Colic

Updated on November 22, 2015
A.G. asks from Ogden, UT
131 answers

My daughter is 2 months old and has colic. My first daughter had it also, and we just had to live through it. I can't do this again, I am just tired of listening to hours of crying. Can anyone who has gone through colic and found good ways to soothe give me some ideas?

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A.P.

answers from Rapid City on

My sister-in-law works in the walmart pharmacy and another employees daughter has colic also..the doctor said "gripe water" sold at walmart should do the trick. I don't know whats in it but the employee said it worked... worth a try anyway, right....let me know if it works! A. p

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S.B.

answers from Boise on

my second child had colic come to find out he was allergic to cow's milk protien. we had to give soy milk based everything. and while brest feeding I had to eleminate all dairy out of my diet. milk isn't the problem try a couple of ounces of water that has had a piece of peperment candy disolved in it.
shanat b.

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K.H.

answers from Fargo on

Find a chiropractor that specializes in treating children. Above and Beyond Chiropractic in Fargo is great because she's a mother of young children, too.

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C.J.

answers from Janesville-Beloit on

Dear A.,

I hear your cry for help! When my son was born he was such a peaceful baby, hardly cried, and I thought I was in heavan. At about 3 months old he started screaming. WE were down in Florida so I could do some apprentice work when the crying started, and I couldn't soothe him. It was an unconsolable scream that just tears a mother's heart out. I called his doctor back home and they talked to me about colic. They said many babies get colic, but they aren't sure why, so try not to eat foods that will make him gassy.
I was not satisfied with the answer of colic. I feel that babies are always trying to comminicate something. So I took him to a naturopathic chiropractor. She did some energy work on him and found out his large intestines were inflamed. She asked if we were staying somewhere that was newly painted, and we were. The place was freshly painted and cleaned with bleach. My son, and I were being slowly poisoned. She did a couple of "adjustments" on him and gave me some homeopathic medicines, and in 2 hours he was a brand new baby. I couldn't believe it.
My suggestion would be to try a naturopathic doctor if you haven't already. It's just alternative medicine that deals with nature's remedies. There is a clinic in Janesville, where the doctors are so passionate about what they do and are in great communication with their patients. My son (15 months) loves going to the doctor.
The clinic is The Naturopathic Family Clinic. They are located off of Hwy. 26.

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E.N.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I used Gripe water with my daughter and that helped. I also know od several other people who say that it worked for them too. You can find it in the Good Earth stores. Good Luck, E. Nelson

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M.R.

answers from Provo on

Read the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp-if you haven't already. He is a child doctor and has some great ideas that helped me when my first son was colicky. Good luck!

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H.B.

answers from Missoula on

Dear A.,
I have found that moms that eat or drink milk products while nursing (if you are) can increase the baby's colic. some more obvious foods are any caffeinated drinks, chocolate, cabbage family, garlic. but look at cheese, milk etc too.

Fennel and catnip tincture in a glycerin base for infants is great and can calm their tummy. You could also drink teas that are calming for baby.

Usually the colic will subside after the third month, but it can be really hard to wait it out. Be patient with your little one and if it persists, consult a Pediatrician.

You may also consider having her seen by a Chiropracter that adjusts infants. Also Cranial Sacral work can be very beneficial. Sometimes it can resolve immediately with one treatment.

Take care,
H. B

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K.P.

answers from Lincoln on

I too had a colicy baby, he just turned 3. He has a temper and a little on the fisty side!! We used the grip water method. It helps to sooth the tummy and allow the air built up in tummy to release-yes he will toot, but it will help him feel better!! All the crying causes air to build up and has now place to go, this helped.

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A.L.

answers from Boise on

The book: "Happiest baby on the block".
It is the best gift I received.

Good Luck!

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K.S.

answers from Milwaukee on

Oh A., I'm so sorry. My son cried pretty much the whole first three months of life. Running the hair dryer was a saving grace, walking him back & forth in the bathroom with the fan running, putting him in the car seat then on top of the dryer (at least you can get some laundry done, too!)--they all worked. **But I am CONVINCED that incorporating baby massage into his night-time routine started to ease his colic!**

You also need to do a few things for yourself--I'd listen to my iPod while he cried, just to block out the noise. I made sure to take a bath or sit in the dark somewhere to relax once my husband or mom could come and help out. Most of all, I reached out to other moms, just like you're doing! Good luck!

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J.C.

answers from Milwaukee on

Are you sure it isn't reflux? Babies can have "silent" reflux, mine did. Zantac worked like a charm!!

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A.G.

answers from Milwaukee on

http://www.fussepants.com/
I saw this gentleman on the local news recently. He has a couple of kids that had colic and he had produced CDs that you can purchase with sounds that have been proven to sooth colic. Household sounds with music and words.
She will out grow it but maybe this will help until she does!
Good Luck.

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J.

answers from Grand Rapids on

A.,
My oldest daughter also had colic for 8 months. The ONLY thing that would get her to stop crying was running the vaccum. Nothing else worked not the swing, white noise, car rides. I tried everything under the sun. After I had her a couple of friends had babies with colic. They took their babies to a chiropractor. They went down the babies spine with a thing that looked like a cherry pitter. I know it sounds bazzar but it worked for both. I decided then and there that if my second had colic I was going to take her to one. Thankfully she didn't have it.

Good Luck,
"J"

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C.

answers from Casper on

Some Docs will tell you that Colic is just another word for tummy aches. It made sense to me so here is what I did. I used a very tiny amount of peppermint in warm water to soothe tummy aches. The baby anti gas drops help them burp and get rid of gas. There is also a product found in some health food stores, drug stores, Walmart and so on, called Colic tablets. Another product that gave relief was Gripe Water, also found in health food stores. The tables are 100% natural and will not hurt your baby, they also calm and sooth her with chamomile. Warm blankets around the tummy area feel good on tummies. Also try to feed more frequently and less at a time. I found that Carnation has a very gentle formula that worked well for my daughter. You can tell by the smell of the formula if it is heavy or not. I nursed for about 6 weeks and the screeming caused so much stress on me that I could not make milk. My daughter came out screaming and did not stop until she was about 4 months old. When I say she did not stop I mean there were about 4 hours a day at most when she was not screaming. My Ped told me that she was normal and I was doing everything right. I had things I wanted to tell him back... lol. I had a really hard time bonding with her at first, I am ashamed to say, because when she would stop crying I would put her down and have some time to myself. I have been told by numerous Aunts, Grandmothers and such that Colic babies come from Mommies that have a lot of stress in their lives during pregnancies. This would make sense as my first pregnancy was very calm and relaxed and my first born was a very good baby. The second pregnancy was one turmoil after another and the baby was so fussy.

Hang in there, they do out grow this as you must know. I started doing Yoga to help my mind through this baby and now she is 4 1/2 and a delight! She does have quite a temper but that I can deal with. I still cringe when I hear a baby cry and refuse to have more babies. God Bless you and I wish you rest and peace! Hopefully some of this will help you, I read some of the other responces and there is some really good advice.

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F.W.

answers from Great Falls on

My baby did not have colic, but I did a lot of research and these are the steps I would have taken, if necessary: First, craniosacral therapy and chiropractic are proven to be EXTREMELY effective in warding off and treating colic. Be sure to inquire with the practitioner as to her/his experience with infants and colic. Also, a friend of mine had babies with the most extreme case of colic anyone has ever seen, and she swears by eating very bland foods (if you're breastfeeding): potatoes, squash, plain meat, etc. She also says that having her babies on a rigid sleep schedule is the only way to get through it. Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, is a book that has been very informational to me and talks a lot about colic.

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A.K.

answers from Provo on

My little sister had Colic when she was a baby and my Dad said she would cry from 6 at night til 6 in the morning. The ONLY think that would stop her was for her to be in her swing all night long. Something about being in the sitting up position and the swinging motion was just what she needed.

