Is It Colic?

Hi J.,

It sounds a lot like gas, which my daughter had too - she sometimes fell asleep while nursing, and wouldn't burp afterwards. So it started this weird cycle of "trapped" gas - we'd prop our legs up on an exercise ball (one of the big ones), lie her vertically in our lap and gently bounce her to burp.
It worked for us and was great fun and exercise.

But the other thing that was suggested to me at the time was to change my diet - We are what we eat, and they taste it in the milk!

Dear J.,
It could be colic, but it also could be gas.
I exclusively breast fed both of my babies. Luckily, I got things figured out with the first one. She would just start screaming and screaming and it was if there was nothing I could do. Be sure you really burp her well. My pediatrician told me that even that young, they can associate pain in their stomachs with feeding and that may be why she tries to push the breast away. Talk to your pediatrician. I wish I could remember what he told me to do, my first baby is 22. I think I got some homeopathic gas pills that just dissolve instantly in the mouth like the little teething pills. It was something very simple and worked like magic.
Like I said, in my kids case, it was gas from sucking too much air through their noses while swallowing and eating. You might want to get her little ears checked too, just in case, since sucking and swallowing could be causing pressure in her ears.
Good luck and contratulations on your beautiful baby girl.

Just an idea or two.

Sound like gas besides normal burping here is a trick that can help. It is to sit the baby 3/4 up and massage in a half moon shape across the stomach area starting at where the appendix would be up to below the ribs and down the other side. This is how the large intestine goes and it helps move the gas out the other end.

Incedently, I just heard of a small baby about the same age being diagnosed with acid reflux which displayed the same similar behavior prior to diagnosis. They now have to feed their baby in a position parallel to mom not perpendicular which is the normal position and not let her get in a laying down position for an hour after eating. It took some tests to determine that was what their child had going on but maybe you could try the remedy and see if it helps before having to do all the medical testing and dealing with the helpless feeling that you can't make the pain go away for your daughter.

To me it sounds like gas. My little guy used to act that way when it was gas too. We started using Wellement's Organic Gripe Water and it was a miracle worker! You have to use it a few times before you really start to see it working. It also helps teething which our guy did early, around 4 months. You can get it the cheapest at iherb.com.

I had a similar child!! I feel for you. My daughter, now 14 months, would scream for hours after a feeding and no amount of mylcon or burping would help. I told my Dr. and she suggested Acid Reflux and told me to feed her in the most upright position possible and make sure that she stayed upright for 45 mins. to an hour after feeding. I did help and She eventually out grew the reflux. So ask you Dr. if that my be what is causing her so much stress. Hang in there!!
T. R.

This sounds hard and my heart goes out to you.

Is she draining the first breast? It's important that they get the "hindmilk" which is richer in fat and more foodlike, as well as the foremilk which serves to hydrate. Draining the breast may take a long time--20 to 30 minutes as I recall. I recommend reading The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding (despite cheesy title a gold mine of information) which talks more about that.

Also sounds like reflux might be going on, for which my sister gave her son Maalox.

Good luck and keep your spirits up best you can.

our twin girls BOTH had colic (for 6mos) and SEVERE acid reflux (lasted the entire first year), which caused much crying. the colic is usually daily during the same time(s) of day (for us it was 4-10pm). the reflux affects feedings and sleeping and is VERY painful, if that's what it is. if the screaming is around feedings, it might be reflux and meds do help (altho the amout given by pediatrician was not enough and we had to go to a pediatric GI specialist). good luck

J.,

Try these tips:

Wake time, Nap time, then feeding time. Don't switch them around and feed her until she falls asleep. She should wake up and be ready to eat and then should be awake for a bit before her nap.

Space the feedings out at least 2.5 hours apart from the beginning of one feeding to the beginning of the next. Too little time between will not give her tummy enough time to digest her last feeding and could cause a tummy ache.

