Colic and cluster feedings

eimearo06 · May 2014

My seven week old son has very bad colic. We have tried a variety of things. I'm doing formula feeding but I do breastfeeding 3x a day. I'm not getting a lot of milk so it's mostly for self soothing purposes. Like clockwork Nicolas screams from about 8-11:30. We give him a bath, read to him, rock him etc,'He is on Similac sensitive and eats about 4 1/2 every 3-3 1/2 hours. He has a hernia and gets terrible gas. With cluster feeding I'm confused how that works. If I fed him at 7 4 1/2 ounces would I feed him at 9 for cluster feed and if so how many ounces? Do you ever let them cry out a but before picking them up? During the day likes to be held as well and there are days he is a terrible napper. I'm going back to work in a week so I'm getting desperate. Please advise.

AriaAmante143 · May 2014

I don't FF so no advice there but no, I would not let my 7 1/2 week old "cry it out a bit". Your baby is not even 8 weeks old and doing everything a normal, colicky baby does at that age. Pick him up.

BethRN1987 · May 2014

The colic will get better, hold your baby and enjoy it. Soon they won't want to be held anymore. I agree no crying it out. If Sloan is fussing I let her fuss a bit but if she cries I pick her up. She was bad between 7-9 weeks with the colic but much better at 11 weeks. I've also gotten better at reading tired signs because an overtired baby is no fun

Mafernj · May 2014

No advice on the ff but my LO is colicky and screams from 8pm 12 am sometimes even longer. It was really really bad when she was four weeks, she is seven now and I read about the 5s method and that has helped me big time. There's a lot of posts here about it. It's from the happiest baby in the block book. Good luck

fish8412 · May 2014

I'm sorry! Try to remember your LO loves you and it will get better. I agree with pp that you should hold him and do not let him cry it out. My LO doesn't have colic but is the most fussy when she is overtired so I am very aware of sleepy signs and getting her to nap as much as she needs to.

talee1989 · May 2014

No advice here but a question.. Does a hernia and gas have something in common? My son has a umbilical hernia and often struggles with gas and is very colicky. Is there a relation with the hernia and the gas?

eimearo06 · May 2014

Thanks for all of the advice a nurse told me that that hernia can cause digestion problems!

bingbongsmama · May 2014

So sorry that sounds very stressful. My LO is colic evey single night around 3-6am. It's exhausting. We had a cluster feed this morning I guess, she was hungry every hour and had about double her usual intake. I always offer food bc if she is hungry, that's an easy fix!

KariB509 · May 2014

I've got to disagree with PPs a little bit, if you are getting frustrated by your LO crying, sometimes it's best to just walk away and let him cry a bit. I'm not talking for hours but just a few minutes. My LO cries pretty much all day and it's exhausting and maddening. There's no enjoying it while hold her and she screams and I try everything to comfort her and nothing works. After 8 weeks of so. much. crying. it really wears on you. Just saying.

Ok, enough hijacking of your post. I would consider cluster feeding eating like every hour. My DD tends to nurse every 3 hours during the day but then her last feedings before bed are 2 hours apart. Maybe your LO is like mine and is just hungrier at night. Anyway, I agree with bsouls, if you think he's hungry it's worth a shot, even if it's out of his normal schedule.

Have you tried gas drops? That may help with the gas.

GL. I understand your pain!

erinsullivan427 · May 2014

eimearo06 said:
Thanks for all of the advice a nurse told me that that hernia can cause digestion problems!

Interesting! My LO has a hernia and gas too but it affects him 4-6am usually after his motn feed. I'm starting to give him gripe water and massage his tummy and I think it is helping.

I agree with @KariB509‌ if you are struggling. I have never let LO cry it out but he doesn't cry very much. If you are having one of those moments, it might be better to take a breather.

I remember when he was around 5 weeks and I couldn't get him down and he was crying and I kept trying a million things and nothing was working and I was bouncing him in our room in the dark and my husband came in and just took him from me. I got in the shower and just started bawling. That was a time I needed to just put him down and walk away for a few mins.

Have you looked at the purple crying website? Also agree about cluster feeding!

eimearo06 · May 2014

Thanks for all if the advice

eimearo06 · May 2014

I use gripe water and gas drops but I keep trying.

BethRN1987 · May 2014

We did bath during sloans fussy time- as she's calm in it

KTdid81 · May 2014

My little man screams from about 8pm - midnight every night. My pedi recommended gas drops (try using them around 5pm - make sure not to give more than every 6 hours or it doesn't work as well), we also use probiotics, also burp more often...the more they scream & cry the more their bellies fill up with air causing more pain.
I also cut dairy & greens out. Milk protein takes 10-21 days to fully break down and leave your system, so don't expect immediate results.
He does cluster feed a lot in the evenings.

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