Colic Woes

BarrettJ89 · March 2016

My baby girl is 8 weeks old now and cries easily 6 hours in a 24 hour period.

Colic sucks. I seriously wish there was something more I could try to make her feel better! It is so hard to bond with a baby who screams all day and night. I feel like I'm neglecting myself and my son. SO and I have only slept in the same bed twice in 8 weeks, so you can all imagine how much that weighs in a relationship.

Anyone else? Share your colic woes...

A&Lmommy · March 2016

@BarrettJ89, you've said that your FF right? I BF my first but the two times I tried formula, she screamed like she had colic, (nothing would calm that lil banshee down) and even when she started nursing again. Turned out that she has a dairy allergy. Just curious, but does the formula your using have cows milk in it?

BarrettJ89 · March 2016

I am formula feeding, but she's on soy. When we switched to soy (about 5 weeks ago) things got a little better, but were very short-lived. It's 2 am here and she just fell asleep after screaming since 830 pm. I'm just so exhausted anymore. The pediatrician diagnosed colic and says that we just have to wait it out. I have been reading about colic and everything matches exactly to our situation. She seems to definitely fall on the more severe side of the spectrum though.

I feel really secluded because I can't handle taking her and my son out together, especially if she has an episode. And I'm really uncomfortable leaving her with anyone (even my mom or my SO) knowing that she's screaming bloody murder the entire time I'm gone. It's so frustrating.

teachmegs817 · March 2016

I was hoping to hear you were starting to see some relief. With Griffin, I'm not so sure he had colic even but we did experience a real unhappy baby at times. Literally 2-3 days after his 2 month appointment, we started seeing some relief. So hopefully your on the downside of the hill, and you've all reached the peak of her colic. By 9 weeks, DS was doing so much better with the stomach issues and was just overall being so much more happy. His miserable moods put a damper on a lot of things in our household too. It made me almost resent DH just because he got to leave and go to work everyday. It was as if he got to escape it, while o spent all day home dealing with it.

Wicked4589 · March 2016

Are you using colic drops? We put my son on them and it made a huge difference. Gerber Soothe.

2winterbabies · March 2016

Is she gassy? How about gas drops? What has your pediatrician said about it? If you haven't seen your doctor I suggest maybe seeing him/her. Hopefully there isn't any underlying reason why she would be so colicky. My DD was extremely fussy for a good 6 weeks until we switched her to soy formula, but she is such a gassy baby she burps numerous times after a feeding. She also gets fussy when we accidentally keep her awake when she wants to sleep. She just gets so overworked that WE have to work extra hard to put her down.

PS: I don't want to say maybe soy formula isn't working for her, but if she has a TRUE milk allergy the doctor might switch her to a different formula like Similac Alimentum

ssavoie10 · March 2016

I'm part of this birth month but never left a reply...but I can completely relate to your post. with my first I was in the same boat...and I feel like it was really hard to bond with him. I didn't enjoy the time with him, and only realize that now bc it's a different situation with baby girl. all I can say is it will pass (feels like forever) but hang on. you are such a strong woman...even tho it's rough to leave her...you gotta do it occasionally, otherwise ur gonna lose ur shit! I know it doesn't help, but stay strong.

A&Lmommy · March 2016

It's so easy to get overwhelmed when you have a screaming newborn, even more so when you have a toddler on top of that. Take any and all help that's offered during this period. Do what you can to feel normal when you have help, a shower, nap, enjoying a solo trip to the grocery store. It's natural to want to be supermom but how can you be supermom and do everything if your head is in a cloud? I had PPD with my colicky first one, now I'm trying really hard to keep my head above water with this baby. I know what your going through emotionally, use the village to help you get through this time if they're available. Just remember, the days are long but the months fly by.

MamaGooGoo · March 2016

I'm pretty sure my daughter (now 2) had a milder case of colic, according to her pediatrician. It didn't start until she was 8 weeks old, though. Always in the evening, she would scream and cry bloody murder, like she was being killed, for one hour minimum. Just when we thought we had her calmed down it would start again. We tried everything.... Gripe water, gas drops, colic calm, baths, swaddling, walks, drives, and so on. It was like a light switch. She would just stop and go to sleep. At first I thought it was her tummy hurting her, even though she'd been on enfamil gentlease for a few weeks before it started with no problem. I even had her abdomen X rayed to check for a blockage or anything that could be causing her freak outs. I had read that colic usually stops by 12-13 weeks, and magically for us, it did. I'm sincerely hoping it stops soon for you! I can't imagine... Stay strong! It won't last forever!

BarrettJ89 · March 2016

Today has been yet another rough day. I'm worried for what tonight has to hold for us. She's an extremely gassy baby and has been since day 1, hence the nickname Beans. We have tried both gripe water and Mylicon drops. We use the Mylicon frequently, but try to avoid it if we can. She is also on Zantac for reflux (not sure this is an actual issue, this is nothing like my son who had severe reflux). I called the pediatrician this morning and they sent us on our way with a sample can of Nutramigen. I am so hoping this works! It's supposed to be in the mid to high 60's tomorrow (rare for Michigan!) so I'm going to break out the double stroller in hopes that some fresh air will help.