Don't rock her to sleep. Put her down sleepy but still awake and let her get to sleep on her own. Some babies need to cry a bit before resting.

If you've started exercising it can change the taste of your milk so take it easy or exercise less vigorously.

Avoid anything with caffeine (coffee, chocolate, soda, etc.), broccoli, spicy food (can be food that has a lot of spices but not necessarily hot), and anything else that could cause gas.

I really hope this helps. Please hang in there. I know fussy babies can really wear on moms emotionally. Your baby isn't crying because you are doing something wrong so don't feel bad or guilty. If you need help ask for it. Let someone else hold her when she is crying and get away for a bit. She'll be okay without you. If at any time you feel like you can't handle it ask for help! Call 911 if you are so frustrated you think you might hurt her. I know you probably don't feel this way but just in case...Don't wait until you get to the end of your rope.

You may want to check with her doctor because crying in the middle of a feeding is something that needs to be looked in to.

You and your baby will be in my thoughts and prayers. Let us know how it turns out.

Best Wishes,
E.

It maybe colic but maybe this may work?
Try this?
Don't switch breast- that may go aagainst everything you've read or heard but that swtiching may distract her. Also don't change her diaper in the middle of feeding. Change it before a feeding. It sounds like she gets upset when something interrupts her- but those things don't have to happen.
You may be a little uneven if feeding from one breast than the next but it worked for me and my baby. If my other breast became to uncomfortable i would just pump.
It seems she likes a quiet/calm controlled area to feed in. Make this happen. It maybe inconvenient but will help with your well being also. I LOVED TELLING EVERYONE, "I NEED TO FEED," AND SNEAK TO THE BEDROOM , LIGHTS LOW, NO SOUND, JUST ME AND BABY FEEDING.It made him such a calm baby and relaxed me.

I have to agree that it is probably just gas. Try various positions for burping (up high on shoulder, sitting or laying across the lap). If you are switching breasts, burp between. Keep in mind, when babies cry they tend to swallow a lot of air resulting in gas. Also, change the baby's diaper before the feeding not in the middle of. I really don't think it is that she wants more milk or she would not be resisting the breast. My little girl (12 weeks) pushes away when she gets really upset at me (for example, I waited too long to get to her;she is in an uncomfortable position; or she is gassy---usually the case.

It sounds like colic to me. my son had it badly we ended up using mylocon drops. they are sold over the counter and are very non evasive and begien. They help dissove the gas bubbles and help the baby expell it. Hope this helps
Cyn

I don't know much about colic, but it certainly sounds like it could be digestive related. The fact that it happens mid-feed and then lasts so long points in this direction. Good luck and stay strong!

Sounds like it to me too.
Colic Calm (coliccalm.com) worked for us!! SAVED us, I should say. Better than ANY gripe water out there. My daughter cried for 3 hours, two episodes a day. I had to nurse her laying down...my milk flow was too fast and too plentiful for her.

If her tummy is tightening up then yes it is colic. Remember since your nurse anything you eat or drink effects her so try to stay away from those foods or caffeine I know it's hard but the rewards are great to be able to bond with your child. Another thing you can do is rub her belly (just a little) with baby vapor rub or just rub her belly back and forth (sing to her while you are doing this to sooth her). Another thing you can do is walk with her putting your arm around her tummy with just a little pressure with her back to your chest and pat gently. Also try the gas drops (TARGET BRAND). Another thing that causes colic is when baby's don't burp.

It sounds like when my daughter used to get bad gas pains. Not unlike how bad they can be for us. Take a bottle with a small amount of warm water and swirl a small piece of peppermint or candyu cane and give it to her. It helped my daughter so much.

Hi J.,

My name is J. Simpson, IBCLC, CIIM - I am a Lactation Consultant and mom to 3. No this is not colic. There is something else going on here. One of the readers is correct that colic happens once a day usually around the same time. It isn't an all day thing.