Give it a try...couldn't hurt right? =)

HTH

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J.R.

answers from Madison on

Our daughter was 6 weeks early and very colicy. She really liked Baby Einstein music and DVD's- often would sooth her. Otherwise- even better is the book/DVD "Happiest Baby on the Block"- it is specifically for colicy babies... talks about the calming reflexes-- lots of my friends have used... you can get on Amazon. I recommend the DVD- it really works... and who has time to read a book!
Good Luck.

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S.M.

answers from Kalamazoo on

My youngest son got colicky every night after dinner. I found a warm bath really helped him. He also responded to me wrapping him up tight and walking around outside with him.(It eas in the summer) It worked well for him.

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J.M.

answers from Provo on

I agree with the opinions to try chiropractic or other alternative help. I would actually start with a Cranio-sacral Therapist. I go to a CST for myself and feel like it has totally helped me be calmer and more able to deal with the daily crisis that mothers are always having to deal with. I've also taken 3 of my 4 children to a CST for things ranging from ADHD issues, colic like symptoms, and I just took my 6 week old in for a basic post delivery maintenance type checkup as a preventative measure. CST is very gentle and non-invasive.

Good luck!

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A.B.

answers from Milwaukee on

You may want to try baby's Bliss Gripe Water. You can order it and read more reviews of it at www.drugstore.com. It is wonderful and helps sooth little ones. I wish I had it with our first.

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A.B.

answers from Wausau on

I had one child that the Dr. said had colic. When my son was born doing the same things someone told me to look into Reflux. Sure enough he was diagnosed with severe GERD. Once he was on meds he was a totally different baby. It doesn't hurt to look into. I think Dr. always want to give the broad diagnosis of colic and not delve into it further. I would push a little more answers.

A.

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A.P.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Both of my boys were diagnosed with colic. However, I did not feel comfortable with that answer. I had both of them tested for reflux and sure enough, the colic was gone after I started them on prevacid. I am not sure there is even such a thing as colic! I really believe there is a reason for your little one to be crying. I would suggest you ask your pediatrician about reflux and be VERY persistant!

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F.S.

answers from Appleton on

Well it has been a long time since my kids where little. But my oldest daughter was very colicy. The only thing that soothed her was movement. I would sit on the edge of a chair and lay her down my legs with her head cupped in my hands - feet near my belly hold her smuggly and swing my knees back and forth she would settle down almost immediatly. It is worth a try. Good luck and try to have patience it will pass.......

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A.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I have found that warming a bath towel in the dryer helps alot. After the towel is warm, sit on the edge of the couch and place it folded up across your lap. Lay your baby on top, tummy down and sway your legs from side to side while gently rubbing the baby's back. This has been the only way I could get my little ones to feel better. My mom figured out this trick after she had gone through bad colic with my sister. Hang in there!

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S.S.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Get some baby Mylacon drops,,works GREAT. Can be found in any pharmacy. I went thru it with my kids & grandkids.
The drops work as an antacid and will break up the gas bubbles that are trapped in the baby's belly

Another thing is after you give your little one the drops,,hold your baby up on your shoulder and bounce,bounce,bounce!!! This helps break the bubbles causing the colic

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A.D.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Have you tried wearing your baby? Do you have a sling or something to hold your baby in while you get things done around the house? Some times it is just the warm body against their own that sooths the discomfort.
I have not had a colic baby my self, but my four month old seems to get extra crabby as she get older, My husband seems to think it is colic. Let me know.

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C.B.

answers from Lincoln on

I do not believe my sons have ever had colic but have cried alot from gas pains. What helped my sons are these tablets called "colic tablets". The brand is Hylands. I originally found them at a health food store. A few months ago I found them at Wal-mart in the baby section. You just put the tablets on the babies tongue and they disolve almost immediatly. I have found that my sons have relief within a couple of minutes. It's worth a try if you haven't tried it before. Good luck.

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D.W.

answers from Grand Rapids on

Definitely find a good chiropractor! My son had the worst gas, I took him to our chiropractor and sure enough, he had an adjustment on the one vertebrae and the whole evening and night he passed gas and was happy!
We have a GREAT chiro in the Holland area, I believe it said you were in W.O.? His name is Daniel Hilsman, of Hilsman Chiropractic. He uses this cool little gun thing, that is SO very gentle... both of my babies goto him (and me too!)

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L.B.

answers from Lincoln on

A.-
I am so sorry you are going through this, especially a second time. I nannied for a child that had colic for 4 months. Running a hair dryer and a vacuum cleaner helped a great deal. These sounds were soothing. Infact, at night, I slept with the hair dryer on when I took care of the baby over night. Just do not leave the vacuum on in one spot for a long period of time, because it can burn a hole in most flooring.

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M.J.

answers from Waterloo on

I am sorry to hear that your baby has colic. I can only imagine how much more difficult it must be to have two children to attend too, and then one is not sufficed by anything you can do. I saw a lot of people suggested chiropractors; however, may I suggest a slightly different approach of going to a medical doctor that trained in osteopathic medicine (DO). They have more training than a chiropractor and take the whole movement of the body into consideration rather than as a static approach. I know there are specific DO’s out there that specialize in infants.

If you are nursing I agree with the other moms that going a strict diet and slowly introducing foods back into your diet may help, as it could be your baby is more intolerant to certain food items. When I was nursing my daughter I could not eat spicy foods or any Chinese or we had a very rough night. I also found out that I couldn’t eat strawberries or tomatoes either otherwise she would get a diaper rash as they are more acidic food items. However, if you are not nursing switching formula brands sometimes helps. Sorry to use the example of my daughter again as I know there is no comparison bases but just using it as an example; anyway we put her on lactose free Target brand milk and it worked very well. However, even if we change her to another brand of lactose free milk she gets an upset stomach. Just a thought.

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L.D.

answers from Great Falls on

You need to make sure after feeding that you burp the heck out of her and if that doesn't work try Milosec, it helps to keep the gas out of their little tummys..Good Luck

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S.S.

answers from Davenport on

I am so sorry you are having to do this again. I dealt with it a bit with my first, but my second was really bad. My advice would be to get a support system that will give you at least one break a day. I know for me I needed that to be the kind of mom she needed when I was home. Even if that means paying a sitter a few hours a week to come in with you to care for your baby so you can get other things accomplished or just take a nap.

I took an infant massage class to learn how to get rid of stomach upset, gas and relaxation for her. It was also very helpful because it got us out of the house and wore her out for a nap later.

I gave her 2 baths, one after her first feeding in the morning and another after her last feeding before bed, because it kept her quiet and busy. I would massage her tummy in the tub and bring her knees up to her chest, it got rid of a lot of gas and she got a little work out so she was tired. I would dress her, wrap her up and put her in her crib to see if she would fall asleep. I even got to where I would let her fuss for 5-10 min to see if she just needed that. Most of the time it worked. I would encourage you to try a noise machine with a heart beat etc. to sooth her.

Is it possible that she is over eating? I was nursing and my Dr asked me if I tried to feed her when she would fuss thinking she was still hungry. I said yes sometimes. He told me to pump and bottle feed to know exactly what she was eating because over eating and not burping well will cause these symptoms. After I knew how much she would eat in a certain amount of time I went back to nursing, it just gave me the assurance that I did not need to keep nursing her it was only making things worse. For burping, stop her every few min. while eating to see if she will burp, even if she fusses try to get that air out. If you set her on your lap and roll her around at the waist it often times moves that air up.

I wonder if you might be able to google infant massage techniques. I would still highly recommend a class. If you talk to any massage place there is probably someone there that would have a class or even come to your home for a private class.

My husband would take a shift at night to give me a few hours of sleep to have the energy to get through the day.

Keep reminding yourself that it will be over soon. If your children are anything like mine were, it was over by about 3-4 mo. and don't be afraid to try things. I would shower to the vacuum sweeper with her in the swing...it kept her quiet and I got a shower first thing in the morning...which really kept me from being depressed! When I was cleaned up I would feed her and start her bath routine.

