Is this normal?

AlaskanMommyToBe

LO is 12 weeks old today and it seems like he is upset from gas pain at least 4 hours a day. It feels like we never get any time to play or snuggle because I'm always doing bicycle kicks or whatever else might help at the moment. We do get a bit of a break after he has a BM but until then, not so fun.

He is pretty much 50/50 BF and FF with Similac Sensitive. We started with Similac Advance, then switched to Sensitive and also tried Alimentum but he wouldn't take more than a few drops. It seems as though he does better on the pre-mixed version of Sensitive, though I may be imagining that. I'm also not eating anything out of the ordinary, so I don't think my diet is a major factor.

I've considered lactose intolerance or a milk allergy but I've also read that babies this age sometimes have discomfort as their digestive tract is maturing. I've left a message as the ped's office but I just wanted to see if anyone else is going through this... or has gone through this and emerged victorious on the other side.

EllasMom92706

I have to say I really struggled with my baby this time (I have 2 other girls, 24yrs and 15yrs, yes YEARS, lol) so this wasn?t my first time at the rodeo.    When I brought her home from the hospital I noticed she was excessively gassy (gas is normal for a LO).  I was EBF at that time.  I could actually hear her tummy churning.  She was extremely fussy and I just chocked it up to colic.  She would scream from 6pm to 12am.  I had never had a colicky baby before (I guess I just thought it was my time to finial experience the colicky baby).  I could tell she was in such PAIN (you could just tell from her expressions and body language), but every thing I tried would only work for a short time.  I stopped FB?ing and went to FF?ing(I thought my milk was decreasing due to lack of caloric intake, I had LapBand surgery back in 2008 so my food intake is limited).  I ended up taking her to her Ped?s in tears (her?s and mine) and she was dignosed with Reflux.  I tried so many things and switched to so many different formulas here is what worked for me.   Dr. Browns Bottles and formula mixing pitcher ? The bottles are a pain in the A** but they do work and come in both wide and standard nipples.  My DD only really took to the standard nipple, she would get to much air from wide nipples (I tried Tommy Tippie and Playtex Drop in Bottles, they didn?t work for us).  The Dr Browns Formula mixing Pitcher works great to eliminate the bubbles from the formula and you can mix a 24 hours worth and store in the fridge.   Formula ? The best I found was Gerber Good Start Gentle, we tried soooooo many formula (Similac Sensitive & Alimentum, Enfamil PREMIUM Newborn, Gentlease, Nutramigen, ProSobee, NONE of these worked for us, either my DD had worse gas or she didn?t like the taste and refused to eat or got really constipated).  The Good Start Gentle really has been a god sent to us, my DD really likes the taste, poops like a champ and gas is down to a minimum.   Crib Wedge ? Goes under the crib sheet to elevate one end of the crib, helps with the Reflux.  Reflux baby shouldn?t sleep flat as it causes the acid to back up in their throats.   Zantac ? I REALLY DIDN?T want to put my baby on meds but it has been such a day and night change!!!  She is no long in pain and that is really the most important thing.   I know you are trying everything out there for your baby and maybe the above things I have tried might help your baby also.  Just remember that you are doing everything you can, you and your baby are still learning each others language. It will take awhile to figure out exactly what your baby is telling you is wrong with them.  Good Luck

jenbelsan

We had this issue and about a month ago we went dairy free.  I now have a LO that coos, smiles, and giggles at me and is so less fussy I can't believe it.  He still had his moments, but I didn't even have to wait a week to see the difference!

jena2389

My baby was the same way, i breast fed for 2 months then stopped, put her on enfamil... it was making her gassy and crabbing and also spitting up a ton. They the switched it to enfamil gentlease and it seemed to be doing a little better, but told me she has reflux so once in awhile i have to give her baby zantac.

Frankelberry

My DD was on Similac Sensitive. We switched to the Target Up & Up version about a month ago because of cost and she is actually less gassy now. The Up & Up version is less foamy which I think has helped. 

nikki_rob_weddingplans

We had this and the top two things that helped:

1. Levsin:  Ask your pedi about Levsin, it is a prescription gas drop and literally saved us from insanity.  We tried to go off of it around 3.5 months and DD went right back to the crying and gas pains, went back on it and back to an angel baby.

2. Cut out dairy:  I also do 50/50 BF/FF, although was EBF when this was first going on.  I cut out dairy and we noticed an almost immediate reduction in the crying/pain.  I tried to add it back in at 4.5 months, DD started with excessive runny poops so we had her tested and sure enough she had blood in her stool.  I went back off dairy, tested her again two weeks later and no blood.  She is now on Alimentum and it works for us.

GL!