I have other questions for you that would help me track down the main issue for both of you and would love for you to call me ###-###-####. I know we aren't in the same area, but I can do a lot over the phone. :) I'll even call you back so you don't have to pay long distance fees (I have free long distance!). I do not charge for phone consults...if that helps any. :)

Do NOT switch to formula - you do not need to do that. Often times folks do so out of desperation because they were unable to find someone who could help them with their situation. TO me this is just so sad. There are just not enough of us who know how to deal with these situations and it is frustrating to me.

I suspect I know what is up with your little one, but I need some answers. This is such a frustrating situation for you and I've been in your shoes with my first son...I wish I had known then what I know now...

Hang in there...hope to hear from you!

Warmly,
J. Simpson, IBCLC, CIIM
www.breastfeedingnetwork.net

Hi it may be colic, although colic is usually once a day every day around the same time. My son had colic that started at 10 mos also. After dr. visits and trying the over the counter stuff and making the situation worse I found this natural remedy that was our absolute life saver. Its called Cocyntal for colic and you can find it at health food stores. I have told so many parents with small babies about this product and have been told of great results. I still will use it on my 4 yr old son if he is having tummy problems and and has gas and it still works great. Good luck..

Sounds so much like my baby. She started this at about 3 weeks. But, after much talk with the doc and trying EVERYTHING we could. We thought that she might have reflux. She was put on reflux medication for a couple of months and we also put her on Nutramagen formula which is supposed to help. She is 7 months today and not on either of those things anymore. Hang in there and don't get to frustrated. Easy for me to say...I am not driving through Stockton with a screaming baby at 12am anymore. Things will work out.

My son cried every 2 hrs (or so) when he was born till I fiquired out what was going on. With the help of a nursing consultant (she really helped saved my sanity) I started a food dairy of all I ate. My son was breast feed only. I gradually eliminated wheat, dairy, soy, and a host of other foods(common allergens) and many spices. My son would finally not wake-up and cry and curl up in fetal position. He still woke-up- (bad habit,) but not in apparent pain. I went to 3 or 4 "reg."doctors with no assistance. He did not test to be allergic to the first few items that were checked. (You don't want to take a lot of blood from a baby to check everything). I also went to a homopathic doctor who was fairly helpful. I think his digestive systm was just underdeveloped. I returned gradually to eating a wide variety of food after He was 2 1/2. He is fine now. I hope this is helpful. C. P.

Dear J.,
I had somewhat of the same thing happen with my 4 month old daughter a couple months ago. She was very fussy when she was eating, and at different times of the day. It was really frustrating for me as well as her. When she would cry she would bat at her ears and in between her nose and ear on her face.
Have you recently taken her to a higher (or lower) altitude? You know when you travel to a different altitude, and you get that feeling of having to pop your ears? Well, same thing happens to babies; but because the tube going from their nose to their ear is so small and odd shaped, pressure builds up in that tube, and it gets clogged. It is very uncomfortable for them, and when they try to eat, the pressure from them sucking can make it worse. You would be surprised how little of an altitude change can affect them. My doctor told me there is nothing you can do about this, but he told me to feed her sitting up and that should help relieve some of the discomfort. I know that would be hard to do when your breast feeding, I bottle fed my baby. But it only took a couple of feedings sitting up to unclog it (I think the tube between the ear and nose is called a septum) I tried to avoid going over the mountain until she got a little bigger. That meant driving an extra hour around the mountain, but it was worth it. I hope I was of some help to you. Good luck.
A.

Hi J.:
Have you discussed with your pediatrician the possibility of reflux issues? Does your little one spit up at all or appear in need of burping in between feeds? There could be a whole host if issues not specific to the breast feeding but I know if you have had spicy foods in the past 24 hrs, it goes into your milk and that could cause problems. When she feeds, is she in an upright position or more laying down? A lot of times it is because she is getting too much air even though it appears she isn't. I do have some flyers on reflux and feeding of babies if you are interested. I am part of a group called PAGER and they have an awesome website at www.pager.com that you can look at. If you want me to, let me know and I will forward you the flyer.
T.