ETA: we also use Dr. Brown's anti-colic bottles.

rah938 · March 2016

Nutramigen is worth a try. Hope it helps. About 20% of babies allergic to milk are also allergic to soy.

hannahduff3 · March 2016

I feel like my baby has some colic. Every time he's awake he lasts maybe 15 minutes before he starts crying I swear. He sleeps good at night though. He also had a reflux so I'm not sure if it's just that. But I just feel like he's never happy. I just feel like I'm always trying to get him to go to sleep because then I know he's happy. Whether I have to take him on a drive or to the store or put him in my carrier etc. meanwhile I just wanna talk and play with my baby. I want him to be awake and happy. It makes me so sad. And I feel like a bad mom cuz I don't know what to do and I know he's supposed to be getting tummy time but he's never happy to do it.

danasphillips · March 2016

BarrettJ89 said:

I am formula feeding, but she's on soy. When we switched to soy (about 5 weeks ago) things got a little better, but were very short-lived. It's 2 am here and she just fell asleep after screaming since 830 pm. I'm just so exhausted anymore. The pediatrician diagnosed colic and says that we just have to wait it out. I have been reading about colic and everything matches exactly to our situation. She seems to definitely fall on the more severe side of the spectrum though.

I feel really secluded because I can't handle taking her and my son out together, especially if she has an episode. And I'm really uncomfortable leaving her with anyone (even my mom or my SO) knowing that she's screaming bloody murder the entire time I'm gone. It's so frustrating.

I was told my son had colic for 9 months, only to find out it was actually undiagnosed food allergies. Once we got all of that sorted out he was like a new baby. 50% of babies who can't handle dairy also can't handle soy, so I would strongly consider at least trying out a hypoallergenic formula. Can't hurt to give it a shot, right?

teachmegs817 · March 2016

@BarrettJ89 DS has been on Nutramigen since week 4. He'll be 12w tomorrow. It's worked great for us. I am actually going to ask his Pedi at his 4 month checkup about switching him off of it, now that his stomach woes are pretty much under control. It's quite expensive and I think it's almost too thin for him at this point. No matter how much we increase his feedings to, he currently takes 4.5 oz each feeding and 4oz at night, he still eats every 3-4 hours and hasn't slept longer than 3 hour stretches. I think it runs through his system and then he's hungry again. We will see. Maybe I'm way off.

Hope the Nutramigen works for you!

BarrettJ89 · March 2016

@teachmegs817 I sure hope so. Poor thing was miserable again last night. So much so that my parents, who love a couple miles away, have told us that if she is inconsolable to call them and they will come take her for a car ride to see if she settles at all. After her episodes, she's been sleeping 6 or 8 hours a night...

teachmegs817 · March 2016

@BarrettJ89 It took about a week or 2 for us to start really seeing a difference. That's awesome that you have your parents around to help you guys out. Sometimes, it's all about the man power backing you up, that gets you through times like this.

deedeecmc79 · March 2016

My little one was really bad to I tryed Alumentum forgive the spelling, but it is made by Similac. It did the trick. I is also helping my son. not as well but he is better on it.

JMZiskie · March 2016

I just want to start by saying I am so sorry you have to experience a baby with colic! My first, who is now 6, also had colic and I was a single mom at the time (dad not involved at all) and I would just sit and cry with her - it was a really hard couple of months! I wanted to share that I ended up switching her to Nutramigen formula and used Dr. Brown bottles and it made a huge difference!! Also, I would just dance with her around the house and sing to her and that would seem to calm her down, although it's a little exhausting but better then the ear piercing colicky scream

I want you to know it does get better, you will bond with your baby, and I honestly think I am so close to my first because we went through that! Also, she is literally such an amazing child now you would never know she screamed for months straight! You will never forget this time but I promise you it does get better!

BarrettJ89 · March 2016

I don't want to jinx myself, but yesterday (her first full day on Nutrimigen) she had a really great day. She would scream here and there, but was much, much easier to console. We got out and went to the new house and took a walk through the neighborhood. She pooped 4 times (she's only been pooping once a day for over a month). She has been passing gas without as much strain.

For those who have used this formula, how did the amount of formula your LO drank compare to how much they were drinking of the other formula? Yesterday she would refuse anything more than 2 oz at a time...

teachmegs817 · March 2016

@BarrettJ89 I am finding that if anything, Griffin wants more because it is so thin. It's almost breastmilk consistency. He is 12w and now gets 4.5 oz at each feeding. He will eat a total of 27-30oz a day. Maybe she's just got to get used to the taste and once her stomach gets a little more settled, she'll want more.

So glad to hear things went well for you. LO now has anywhere between 2-4 bowel movements a day. Going from none and then only doing it when we'd jump start the process was huge for us. He still strains to pass gas here and there, but it is lightyears better than what it was. It's also not as stinky.

BarrettJ89 · March 2016

Agreed! She is pooping about 4 times a day now. She had 2 episodes last night lasting maybe an hour each, but she was consolable! She's doing so much better. We've even gone out into public! My anxiety is easing a bit about taking her out now that we aren't having so many screaming episodes. It's funny, she looks better too. I'm not sure how to explain it, other than her baby acne being practically gone. She just looks different.

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