If the above reasons do not solve your child’s colic, then there is no need to panic because colic is normal amongst infants. Try some of the following techniques. Try taking the child out for a walk as this can be a pleasant experience for you and for the child to discover new things. Give them a toy that rattles or anything that makes a noise as these can peak a child’s curiosity and keep them busy for hours. You may also try a nice warm bath, again these can be very soothing and calming. Try to keep the baby in some sort of motion. In general anything new can solve your baby’s colic problem, babies are curious creatures, who have yet a lot to learn and experience so try new stuff as may just amaze the both of you.

In the end, focus on what works for you and do not be afraid to try different methods. Experiment with different ways to reduce colic and as a general rule of thumb go with what is working for your child, and, for you as a parent. There is no need to worry about colic, it’s harmless, and, sooner or later will wear off as the child grows.

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M.T.

answers from Los Angeles on

HEllo C.,
My daughter had colic for two weeks and during that time I gave her some warm organic chamamile tea. It is natural amd works great!

M.

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M.P.

answers from San Luis Obispo on

My son had colic its seems for months, I tried everything and then I went to the doctor. It turned out I was making his stomach hurt because I was eating chocolate. I had no idea and felt horrible! Try looking at what you eat. Don't know if that would help, but it did me! Good Luck!

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S.R.

answers from San Diego on

Hi C.

What kind of drops were you using? My daughter was very gassy! I started with the drops and then found Mylicon. They are the only true drops for babies with gas!

Also, when I would walk with her, patting her back, I would bounce up and down as I walked. It seemed awkward at first but it seemed to settle her down.

Good Luck...by the way, sleeping is VERY over rated! :-D

S.

http://www.workathomeunited.com/betterforyou
http://www.livetotalwellness.com/betterforyou

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D.M.

answers from Los Angeles on

Are you breastfeeding or formula? If you are using formula it may be the type. My second child was not able to take a regular formula with milk protein. Turns out he was lactose intolerant! I put him a soy base and it worked like a charm. I hope both you and your little one feel better!

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C.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

I had a baby girl with colic and i went to walmart and got the colic desolveabel tablets and they seem to work. Also i changed her formula from enfamil with iron to enfamil gentlease and it really helped her. I hope the advise helped u let me know
C. D

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T.K.

answers from Honolulu on

Your baby may not be suffering from stomach troubles. I would recomend that you look at Dr. Harvy Carp's "Happiest Baby on the Block" he teaches some AMAZINGLY simple and EFFECTIVE ways to calm your babY. I would suggest the DVD which includes some calming sounds that you can play (all night if needed)

Good luck!

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D.L.

answers from San Diego on

Homeopathic remedies work great but you need one specific for what is happening with your baby. I am a chiropractor and have had excellent results with collicky babies. Adjustments for infants and young children is very gentle. Be sure the chiropractor works with infants before taking them in.

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J.M.

answers from Reno on

C., you have great advice below..all three of my boys had severe colic. Changing the formula may help but talk to the DR first. Also if you have a natural food store get the colic drops from Borion-they are called Borian Cocyntal (google it)These were life savers for my kids and my sanity. Hang in there...it will get better!

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T.N.

answers from Los Angeles on

Try cutting chocolate and large amounts of dairy out of your diet (sounds weird but it worked with my son and more recently my daughter)the gas drops never worked for me. I also gave my daughter bifidopholus (the wonderful culture thats in yogurt that is so good for you) that was capsulated (I opened the capsule and gave her a tiny bit of the powder at a time and she worked it in to her saliva with her tongue, until the whole capsule was gone) I know this sounds weird and a little scary but it works. It takes a little bit for it to work (a few hours so try giving it to her in the morning or afternoon before she gets fussy. Huge difference! My daughter is 5 months old and we do not have problems with this any more, I did this for one month or so and keep some on hand just in case but we are good so far. Good luck hope you find some relief for your baby.

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S.G.

answers from Reno on

Hi C.,
I so feel for you, I was there and thought I would not make it through it. I refused to believe there was nothing that could be done. Although, it took some time I found what worked for my little girl; chiropractics. My daughter had her C2 that was going out. It took a while for the adjustment to stay (four), but the last two times I've been to the chiropractor she has held her adjustment. She is a really happy baby now!
I can't say it will work for your daughter, but it's worth looking into. I was at the chiropractors this morning and was speaking with another mother, she told me her daughter was really colicky and when she started getting her adjusted she got better and even stopped getting ear infections.
Another thing that I used for gas and still do is something called Colic Calm. It is basically gripe water with activated charcoal in it. The charcoal traps the gas and helps it pass gently through their little system.
If you need to talk to someone you can email me at ____@____.com or call ###-###-####.
Smiles,
S. G

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D.D.

answers from Los Angeles on

the only thing that worked for my son was colic tablets by Hylands ..you can get them at Walgreens and many other places..are you formula feeding? that could be the problem..if you are then you should look into Good Start Supreme's Comfort Proteins..if you switch formula you have to do it slowly..also you can add just a little more water to it at first. if you are breast feeding you might need to eat more plain..i stuck to sandwiches..no milk for you and no broccoli..i drank camomile tea too..i think it helped. Also try rubbing your babe's lower back..also is your babe getting proper sleep in the day? they can only be up for 2 hours at a time.

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J.S.

answers from Los Angeles on

My son had colic too, I understand what you're going through. Watch what you eat if you're nursing-avoid gas causing foods. If you're not nursing, try other formula. We gave my son lactose free formula and that helped.
We also bought a baby swing. It would calm him down immediately. He grew out of it around 3 months. It seems like forever but you all will get through it.

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