Hi!

Same thing happened with my daughter. Give her a pacifier! Amazing the difference! Totally calm after that. Babies just need to suck and don't want the milk or are not hungry, necessarily.

Good luck.

H.

I breastfed my two children and I can recall this occuring with both of them when they were ready for something more filling than breast milk. Also, my milk production had dropped off around that time because I returned to work. That was me... It was a difficult thing to come to grips with, particularly with my first child because I wanted to breast feed longer. However, once I started supplementing with formula they were fine.

Food for thought. No pun intended.

You've already gotten tons of advice/responses, but I had to reply because I too went through a similar situation with my son. It is so hard and my heart goes out to you. I actually went back to the hospital where I delivered and spoke with the Lactation Consultant. She helped me a great deal. She too felt there was something more going on and her recommendation was to pump off my let-down before nursing. Yes, before each and every feeding. I did this for about 10 months or so. It was the hardest thing, but it also helped a great deal and I really wanted to breastfeed for as long as possible. The LC also recommeded going to an Osteopathic Physician who specializes in infants. She gave me her number and we made an appointment. The combination of all of these things helped a great deal. It turns out my baby had some very tight shoulder and neck muscles and he was in great pain. It turns out his birth was very hard on him as he was born face up after a VERY long and hard labor. We went to the osteopath about 5 or 6 times and saw great results. The osteopath also recommended putting my son on a probiotic and this too helped a great deal. I keep a bottle of the probiotic in the fridge and use it only when he has stomach issues. The probiotic we used/use is specialized for infants and it is by Natren. With all of this, we saw results in a matter of about 2 weeks. He didn't cry nearly as much and his eating was a much more pleasant experience too. I know this is only my story, but I hope you find the resources and help that get you the best results. My son is now 16 months old and is doing just fine.

Ideas:
check the inside of her mouth for thrush. See if she has any sores or White patches or white haze to her tounge, which is painful for a baby when they feed.
There might be a reaction to something you are eating. If your baby is milk intolerant or lactose intolerant (and you eat dairy products)it could cause gas and cramping in the tunmmy. I think a LOT of babies are diagnosed with acid relux when it is really a reaction to a food allergy. Keep a log of what you are eating and when the crying episodes are. you might see a correlation.
Try to stay relaxed while your feeding her, even if she is crying, because your milk lets down easier. Drink more water to make sure you have enough milk for her.

Hi J. -

I agree with Cheryl J, do not interrupt your baby while feeding. I'm having the same problem, (though not as bad as yours) with my 8 week old son. I'm a first time mom and I totally feel what you;re going through. It sounds like gas, but she's probably getting upset when you change her diaper in the middle of her feeding. With my son, I change his pamper BEFORE I begin feeding him so that he's not uncomfortable both in his tummy and his diaper. He gets angry when I stop feeding him half-way to burp him because he knows he still has milk left in his bottle, but as soon as I get a burp or two out of him I give him the bottle again until he finishes it and burp him again and the colicky, crying fits diminish. It also helps that I put Mylicon into each of his bottles to help break down the formula better and help him with any gas issues. I tried breastfeeding but I'm producing very little milk =(

So my little bit of advice is change her diaper before she begins feeding, and make sure you burp her before you switch her to the other breast and again after she finishes feeding. Make sure she's latched on correctly to your breast as she may be sucking in air as she's feeding. And give her a little bit of either gas drops or gripe water after she's finished feeding to help dispel gas in her tummy.
Good Luck - and best wishes!!

