How did you stay sane with your colicky baby?

linda_1990

Hi fellow parents, I'm struggling with my three-month-old who's been diagnosed with colic. The sleepless nights are taking a toll on me. I would greatly appreciate any advice or personal experiences. How did you stay sane with your colicky baby?

bettyjohnson

I didn’t. I started to go insane.

I had to put baby in the crib, close the door, turn on the vacuum so that I could not hear them cry anymore, and just go in another room and collect myself for however long it takes.

I would break down and just cry out of frustration. I had nobody to pass the baby to, ever. Just me.

No baby ever cried themselves to death, but frustrated parents have injured babies by accident. There is no shame in having to recharge yourself. If you need to put the baby down in a safe place and just walk away, then do it. Don’t let anybody tell you you’re a bad parent because of that. You are only human.

We are not talking about abandoning your child, or leaving them alone in the house; just walking away to another room for a few minutes when you feel you can not handle it anymore.

There were times when I had not slept for days or weeks or months, I would get so angry at the baby for crying so much, no matter what I did,that I would feel like I might hurt them if I didn’t put them down.

Yes that is my confession. I never hurt my child, but I did have to walk away sometimes.

I have no parents, no siblings, no babysitters, Friends have all moved away, and there has never been anybody to help me with my children. There was Never anybody to pass the crying baby to when it became too much for me.

I realize it sounds stone cold, but I’m not a bad mom. Mothers were never designed to be alone with babies all the time, historically families stay together and helped each other out. This is not the case anymore unfortunately.

Parents who have friends and family and in-laws helping with the baby just don’t understand. They will criticize you because they just don’t get it, they will never know. Let them talk. I never ever had anyone to help me, so this is how I got through.

You will get through it too. Yes, This too shall pass. All these phases come and go. Before you know it, you will be looking at other parents with new babies, your heart will ache a little, and you will be missing your own baby because they have grown so much.

Stay strong mamma.

sunflower912

I actually talked to a lady today about this specifically. She said she never really believed in bringing a baby to a chiropractor but was desperate. She took her son 2-3 times and it solved all his colic issues. Chiropractor told her babies are super cramped in the womb and some have more trouble than others adjusting to the outside world. 

Find one one local that specializes in babies. It can’t hurt. 

I used the ginger drops for my oldest, now 12 so I can’t remember what they are called. It seemed to help but in hind sight I’m betting the chiropractor would have helped a lot more. 

sophiawilliams8

Oh, I feel you on the colic struggle with my three-month-old. Those sleepless nights are like a never-ending rollercoaster, right? First off, hang in there—this phase will pass, promise! To keep my sanity intact, I swear by a routine, like a mini bedtime ritual. A warm bath, a cozy lullaby, and some gentle rocking worked wonders for us. Here’s what worked best for my first one - babies magic tea an hour before bedtime - it was a game changer! Also, don't hesitate to call in reinforcements. Grandma, a friend, anyone who can give you a breather. Remember, you're doing an awesome job, and it's okay to feel overwhelmed. You've got this!

knottie1c550164f6547569

If you suspect gas, I would definitely deal with preventing it so the air bubbles don’t get all the way down into the colon. Gas is extremely painful!!!!!!!!!!!! No wonder babies scream! And their caregivers are jostling them and sometimes making it worse. 

   Learn how to burp effectively. See the YouTube channel “Care About Little Ones” and they will teach you how to burp effectively and how to do reflexology to help soothe the system and move gas out. You can drink fennel tea if you are breastfeeding or make the formula bottle with the tea like mentioned above. I’m leery of giving baby the tea separately only because baby’s electrolyte levels are easy to mess up, and because of their immature kidneys, too much extra water can actually be fatal. So take care how you use the tea. 
  

tamara-m

Ah I feel you, I remembered my first-born was also colicky. It was very tiring and frustrating specially for a first-time mum who doesn't have much idea on how to deal with a colicky baby. It's a sleepless and restless stage! But a friend of mine, who just recently transitioned her bub from breastfeeding to bottle that time, told me her bub is using a pigeon bottle (https://www.pigeonbaby.com.au/collections/softouch-wide-neck-baby-bottles-teats), and doesn't have any issues with colic. So I tried it with my bub and it has helped us a lot together with burping baby more often during feedings.

mhall487

I feel you Mama! Beyond exhausted over here. Sending love!

knottie83dde2804f2c8f5e

I would recommend getting a night doula. They are SO helpful! I used Marcia ( https://marciahorbacio.com ) and I cannot tell you how lovely Marcia is, and how much of a difference it was to get a good night's sleep! Try to find someone in your area.

knottie0b7254139443fe80

It is SO hard. I'm sorry that you're going through this with your little one. 

I tried so many things - burping techniques, tea, etc. nothing helped. 

The only thing that made a difference for me was this particular bottle (I will link below) that was recommended by a friend. It may or may not work for your bub, but its definitely worth a shot. 

https://www.pigeonbaby.com.au/collections/anti-colic-bottles-and-teats?srsltid=AfmBOoo1-LG5kr07dZGWgivfhexBCFtWJmI46hZpUConkf320JrPJm-6

Good luck, you've got this!