Good luck!

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A.F.

answers from Green Bay on

Hi, I work for a chiropractor in De Pere, and chiropractic has been known to help colic. Just find a chiropractor in your insurance network and tell them your child has colic. I know the doc I work for is awesome w/ kids. He's been working on my son (he's 28 months) for over 1 year now (for wry neck) and my son loves it. We've also seen great results for kids w/ ear infections. The birthing process is very traumatic for babies, and getting their spine back in proper alignment can help w/ lots of issues--including colic. :)

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A.H.

answers from Waterloo on

I saw this mentioned once, but try wearing your baby. A sling was mentioned and there are many different types of carriers. A front carrrier like a snugli/baby bjorn may work well too if you put her in it after she eats because it will keep her upright. I have heard that baby massage works too.

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M.L.

answers from Grand Rapids on

I have 2 boys and the oldest had colic and the 2month old is having trouble with gerd also but they kept calling it colic too. For my oldest son we found a site on the web that gave the advice to tightly swaddle baby, give baby a pacifer/breast for sucking and then swing or side to side swaying with baby , and add the shushing sound ( white noise should work or a dryer, or running water or a vacuum) The combonation of these things are said to work. We tried the combo of swaddling, sucking and swinging and it proved to tame the beast of colic in our oldest son when he would start in with the crying. He is now 4 years old. Good Luck

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J.E.

answers from Provo on

have you tried gripe water from stewarts pharmacy? it works wonders! good luck

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J.J.

answers from Pocatello on

Oh, A.! I so feel for you. My son had colic, so here are the things that really worked for me: Gripe Water, it is sold in pharmacies, drug stores, maternity shops. It has a natural ingredient that soothes them and it is all natural. A SLING! Ours saved my life. My son was in the sling constantly, lots of long walks and I even wore him while I cooked. He never cried in the sling--they are also at maternity stores and online. They make really neat ones now that wrap around and tie so that the baby isn't putting weight on one shoulder.
I was breastfeeding when my son had colic and people were constantly telling me "Eat this, don't eat that, blah blah" but I love food WAY too much to not eat everything. So I cut down on broccoli, beans, gassy foods and tried to eat more mellow food. Keep in mind that colic doesn't last forever, it will pass. I had to call my mother to take care of my son a few times, I simply couldn't handle it anymore. My heart goes out to you--my strength is with you!

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K.V.

answers from Boise on

My son was very colicky and it was terrible for a while. I'm sure you've tried gripe water - that seemed to work some for us. The best thing was that I stopped taking my pre-natal viatamins (they say to keep taking them while you're nursing, etc.). The iron in the vitamins sometimes causes certain tummies some unrest. It worked miraculously for him. Its worth a shot anyway. Good luck and hang in there, I know it can be a terribly rough time.
K.

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N.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

A.,
My children never had colic...but they would have bad gas, and tummy pains whenever I would eat something that didn't settle well with them. (if your nursing this is a concern) Also my husband is a chiropractor and our children always received adjustments. My husband has treated a few babies with colic and the parents have said it has helped a lot! I have heard from other friends also that it helps...its worth a try, you should notice something after the first or second treatment. If it works its better than drugs~

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J.D.

answers from Janesville-Beloit on

One of the best things I found was using the lavendar warm baths for my colicky twins. Using the lavendar body lotion after their bath helped to. For getting through the day, motion is the best help

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S.H.

answers from Billings on

I'm not sure if this will work for you but it's worth a try-Put Vicks Vaporub (children's version if possible) on the bottom of your daughter's feet and then put socks or footsie jammies on her. It works great to get rid of coughs and it may help with colic too because it is so soothing. I hope this can help in some way.

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J.T.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Are you sure it's colic. I thought my son had colic, until my aunt suggested to me that maybe he was allergic to the dairy I was consuming and coming through my breastmilk. I went off dairy and a week later he was like a new baby! Just a thought if you are breastfeeding. Good luck!

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D.L.

answers from Missoula on

Not only peppermint , but also cinammon is very good for the digestive tract. I used it on my son who had colic so bad he got a hernia in his left testical. When that happened I got some cinnamon tea and steeped it and let him have some in a bottle. Some babies cannot handle formula and breast milk is best. Depending on what you eat, I had trouble with my son when I drank apple juice. Good luck and God bless Dee

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M.W.

answers from Pocatello on

are you nursing? My first was JUST like that. ummm, yeah you can really go insane - literally. People who don't have constant crying babies do not understand what it's like. I'm sorry.
I was nursing and it took until she was 3 months to find out i didn't have enough milk and she was starving and therefore crying constantly. I began to supplement and what a change! she became and angel over night.
If she's on formula maybe try a soy one - milk allergy??

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T.H.

answers from Kalamazoo on

My daughter had colic and would cry from midnight to about 3:00 am religiously. I was at my wits end. I bought this device called "sleeptight". It cost about $150.00 and was "supposed" to simulate riding in a car (vibrated her crib and had a tape that made noises that sounded like the wind). She listened to that for about 2 minutes and then started wailing again. One night I was vaccuuming my floor, trying to drown out the sound of her crying, and when I shut off the vaccuum I noticed she was sound asleep. This happened the next two nights as well. So....I made a tape of the sound of the vaccuum, put it in a tape player and put it right by her bed. I have no idea how or why this worked, but it did!! I have also heard that putting the baby in a bouncy seat or baby carrier and putting it on the dryer works also. I never tried that one since the vaccuum seemed to do the trick. I hope you are successful in finding a method that works. I know how nerve racking colic can be. Best of luck to you.

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T.R.

answers from Missoula on

I am a chiropractor who treats children with colic. I believe there are many possible causes of this fussy behavior. You might want to make an appointment for her with a chiropractor who does cranio-sacral therapy. Sometimes structural problems can be the issue for a coliky baby. Other things to look at are nutritional. Do you notice increased colicky behaviors after you've eaten certain foods? (This assumes you breast feed). If so, she may be allergic to something you are eating. Another nutritional concern may be that you need to take some supplements for nutrients that are needed during breast feeding. Make sure that you are still taking a pre-natal vitamin. Add a good quality Essential Fatty Acid supplement ((Fish oil) as well. Extra Vitamin D is important too especially if you live in the northern latitudes or have dark skin. Breast feeding moms can take up to 2,000 IU's a day of D3 with no ill effects. I've seen many colicky babies improve when mom starts this nutritional regimen. If you are feeding her formula, I would suggest switching to a hypo allergenic formula like Alimentum and see if that makes a difference. Soy formula is not a good alternative for many colicky babies. It is a common allergen just like milk. I hope that this helps!

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C.D.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I found something that works wonders! It is Dr. Christopher's "Kid-e-col" you can find it at Shirlyn's or probably any other Health Food store. It is all natural and good for your little one. I used it for my second and wish I would've known about it for my first. Best of luck!

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S.G.

answers from Waterloo on

Hi there,
I can sympathize. Baths worked for my daughter. I swear she took 3 a day. Every baby is different, but it's worth a shot.
We also spent alot of time walking/bouncing around the house. I'm sure you do that already though!

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D.M.

answers from Boise on

I'm assuming that you've already tried the anti gas drops. There is research being done now that is starting to question the link between colic and reflux. It may be worthwhile to ask your pediatrician about whether something like prevacid would be helpful to try w/your daughter. Does she always cry during the same time every day? Is it throughout the night, just after meals, etc...? I made a small weighted blanket filled w/flax seed that could be warmed in the microwave or dryer and covered my ds w/that when he was fussy. Just warm enough to be soothing, not hot (esp. when they're that little). We did lots of car rides, put his car seat on top of the dryer while it was running (I was holding it), wagon or stroller rides, anything that would provide motion.