Hi J.,
I think a lot of what was called colic back when we were kids is now diagnosed as various digestive issues. Babies are born with immature digestive systems, some more than others. The timing of the crying with feeding and the comfort she seems to get from being vertical leads me to believe that she could have reflux. Then again, my son had bad reflux, and, as parents, I think we tend to see whatever we are familiar with from our own experiences. That said, my son was having breast milk, too, when these issues occurred. Having had reflux as an adult, I can tell you that you can get a false feeling of being full very quickly. You feel nauseous and bloated. Then, you can feel ravenous in a few hours. Please contact your pediatrician and please see another pediatrician and/or get a referral to a pediatric GI if the pediatrician is unable to help. In my mind, the word colic is often used by doctors in place of "I don't know for sure what is wrong." There are tests for GERD, and I'm sure there are other digestive issues that could be happening of which I am not aware. Also, without spitting up, GERD is sometimes called "silent reflux." Kids don't have to spit up to have reflux. The good news is that most kids grow out of reflux in their first year. Mine didn't grow out of it that quickly, but he did by age 3.5. One last idea. Pay close attention to what you are eating. Some foods seem to cause babies discomfort -- I have heard people say that breastfeeding moms eating spicy foods, foods that cause gas, citrus fruits and other foods can contribute to these problems. I did not notice this personally, but I've heard this enough that you might want to check with the pediatrician. Best to you, and congratulations on your new baby!
K.

Sounds like either colic or GERD. Check with the ped.

My 5 week old does that as well and it's usually just gas-or a bubble in his stomach. Try to burp her-it my take 30 mins. Or have your husband do the football hold with her or put her over his knees-head on one leg, legs on the other. We also bounce on an exercise ball. What I've learned is that she may just not want it anymore but because of the continued crying-I'd think gas.

I know you may want to breastfeed but you may need to switch to formula.

I had to switch after 3 months to prevent my daughter from being colic. I know that breastfeeding was a special time to bond but the last thing I wanted was to see her little face look up at me in pain. I watched my diet and was careful to avoid spicy foods, etc. but it seemed that nothing work.

In the end, the best thing for us was Nestle's Good Start Supreme Infant formula "with Comfort Proteins for easy digestion"

We had tried different formulas and this is the one that really worked and got rid of her colics.

I noticed that when I shook the bottle, no bubbles would form ... with other formulas, lots of air bubbles would FOAM ... I think eliminating the air was what did it.

They have so many different formula to prevent the baby from having gas ... you see in the stores those special bottles to reduce air ... I tried everything ... and finally found something that worked for us

Ask your ped. for suggestions and try different options

Good Luck!!

Hi J.,
I am sure this is incredibly stressful for you.

It sounds like she might be having gas pains or acid reflux--something that is causing her pain. Since she really likes to be vertical, I would definitely talk to someone about the possibility that she has reflux. Doctor's can prescribe medication, but you might want to consider more natural means as well. There may be a food that you are eating that is irritating her GI tract--that is one possibility. There are definitely support networks out there for moms of babies with GERD, so you might want to seek out the support of people who understand, as well as professional assistance.

I would be happy to talk to you more about this if you think it would be helpful.
Best,
E. Bender, NC, CHN
www.nutritionforthewholefamily.com
###-###-####

Have you tried just nursing off of one side per feeding? She may be getting more than enough with just one breast. Or the change from horizontal feeding to vertical burping may be too much for her.

In addition to just one breast, try letting her stay on her nursing pillow (or what ever you use to nurse) in a horizontal position (laying down) after she nurses. Cup the top of her head with one hand, and gently pat her bottom with the other hand to get any gas bubbly burps out. Try to keep her horizontal as you put her in her crib.

If she still seems hungry (making sucking motions with her lips) try to switch breasts while keeping her horizontal. Instead of trying to turn her 180, maybe go from "cradle" hold on the left side to "football" hold to the right side. (And vice-versa.)

Beware of letting her nurse herself to sleep on a regular basis though! At first it is ok, or just every once in a while. She needs to learn to sooth herself to sleep fairly early in life, though, or you will have a difficult time ever getting her to sleep without nursing.

A really wonderful book to get and read ASAP is "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp.