Does this sound like colic?

ChickensFive

So for the past 5 days C has been screaming/crying during feedings; It's not constant but its every feed. As soon as we are done, we snuggle with her, and she stops crying. She also wakes up crying but this isn't new so I'm not sure If they go hand In hand.

I give her mylicon (sp) drops before every meal (because I assume it was gas pain) and It seems to help but tonight we had a particular bad meal so this Is really why Im wondering if its colic. :-/

She's so cute though.....she'll be crying and as soon as she stops, which is when we are doing something that apparently pleases her, she has the sweetest look on her face....as if to say 'oh yeah got my way'.

kck329

Has she been tested for reflux? My C used to scream during at least the second half of every feed until we got her on the right reflux meds. She was also projectile vomiting though which is super awesome so I hope you don't have that. Sitting her upright always helps her keep things down and makes her more comfortable. If she isn't spitting, it could be silent reflux-urbanflowerpot has lots of experience with that.

If not reflux, I would guess colic too but I'm no help there. 

How are the other girls? Are you adjusting to having two at home? 

ChickensFive

A is the projectile spit upper; we've all been christianed by her. She spit up all over my MIL and it took all I had to not laugh at her (the MIL not A). C doesn't typically spit up but I do remember when they were first getting more volume of formula C did have a lot of desats which the nurses and Drs assumed was reflux so maybe it is reflux. I'll talk to her pedi more at their next appt.

They are adjusting well. We've had no issues with sleep and it being too quiet so that's nice. I had both of them laying next to one another and they kept smacking each other In the face. I moved A over a little because I didn't want their nails to scratch them and she did a right hook to C. Luckily there was not much power behind the fist. LOL

We are adjusting well. The lack of sleep part Is the hardest.....well no its the second hardest.

How's your C? I love that picture of your putting socks on her little bitty feet.

kck329

Haha...my MIL completely freaks out every time C projectile vomits which also makes me laugh.

I love that your girls sleep together. Tell A to ease up on her sister....C will hit back one of these days! I can't imagine how exhausted you must be with two babies at home and little V still at the hospital. How is she doing? And how are you holding up missing her? Did you get some good cuddle time in this weekend?

My C is good-growing faster than I can believe. She broke into the double digits this week and was 10 lbs 4 oz at her pedi on Tuesday! She has been particularly fussy lately either because I tried adding dairy back into my diet (and have since eliminated it again) or because she has a tiny bit of a cold (which freaks me out a lot since we haven't taken her out much).

Thanks! I love that picture too-a friend who is a photographer came and took newborn photos for us in the NICU when C was 6 weeks old. She is going to come do more this fall. They are such a special way of documenting our family's journey.

katie4253

I don't think so.  Colic has some very specific symptoms.  3 or more hours of crying, for at least 3 days a week, occurring for at least 3 weeks. 

Sounds like something else is going on.  Hope she feels better soon!

bhilyer

katie4253:

I don't think so.  Colic has some very specific symptoms.  3 or more hours of crying, for at least 3 days a week, occurring for at least 3 weeks. 

Sounds like something else is going on.  Hope she feels better soon!

Agreed. Sounds more like reflux to me even though she's not spitting up much. Like PP said, finding the right med is key. Also, the Mylicon drops don't do anything for gas according to our GI dr

damabo80

katie4253:

I don't think so.  Colic has some very specific symptoms.  3 or more hours of crying, for at least 3 days a week, occurring for at least 3 weeks. 

Sounds like something else is going on.  Hope she feels better soon!

Yep...this. Also, colic is suppossed to present itself at an age of 2+ weeks...I'm sure how this works with adjusted ages, though.

What you described sounds like DD when we first brought her home. Since then, she has ben dxed with reflux. She's not a spitter-upper (she pretty much onlyspits up if there's a lot of movement/activity right after a meal, like a bath).

Does she sound snorty after a meal?

Try some of the "standard" reflux treatments:

-feeding her in an upright position (at least a 45 degree angle)

-holding her upright (like against your chest) for 30 mins after the feeding

-when she starts crying, stick your finger in her mouth for her to suck on, ten once she stops crying, resume the feeding

-stick a binky in her mouth after the feeding (during the time that you're holding her against your chest)...this helps to keep her muscles to push the food back down

 

Piper345

DS has reflux and very bad gas. Sometimes he cries after his feed and especially if he hasn't stooled in day or so. He also becomes uncomfortable when he has the hiccups. My pedi suggested trying organic gripe water and it actually does work most of the time. It seems to soothe him a bit.

Like pp we also have to hold him upright for 20-30 min after each feed but of he is uncomfortable or particulary gassy that day he will remain fussy for a while.

njdcgirl

Sounds like reflux to me too. I'd talk to your pedi. She shouldn't cry during feeds, so there is probably some pain (acid) coming up and the meds will address that. Hope it works out soon. It's no fun to see your LO upset.

ChickensFive

Thanks ladies! I'll talk to their Dr about reflux. How,eo,they diagnoise that? I was starting to think it was something other than gas because she really only cries when we are feeding her (well also when she's hungry).

njdcgirl

Well, they can diagnose reflux with an upper GI, but most doctors I think will just try the medicine and see if it helps.  Upper GI is tricky b/c LO may or may not reflux during the test.  LO happened to have one while he was in the NICU, and he did reflux during it, but that was only b/c he was already having a swallow study done so they did it at the same time.

I'm guessing the pedi will just give you meds.  Make sure youtell them that she only cries during feeds (and that it is every time.)  There are a few different meds they can try, and it can take up to a week to see if it is working (although some see improvement right away) so try and be patient and keep at it.  Sorry you are going through this.

kck329

njdcgirl:

Well, they can diagnose reflux with an upper GI, but most doctors I think will just try the medicine and see if it helps.  Upper GI is tricky b/c LO may or may not reflux during the test.  LO happened to have one while he was in the NICU, and he did reflux during it, but that was only b/c he was already having a swallow study done so they did it at the same time.

I'm guessing the pedi will just give you meds.  Make sure youtell them that she only cries during feeds (and that it is every time.)  There are a few different meds they can try, and it can take up to a week to see if it is working (although some see improvement right away) so try and be patient and keep at it.  Sorry you are going through this.

This exactly. And it may take awhile to get the right meds-we went to the pedi every week for 7 weeks before we finally got the right combination so keep calling/visiting until you get something that works. Good luck!

ChickensFive

kck329:

njdcgirl:

Well, they can diagnose reflux with an upper GI, but most doctors I think will just try the medicine and see if it helps.  Upper GI is tricky b/c LO may or may not reflux during the test.  LO happened to have one while he was in the NICU, and he did reflux during it, but that was only b/c he was already having a swallow study done so they did it at the same time.

I'm guessing the pedi will just give you meds.  Make sure youtell them that she only cries during feeds (and that it is every time.)  There are a few different meds they can try, and it can take up to a week to see if it is working (although some see improvement right away) so try and be patient and keep at it.  Sorry you are going through this.

This exactly. And it may take awhile to get the right meds-we went to the pedi every week for 7 weeks before we finally got the right combination so keep calling/visiting until you get something that works. Good luck!

 Interesting, I was talking to a nurse in the NICU about meds for reflux and she said they don't like to give them.  But I will for sure ask their pedi about it on Wednesday.