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Z.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I loved the book by Dr.Karp "The happiest baby on the block". It helped me so much. It always worked for my baby, it even worked great on our flight to Europe. I got it at local library. But you can buy it in Barnes and Nobles too. He also made DVD showing his method to calm a crying baby.
Also make sure this is really a colic and that all medical causes of pain have been excluded.

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M.G.

answers from Boise on

My second one was very colicky. He would start crying between 3:00 and 5:00 pm, and would finally quiet down around midnight. After trying many things we found that he enjoyed his swing, bathing (though it was temporary and he would scream worse when we took him out), and baby brushing. You use a soft bristled brush (sometimes they give you one in the hospital) and brush the baby from torso to extremities.

As it ended up he had some sensory integration problems, but since we identified it early enough and were willing to seek out innovative treatment, he is now doing great. He is 5 and loves preschool. Academically he is above grede level and while he is still shy, his social skills are pretty normal.

Good luck and hang in there...this too shall pass.

M.

L.S.

answers from Bismarck on

I see you have tons of responses and didn't read them but in our experience we used gripe water and a big exercise ball. We would sit on the exercise ball for hours and just hold our little one. It it works the abs great too. Gripewater for us really helped as well too but even though it's natural I wanted to limit the use of it as well too. Just wanted her digestive system working well without having to keep putting things in her body. Bounce, bounce, bounce on the ball!!!!

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M.B.

answers from Grand Rapids on

So by now, she's 3 months old, right? Any improvement? Was she pre-term? Are you nursing her? I had to totally eliminate dairy, spices, tomatoes, lettuce, onions from my diet when I nursed my first child, and the change in my diet 'cured' his colic. He couldn't tolerate certain foods coming thru into my milk. It was not easy to change and take so many things out of my diet, esp. the dairy, but it was worth it. Hope things are going better!

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A.H.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Have you heard about gripe water? You should try that. You should also go see your physician and ask about reflux. My daughter had colic for 6 weeks and in the end I believe it was all due to her acid reflux. Everything was so much better after we got her a prescription for Zantac. Hope this helps.

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L.M.

answers from Sioux Falls on

A co-worker also had a daughter with colic. She took her to a chiropractor and swears her daughter is a different child. Worth a try?
L. M

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T.A.

answers from St. Cloud on

When I had my second child, he was not a very happy baby! I was beginning to think I was going to have to deal with colic. I finally took him to my doctor and she diagnosed him with acid reflux. Have you looked into that possibility? Just a thought.... If you have already tried all those avenues, just remember that everything is a stage and it won't last forever and you're not alone. I always felt better when I knew I wasn't the only mom out there struggling. Hang in there!

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O.L.

answers from Lansing on

Hi A.~
From what I understand Colic a lot of times is a result of gasiness. I can completely relate b/c my first two boys were awful - so bad that I came home one night after I needed to get away from the crying and my husband had his rifle shooting muffs on b/c my son just wouldn't stop crying(these are like ear muffs that dull the noise of a gun being shot!) It was hystarical, but I felt soooo bad. Nothing seemed to work for my boys - atleast that I can remember (all I remember is A LOT of crying). However, my newest addition is an angel, which is super nice. I did find Hyland's Homeopathic Colic Tablets at the store and picked some up before he was born-just in case. When he was just a newborn and seemed irritated I would use these and it seemed like instantly he began to release a lot of gas and was not irritable anymore. People laugh b/c when I say he is irritable it is nothing, but after having my first two any sign of fussiness I jump on it. Your really should try these tablets (they also make a teething tablet that many people have referred me to) They are all natural with no side effects and dissolve very easily on their tongue or in their cheek. You should be able to find these anywhere in the pharmacy area or even in the infant section (I found mine in both places at Wal-Mart) If you don't find them ask b/c the bottle is small and hard to find!! (I wish I would have known about these with my first two!) I hope this helps and they are not that expensive so it is worth a shot. Good Luck Mama and be sure to get some "YOU" time - colic is h*** o* mom and dad!!!!!! Let me know how things turn out.

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R.M.

answers from Pocatello on

Try book called "the happiest baby on the block" by Harvey Karp.

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E.S.

answers from Sioux City on

So sorry to hear about the colic! I had two babies that had colic from about 2 weeks to 3 months. I definitely agree with the chiropractor treatment--worked very well for us. As well as cut out ALL chocolate if you are breastfeeding!!! Was the culprit of many tummy aches for mine and a few friends of mine babies' as well. Hope that helps!

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A.B.

answers from Salt Lake City on

You might want to do some research regarding a study done in Switzerland, I believe, where they found colic is caused by lack of certain bacteria in the digestive tract. Maybe you could try giving your baby really good yogurt--that kind in the green container ...I think it's called Activa. Good luck! I hope this helps.

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J.B.

answers from Lincoln on

My son had colic too. We found a cd with just ocean noises, no music, and turned it up and that seemed to calm him. Also we found that giving him a warm bath when he would start crying would help him too.

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S.H.

answers from Rapid City on

The best help for colic I ever got was to Relax. It's a catch 22 having the baby crying and you're tired and worn out. The baby can feel your moods, and the more stressed you are, the more the baby will cry. Have your hubbie or a friend to watch the baby for at least 2 hours. Then go do something than you haven't done since the baby came. go to a movie, have a massage, anything to relax you. The baby will tell your mood and when you're not stressed she won't be stressed either and the more relaxed she is, the less she'll cry. Hope this helps.

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A.W.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Have you heard of PURPLE crying? Sometimes there isn't anything you can do. Know when to call someone for help and know when to put her down in the crib, make sure she is safe and get some noise canceling headphones and walk away. Here is a link that might help

http://www.crh.org/body.cfm?id=154

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M.M.

answers from Lansing on

Well is she soothed by being held? My four month old has reflux and cried non-stop day and night since he was two weeks old. But he was calmed when he was held. So seems how there was nothing I could do about it and I needed to be able to get things done I went out and bought one of those slings that wrap around your body. They look like a long piece of fabric. Oh was that worth the $35 because although he was strapped to me and my back was still killing me because I could not put him down EVER he was NOT CRYING and he was happy and content right next to me. This sling allows them to be in an upright position REALLY CLOSE your body. This also helped because he needed to be held in this upright position for half hour to forty five minutes after he ate and needless to say I was going with only two to three hours of interrupted sleep every night and seems how I have an 18 month old I was getting no sleep. This helped because when I had to feed in the middle of the night I would sleep with this thing on and feed him when he woke up put him in the sling when he was done and fall asleep sitting up on the couch and I didn't have to worry about dropping him because he was safe and sound in the sling. I know exactly what you are going through the non stop crying is killer and it makes it hard to bond with a baby that is crying all day no matter what you do. But the sling was HEAVEN sent. He still has the reflux but he has grown out of the all day crying and seems to be more content so I don't have to use it anymore but it was DEFINITELY worth the money for my sanity. Good luck to you and let us know how things go. M.

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S.L.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I feel for you. Our daughter who tricked us with sleeping through the night(5 hrs since day 1) for 4 weeks suddenly got colic and I thought I was going to die! She would not calm down for anything- however the things that we trie with some success(depending on the day) were-
-the same enya song over and over and over again while bouncing up and down with her head on my bare chest listening to I presume my heartbeat.
-Warm showers with me then the blow-dryer on low against her towel.
-GRIPE WATER-its a homeopathic remedy that smells like black licorice- its made with oil of fennel and sometimes chamomile. This is not so commonly sold in the states- HOWEVER 'little remedies' I've noticed have just come out with it and the first bottle I bought in the states was from a specialty baby store that sells nursing bras. It can be ordered through a canadian pharmacy though as well. I had my family in canada mail it to us- but beware- they still sell some with alcohol in it, so make sure and ask for the NON-alcoholic version!
-last ditch effort, was swaddling. she hated it, but if she'd been screaming for 4+ hours it would finally work.
I would definitely NOT give any RX meds the dr tries- we were given one to try- it was an expensive co-pay and on top of that- she screamed for her longest stretch of ten hours or something retarded like that. Whatever it was made it worse!
Good luck!

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K.A.

answers from Provo on

I found something called Gripe Water. The PA I used to go to recommended it. You can only get it at a few pharmacies. It is an old recipe from Europe made from things like licorice and annise. I worked like magic on my first, but didn't help my second child as much (but then her problem turned out to be lactose intolerance). I don't know how local this community really is (this is my first time logging on), but if you live in Utah County they have it at Rock Canyon Pharmacy. K.

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S.B.

answers from Appleton on

Hi A.- My son cried a ton when he was a baby so I feel your pain. What helped us was getting him to see a cranio sacral therpist. I highly recommend researching this online and finding one near you. Its incredible therapy. It has helped me with morning sickness through my second pregnancy. It helps with all kinds of things. It also acts as a preventative for ear infections and needing braces in the future.
Also try seeing a kinesiologist. There may be something in the diet or lacking that your baby needs.
Good luck
S.

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C.L.

answers from Saginaw on

Assuming that this colic has been diagnosed by the Dr... My thoughts would be
#1 If you are feeding formula-switch it. We ended up on Good start after going through all the others and soys and if worked great for my son's colic/gerd.
#2 Gas Drops and feed in the upright position-leaving her upright for at least 1/2 hour after meal.
#3 Rocking and Music (believe it or not my son loved the 4 part barbershop music and it silenced him almost immediately)
#4 Are you stressed and anxious? If so maybe talk to your Dr. about medicine for PPD. If you are stressing then it wouldn't hurt to take something for a few months until everything is under control, and the baby can sense your stress therefore making them cry and feel anxious as well.

You will find that Colic is a "catchall" term. Hopefully your Dr has diagnosed this condition, if they haven't-make an appoinment because it could be something else all together like GERD/Reflux. Also remember that although it is hard, don't ignore the babies crying, you cannot spoil them at this age. Try a warm bath for her as well.imes just changing clothes, excercising her legs and rubbing her lower back will make her feel better.
Good luck and feel free to email if you want more info?
C.

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K.A.

answers from Grand Rapids on

My third son had colic. I was at the end of my rope.Since colic is basically having gas and stomach pain some of the things that worked for him to relieve the pain were:
* hold your daughter like a football and walk around. The pressure on her tummy may help relieve the pain
* place her on her tummy on your lap and pat her back
* I also switched his formula to carnation Good Start and put in gas drops ( with doctor's approval)
One day I also realized that he was to warm. Living in Michigan with the cold winter temps, I was dressing him in layers. Remember to ask for help if you get to upset. My parent's were life savers for me at times. Good luck.

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C.L.

answers from Provo on

My daughter had really bad colic as a baby. Like many of the other posters, I was nursing and had to remove milk from my diet. This helped but she still had bad colic from time to time. I tried the OTC remedies and none of them helped her.

A good friend of mine suggested this natural remedy. Take a fresh ginger root and cut the thinnest slice you can manage off of it. Score the slice lightly and then crush it with the flat of the knife to release the juices. Place the slice on baby's tongue.

I tried it and several things happened. First of all, my daughter screamed even worse since fresh ginger is really potent. Though I was afraid she'd accidentally swallow it, she never did. The second thing was she'd either burp REALLY loudly after that or she'd pass a lot of gas and then she settled down.

I asked my friend about it and he said that the ginger relaxed the stomach muscles and allowed the trapped gas to pass. It was the only thing that worked for her with any kind of regularity.

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N.H.

answers from Missoula on

i live in florence and my 3 yo was really colicky too. he was having lots of tummy trouble. there is some stuff at the good food store... it say colic in big black letters on the box, it's homeopathic and comes in single dose plastic viles...when your little one is having a really hard time just pop thbe top and sqeeze the liquid in the cheeck. it worked in about 10 min for my little guy. also, if you are doing formula... there are lots of dif ones on the market now have you tried switching? if you are breadstfeedin maybe something you are eating isn't agreeing with you little one i'll keep you in my prayers.. colic can drive you crazy!!!

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J.P.

answers from Pocatello on

Gripe Water from Canada is the only cure. My mom used it and I used it with my first baby. It has to be from Canada though, I have tried others in the U.S. and they don't work nearly as well. My suggestion would be to google it and hopefully you can find something online. I get mine from a friends sister who is from Canada. Good luck!!

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R.J.

answers from St. Cloud on

Hi A., I have 4 children and only had to deal with colic with my now eight yr old so I don't really remember it with him except that the only formula that would work for him was Carnation Good Start...But my sister has a colicky baby and he cried all day everyday...turned out he had acid reflux and they put him on prilosec and after exactly two weeks he was a total different child...this also happened to a friend of mine who has a now 5mth old...hope this helps! Good Luck!

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E.P.

answers from Pocatello on

Do you have an exercise ball? It soothed my colic baby when I softly bounced him while I sat on it.

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H.M.

answers from Wausau on

I felt the same way with our second daughter!! Our first daughter had "colic". And 2 weeks after she was born, our second daughter seemed to be going the same route. I was breastfeeding and I tried eating very bland foods, thinking that she was sensitive to spices. It turned out that she was sensitive to the cow's milk products in my diet. 24 hours after I cut out dairy products, our baby was like a new person. No more gas, no more screaming for hours, she actually slept at night. Are you breastfeeding? If you are, look at your family and your hubby's family and find out if there are any food allergies or insensitivities then try cutting out those foods and introduce them one by one to see which ones the baby may be reacting to. I really hope that this helps you! I know how hard it is to not be able to comfort your baby when she seems so miserable.

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E.M.

answers from Provo on

I recommend getting a wrap like a Moby Wrap or something similar. My children all settled down within 1 minute of being wrapped, and it still allowed me to move around with two arms and get done what I had to. Good luck - I'm sorry you're struggling!

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M.B.

answers from Benton Harbor on

My son had colic for 6 months and I found that NUTRAMIGEN formula was awesome, cut his crying in half. We also used Dr. Brown's bottles, they actually carry them in the stores now. They have the little tube in the middle that cuts out alot of the air. They are a little hard to clean, but they are awesome!! We also bought a noise maching from walmart. It makes noises like birds, water, heartbeat, etc. well, my son actually liked the white noise. It would soothe him almost immediately. I hope you find something soon, because I've been there. The biggest thing with my son was that he NEVER stopped crying. Most babies would cry for a couple of hours a day, but my son cried 24 hours a day:-) But after I tried these 3 things, it was amazing how much better he was.
Good luck!!

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D.C.

answers from Green Bay on

what I found with my son was putting his crib by our bed and just patting his back until he went to sleep and when I finally fell asleep with my hand on his back, he seemed to be okay, knowing I'll be there to pat him the minute he wakes up, but this also takes the part of the dad, my husband was great to help me out or I don't know how I would have made it since I also had a 1 yr. old to take care of. Mind you, my husband went to work at 5 in the morning so it took alot on my part and that was 22 yrs. ago.

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A.P.

answers from Milwaukee on

Oh, I feel your pain! My son had a very difficult first few months too. They (docs, etc) that colic, for most kids, has something to do with reflux. My son had all of the signs of having reflux (talk to your Ped) and was put on Prevacid. I was so reluctant to have him on medicine when he was so little, but I also didn't want him suffering. I think the meds really helped him for a while. When he was two months old, we took him to an amazing pediatric chiropractor (sp?) who REALLY helped him grow out of his colic/reflux earlier that I believe he would have otherwise. He is 6 months old now and has been the happiest little dude for about the last 3 months and has been off his medicine for just as long. He still sees the chiro once a month for little adjustments. He loves, loves, loves it too. If it is convenient for you....her name is Monica Maroney at Shorewood Family Chiropractic. They even took our insurance. Amazing.
Good luck!!!
A. - Mom of Milo

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J.B.

answers from Boise on

colicease.com- gripe water...it's amazing. My friend told me about it, and it works great. My daughter is on formula and while her body was adjusting to it she was not as happy as she usually is. It works for us!

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S.F.

answers from Madison on

My first daughter had colic. The first three months were a nightmare! We used techniques from the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp. It has many different suggestions on techniques for trying to soothe your baby. Maybe some will work for you. Swaddling worked well for us when she was going to sleep. We would swaddle her and put her in one of those vibrating seats or I would bounce her gently on my knee. That helped to calm her. Hang in there, it won't last forever! (It only seems that way.)

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M.B.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I am so sorry for you. My son cried 10 hours a day for 4 months and I about died. There is nothing that really worked for me, but things that helped were I gave Mylicon drops after every feeding, and then after he ate and started fussing I would move his legs like a bicycle to relieve the pressure in his stomach. It seemed like it was impossible to get him to burp, but if I kept moving his legs around he would pass gas and feel a little better.

Also, the Baby Einsteins videos seemed to distract him from his pain and I got a side to side swing that he practically lived in when I wasn't holding him.

Other than that I pretty much bounced him for hours at a time to keep him from crying, but I know that's probably impossible with 2 kids.

Good Luck!! You'll need it.

M.

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J.M.

answers from St. Cloud on

Both my boys had it. We took them to the Chiropractor which seemed to really help.

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C.D.

answers from Salt Lake City on

A.,
My little girl had colic for the first four weeks. She would scream like she was in pain. I had a rough delivery, her head wouldn't fit through my pelvic bone so I had to have a c-section. My mom suggested to have a chiropractor adjust her. I was a little skeptical at first but they stated that this is a good idea to get them adjusted because sometimes things can get out of a line. Delivery is h*** o* the baby also.

When I brought her in I made sure the chiropractor had adjusted babies. She was screaming and fussy before and while he was adjusting her. But after he adjusted her neck she stopped crying almost instantly. My husband and I was shocked and then he just bounced her and stated that they like to be held on their stomach. Their head facing down and your arm on their stomach and supporting their head. To also do a long Shhhhhhh in there ear. It reminds them of the womb. It cost us $20, they don't take insurance just because they are to young.

Also she could have gas which is making her cry you can do 4 things to relieve it.
1- Lay her on her back and slowly push her knees to her tummy four times.
2- Then with rotating hands the palm of your hand curved a little with your picky finger towards her stomach push lightly down from the bottom of the rib cage to her navel with both hands 4 times.
3- Rotate your hands for the hands of the clock go clockwise in a circular motion with both hands 4 times.
4- Then do the knee to tummy push.
I hope this is helpful and made sense. It helped my out a lot.

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T.Y.

answers from Boise on

When my daughter was an infant she had colic and after only 2 days I was ready to pull my hair out. A family friend told me to boil an onion and give her the water when it cooled down. If she would not take it that way to add a little sugar. I didn't want to do that but after a couple more nights of constant screaming I tried it and it worked. That was the last night she had colic.
My daughter has a baby and was doing the same thing but someone told her chamomile tea and that is what she does and it seems to work at the time but she does give it to her about once a week or every other week.
I hope one of these works for you, good luck!

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B.V.

answers from Provo on

White Noise-get a radio and turn on loud static, vacuum running

swing- use your baby swing

swaddling-snug with arms down

We used all three in combination, it was the only thing that got us through. I had the cleanest carpets when she was going through colic.

B.

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C.W.

answers from Waterloo on

I am a chiropractor and have helped numerous kids with colic.
i would recommend finding a good chiro in your area and give it a try. it would be a way to get it done without having to give your child any drugs.

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K.M.

answers from Saginaw on

A.,
depending on your insurance.....look for a homeopathic chiropractor that specializes in children. I have many friends that have relief after taking their children to be evaluated. Just don't be affaid to try all options.

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J.P.

answers from Milwaukee on

Crying can make you crazy. Mine cried for months, it would start at 6pm. I had a nightly trip planned out, would drive from our home all the way down the lakefront to the end, at the speed limit. By the time I got back, she would be sleeping & quiet. I would carry her car seat in the house, place it in the crib, unzip the snowsuit & go to sleep. Then I learned about Mylicon drops. What a life saver. My sister used them as well. We also took a trip to the chiropractor. Besides our pain giving birth, just think of the trip down the birth canal, and the trauma it can put on your little person. The adjustments & Mylicon, saved my life, and less stress on her vocal cords.
Good luck to youl...
Good luck to you.....

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T.W.

answers from Lansing on

Change formula and use Hylands Colic homeopathic cure. You can find this on line or at many drug stores. They have a whole line of baby things--all good! Worked great for my son.

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A.B.

answers from Sioux Falls on

My fleece pouch was a lifesaver with both of my boys. I got mine from www.kangarookorner.com (I have no affiliation with them) and I loved it so much that when I misplaced it I ordered another one within days. It's so soft and cozy for the baby it's like being in the womb again and it was far more comfortable for me than most other types of slings. I've heard that many types of slings are good for fussy babies though.

When my babies would cry I'd pop them in the pouch and then just walk around with a kind of bouncy, quick step. It was like magic, it lulled them to sleep and/or soothed them so quickly. I wish I'd had mine for all my kids.

Good luck!

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C.C.

answers from Kalamazoo on

Our first daughter had colic too and we were referred to a Chiropractor by our MD. Wow!!! What a difference this made with her colic. A chiropractic adjustment for a baby is very gentle not anything like you see with adults. She would be asleep in her carseat and he'd adjust her there and she wouldn't even wake up! I highly recommed having her looked at by a chiropractor!

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Y.B.

answers from Davenport on

My daugther had colic that started at about 3 weeks of age and lasted until she was about 3 1/2 months old. The only two things that worked to get her to stop crying were swaddling her and putting her in her swing (that moved from side to side, not front to back) and rythmic dancing. My husband would hold her cradled with her back laying on his forearm but facing him and her head in one hand and her bottom in his other hand (if you can picture that) and he would bounce from side to side. This would seem to almost put her in a trance...she would stop crying immediately and she would eventually fall asleep this way. I researched everything I could when she had colic and I found a lot of different resources that stated rythmic dancing works and it worked for us. Hope this helps!

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E.W.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Go to the library and find a book called the Happiest Baby on the Block. It talks about strategies for calming colic. They're very basic and centuries old. Basically, most animals have babies who are ready to tackle the world...they walk and talk the moment they are born. Ours...well ours take about 3 months before they start moving and talking. His theory is that they need one more trimester in the womb. Since that's not possible, you have to recreate the womb experience for them.

There are 5 steps, done in order, which will help soothe a colicky baby.
1. Swaddle--wrap her tightly so her arms are held against her body. That way she doesn't scratch herself, because then she'll get more upset that her arms aren't doing what she wants them to do. Besides, she was bundled tightly for 9 months. It feels like home to her.

2.Side/Stomach--put your baby on her side or her stomach. Something about this triggers a calming.

3. Shhhhh--This sound, or a vacuum, or hair dryer...white noise. It's what she heard for 9 months with your heart beat and blood vessels swishing around her. And your stomach rumbling...it's familiar. Don't be afraid to be too loud either. You'll probably need to start loud and then go softer once she's paying attention.

4. Swinging--for my daughter is was actually smacking her butt good and hard to get her shaking. It was soothing to her. My sister, at first thought it was a little too drastic. When she babysat, she found out why I did it...it works. Every time you moved, walked, rolled over, your baby got shaken in the womb. Go on and shake her. She's already on her stomach in your arms...move them now. You're worried about Shaken Baby Syndrome...you're supporting her head with you...don't worry.

5. Sucking--this is the last step. Provide a binky or something for her to suck on and she'll pass out.

She may calm down with any one or any combination of these, but the process as a whole works best.

Good Luck, and read the book.

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V.B.

answers from Provo on

Hi A.
I also had a colicy baby I and used a product from Herbalife named Aloe you can put it in water or I just let my baby suck it off my finger and I could just see instantly the pain go away. and that was my 3rd baby and I have 5 kids now and never had to go through colic again. if you want to know more about the aloe reply

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B.C.

answers from Omaha on

Sorry to hear about the colic! My son never had colic or at least not diagnosed but Peppermint water is a god send to get the baby to rid of any gas they may have and help soothe the tummy. Take as much water as you think she may drink and then take a tooth pick and stick it in peppermint extract then stick the tooth pick in the bottle and swirl it around in the bottle. You know when you have enough peppermint in the water when the water and bottle smell like peppermint. It dosen't take a whole lot of water and it usually starts working in like 10 min. give or take. If she won't take the water with just peppermint you can add in her formula AFTER you've already made the water so that you can smell the peppermint. Otherwise, a friend of mine said a slightly watered down screwdriver drink works wonders! Good luck!!!!

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S.D.

answers from Grand Forks on

My mother came to visit when my daughter started with colic, the first night I fell asleep at the table and slept for 3 hours, when I woke up I was in a panic as I hadn't heard the baby cry in all that time. I went into the baby's/guest room and there she was sleeping peacefully and totally relaxed on her Gramma's chest, just as my 3 brother's and I had when we were infants. I also found that when I was sitting on the couch it soothed the babies (my 3)if I covered a heating pad with thick blankets and laid it and the babies on their tummies across my lap. Maybe it could help your little one.

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M.K.

answers from Omaha on

I think this depends a lot on whether you are BF or feeding formula. If you are BF, then it may be your diet as everything goes through the milk. If you are formula feeding, infants just have trouble digesting the formula compared to Breastmilk. Babies are fussy no matter what.

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L.B.

answers from Sioux Falls on

Since you didnt say if you were nursing or bottlefeeding, I would like to add that my daughter was bottlefeeding and when I switched her to bottle baby water, she quickly get better, also we used GasX to relieve some of the gas bubbles. Warmish baths really helped, as keeping her tummy warm, if you cant hold her against yourself all the time, then a warm water bottle or whatever. Good Luck!

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R.W.

answers from Jackson on

are you breastfeeding or formula feeding?

babies who are colicy often are reacting to something in their food. If you are breastfeeding try cutting out all dairy (that means check labels) for 2-3wks see if it improves. You can also try to cut out wheat to see if there is an improvement.

If you are formula feeding, you may need to go with a hypo-allergenic formula.

As for coping. My 2nd son was very collicky and the only thing that calmed him was bouncing...bouncing on my knee, bouncing in a bouncer, bounce bounce bounce bounce bounce for hours and hours and hours. It was awful but it kept him quiet.

Also wearing baby in a sling cn help soothe her.

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T.G.

answers from Kalamazoo on

I have a 2 year old and a 7 month old. Both of my girls had colic. We had tried 3 different formula's and nothing. Finally, our family doctor for both girls gave us a prescription drops. I can't remember the name, but they were awesome. Within 2 days we noticed a change and we kept them on the drops for about a month in a half and no more problems.
Have you talked to your doctor?

T.

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A.B.

answers from Pocatello on

Has your doctor checked into acid reflux? They thought my little ones issues were related to colic as well. Then at about 3 months they tried treating her for acid reflux instead of colic. It really worked and she started doing a lot better.

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S.C.

answers from Boise on

My son who is now 21 yers old and has a little girl himself was very colic when he was a baby. We would take him for a little ride in the car and that usually would do the job. Also I would put a load of laundry and put him in his car seat and put the car seat on the washer while I was holding it. He usually fell asleep after about 5 minutes.

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L.M.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I live by this family remedy. Make some chamomile tea and give her 2-3 ounces when she is fussy with colic. If you want to, you can water it down a bit and sweeten the tea some so that she likes it. Just after they finish the tea they usually are gassing or burping. I have given it to my three daughters and it always has worked. None of them have suffered from colic for a very long time, but I figure if it helped me hopefully it will help you.
Just a note you might have to give it to her daily till shes rid of the colic. I usually make a big cup of tea, sweeten it and store it in a container in the refrigerator. Then when you need it put it in a bottle and warm it up for 15-30 seconds in the microwave so that it is warm enough to drink, but won't burn her. Good Luck!

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J.A.

answers from Des Moines on

I've had friends who have used chiropractic care to eliminate colic. Chiropractor, Heather Yost, in Urbandale works with infants and children as well as adults. She would be a good resource to talk to.

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S.F.

answers from Davenport on

A., I know how it wears on you. My first child had colic and I was young and unsure. By the time I had my fourth and she started in I knew I had to try something. I bought a carrier, the kind that holds the baby close to you, and everynight when the crying would begin we went for a walk. I felt better and so did she. We got through the colic much faster and I even had the bonus of being in better shape(smile). Hang in there A., you are not alone.

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A.R.

answers from Missoula on

I wore my baby in a Moby wrap sling. You can find them online and that was really helpful for us.

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D.A.

answers from Des Moines on

Turn on the vacuum or turn up the tv or music. My granddaughter had collic and the louder the noise, the more it calmed her. I know it sounds weird-but it did work.

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S.K.

answers from St. Cloud on

A.,
My son would cry for hours at night ans sometimes all throughout the day. Gripe water helped some also when I drank peppermint tea it seemed to help a little. I am a nursing mama. I had him on Zantac for about three day and felt so guilty about putting those chemicals into his little body. I then brought him in to a natural health center and had EDS (electro dermal screening) done. I found out that everything I was eating was affecting him. I changed my diet completely and took him off of Zantac and it was day and night difference. Now after 1 1/2 months he is not as sensitive and it probably saved him from having many allergies. I would definately recommend this. Even if you are not nursing it can test his body for areas of concern. Insurance did not cover this but I was well worth the cost. It was $45 for the 1/2 hour nutritional test.

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J.T.

answers from Milwaukee on

Both of my daughters had colic too. My first one was very predictable with her crying. It was every night starting at 6pm-9pm and ended at 2 months old. My second daughter cried 24-7 until she was about 6 months old. I didn't return to work until then. We tried everything from car rides, specific bottles, wraps, pacing, switching formula, chiropractor, reflux medication and even prescription from the pediatrician. Nothing really worked. The formula switch worked for a short time. We just lived through it. The only thing that worked for me, was myself being medicated in order to live through it. I know it's not the best solution, but that's how we did it.
Check out her formula if you'r bottle feeding and if breastfeeding, then look into your diet. Best wishes to you.

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T.S.

answers from Salt Lake City on

My cousin's baby has colic and was reccommeded these herbal drops to give her baby. She says they work wonders. If you want to know the name of it, please let me know and I'll call her and ask.

Good luck
T.

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D.D.

answers from Boise on

A., How well I remember those days with my oldest (she is now 27). There is much to learn about colic. the Dr.s seem to think it is related to tention in the mom or home but I find that hard to believe as colic can happen with the 3rd or 4th child (by which time the mom is more relaxed) I believe it to be the fact the baby can't get rid of the gas built up. I found giving warm water with just a little bit of pepperment candy dissolved in it could help. Is your baby hard to burp? Mine was. We also found she was more comfortable when we sat her on our lap (facing to the side) and allowing her to bend over our arm as we held her there. Something about that position helped. Try different positions for your baby or a warm pad to help relax them. I also found it did no good to just put them to bed and let them cry it out. They are hurting. So to put her to sleep I would hold her tummy side down in my arms (supporting her like she was laying on her tummy) and walk till she feel asleep. That position quieted her. Don't worry that you are beginning a habit that you won't be able to break. As your baby begins to feel better from the colic you can just lay them down. Hope this helps. I know the crying is hard but hang in there. This too shall pass!
Karen

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T.G.

answers from Milwaukee on

A. I feel for you terribly. My 5 yr old had this from 3 - 5 months of age - I also was going through a 5 mo postpardum, where i cried all day.
My husband would come home at 5 oclock - iwas there standing at the door with child in hand, and handed him to my DH...(he was ok w/ that) and I went to any store I could think of just to walk, or to the park - in silence. When I came home I could deal with him better.

So my suggestion is to leave - leave her w/ someone you trust. Colic screaming is difficult for all - my agony for the one who deals with it all day long -- I found many grandmothers in our church who were willing to come for an hour a day off and on, and help - just holding my son for me, rocking him was helpful -- but i had to leave the house during that time, even if it's just outside!!

-nothing soothed my son though, except for warm baths.

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A.F.

answers from St. Cloud on

Gripe Water by Wellements. There is also one by Babybliss but we liked the Wellements brand better. You have to keep it refrigerated so when we were on the go I put it in an insulated bag. Chiropractics work wonders for colic too. They have a very gentle approach for babies. I think I would have gone crazy without these things. It is so hard to not be able to know what is wrong and how to fix it!
Oh! I just remembered! Read the book "Happiest Baby on the Block" it's full of wonderful ideas!

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E.R.

answers from Davenport on

I cut out all dairy foods out of my diet since I was breastfeeding. This helped a lot. I also used Baby's Bliss Gripe Water. I ordered it on Amazon.com. It worked great!! My little girl is now 5 months old, and colic is now over. I have just been able to add all dairy foods back into my diet the last couple weeks. Hope this helps. I know how tiring and frustrating it can be with a colicly baby.

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S.W.

answers from Lansing on

Hi A., I am so sorry! We had 1 of our kids go through it and it was so horriable. But now you have 2! We didn't find to many ways that worked well, but changing the her formula to soy seemed to help a little bit. Also gripe water, or you can buy the samething but a ganaric kind that is half the price. There are also something called colic pills, I can't remember for sure, but I saw them just the other day in the baby stuff at our local Meijers. But I know you can get them anywhere. Good luck I hope it ends soon for you!

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B.G.

answers from Grand Rapids on

my brother in law told me that his spanish mother had a idea of helping with colic. It was to use a teaspoon of olive oil in one of those cough syrup syringes and give your child the olive oil an hour before they usually start crying in the evening.
somehow this coated my daughter's stomach and helped with her colic, I was very thankful for this because colic is such a stressful thing for both mom and baby..
I hope this helps!

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M.R.

answers from Lansing on

I tried taking my son first to a chiropractor, someone who was familiar with working on babies that young and when I didn't find the right person I took my son to MSU's Osteopathic Manipulative Medicidne (OMM). They were a wonderful help! Three or four visits and we were seeing improvments. They said the colic was because he was constipated and not pooping enough. I thought he was going normally, but he loved the manipulation. Smiled and laughed at them. I was so relieved.

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A.S.

answers from Des Moines on

so sorry to hear that. I had 2 as well, boys. The second is now two, and I will always remember it. I used a "new native" baby carrier when it was at it's worst. It soothed him for a while and actually let me walk around a bit and rest my arms. I also invited a friend over a couple of evenings a week and let her hold, rock, bounce him, and everything else. He loved a stroller- and I kept it in the house, and just took him for rides around the dining room table. It really was ridiculous. Sorry- I'm sure you have tried this all. Hope something works. :-)

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G.H.

answers from Rapid City on

Get the DVD or video called "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Harvey Karp. It worked wonders with my twin grandsons!

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B.J.

answers from Appleton on

A.
I sorry to hear this news. I too had a baby with colic. What a nightmare. Although my husband and myself jumped through hoops to soothe our baby and did every thing the doctors told us to do. It was in vain. I thought I would loose my mind. However, my husband came home one day with a bottle of organic plain aloe juice 150% concentrate (given to us by someone who sold Market America products) I was mad but at the same time needed a solution. So we tried it and with in two days we had our baby girl smiling more hours of the day then crying. She is 5 now and no problems with any part of her digestive tract.
I'm sure you can buy organic aloe juice in any organic food store. Good Luck

We also tried meds with the doctors because they believed acid reflux was a factor. Yet after all we did I believe they still have no factual answers for us parents with colic babies. So I truly recommend the organic aloe juice.
Sincerely,
Mom of four children

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R.N.

answers from Saginaw on

A.,

Hello! When my daughter was two months old I attended this conference that a friend invited me to. It was put on by Dr. Harvey Karp. It was called The Happiest Baby on the Block. I learned so much at that conference and wanted to share it with everyone who had a baby too because the things that I learned made such a HUGE difference for my daughter and I wished I would have seen it before I had my 2 year old son. He talks about soothing any fussy baby with colic or anything. He uses a system call the 5 S's. If you go to thehappiestbaby.com you can order a simple dvd that is packed with everything you need to know. I think that you might be able to find it on half.com for cheaper possibly too. I was in tears as I saw the steps actually working as I used the techniques with my daughter! I also recommend purchasing one of those swaddle blankets with velcro on it (They have them at Babies R Us) if you don't already have one. A big part of the process if having them properly swaddled from the beginning. These blankets keep them wrapped up nice and tight.

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M.M.

answers from Pocatello on

My son had colic also when he was that age. I feel for you I know how rough it can be. The best thing that I found to stop the crying is Infants Mylicon Gas Relief. Can just give it to your baby stright or you can mix it in a bottle. Good luck

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R.S.

answers from Sheboygan on

I am VERY sorry to hear this! We are now 3 months out of colic so I feel for you!!
I bought a sling and would carry her around in it. Our neighbor told us to put her car seat on the dryer and once in a while that helped.
Car rides were what saved me many days!! She still screamed at times but somehow the roads calmed me!
Good luck!!

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C.L.

answers from Bismarck on

i never had a baby with colic but my grandmother told me that if you wrap a warm receiving blanket around the tummy tightly it will help usually colic is from air i heard im not to sure but i always wondered if this worked??? you know how grandmothers are about home remedies so just thought i might try and help.but the blanket should be warmed i guess, so good luck, hope this helps

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H.B.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Colic just means that you have a baby that is crying and you don't know why. It is the doctors easy way out to explain they don't know what is wrong. Babies don't just cry and cry unless there is something wrong! you should try reading "The happiest baby on the block" it helped me! please don't just let the baby cry all the time! good luck!

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A.S.

answers from Salt Lake City on

Are you nursing? I had a baby I could barely handle, and went on a special "diet" for just 2 months. Honestly, it solved all of the colic issues, and my life was beautiful again. Let me know if you want more info. Obviously, it won't help if you aren't breastfeeding, because this wouldn't apply.

____@____.com

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E.1.

answers from Providence on

Yes, I was through this phase and baby magic tea was the last but right solution for my child's colic.

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K.S.

answers from Great Falls on

A. if there is a Safeway around you, purchase some Gripe Water. It saved my life and my sanity.

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A.D.

answers from Milwaukee on

Hi A.
Hang it there! My first two children had colic from the moment we brought them home till 6months. My girls lived in bouncy seats, the loved the vibration! Also my doctor had me switch to Nutramagin Formula it was 25dollars a can but well worth it! They started to cry less and sleep longer when they did sleep. My girls still have troubles today,they have night terrors and sleep walk and talk! They really have never had a good night of sleep. I hope this dosen't happen to you but just so you know that there are others out there that have survived. I wish you the best of luck and don't forget to get some me time!

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D.M.

answers from Saginaw on

I'm sorry. I know all to well how horrible that is. What formula is your child on. I tried to breast feed but my plumbing wasn't working good and when we switched to formula his colic got worse. we finally switched to a low iron formula and that didn't make it go away but it helped alot. There are also colic tablets in the baby section at k mart and gripe water they sell at babies r us... nothing makes it go away but these seem to help. Also belly excercises to make sure you get all the gas out. hope this helps. oohh almost forgot MYLOCON drops...

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