My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

We have a 4 week old baby girl. We think she's colicky- she passes gas and continiously cry mid-morning to afternoon. During early morning, she's very fidgity and grunts all the time. She sleeps for an hour and eats little (2 oz of formula).

I feel bad for my wife during the day (as I go to work), she can't seem to control her crying and feeling helpless and frustrated at times. It seems like she (the baby) can't catch her sleep during day time.

What can we do to alleviate her crying? or pain? We just want her to get her right pattern of sleep. Any suggestion?

New parents here =)

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

- I don't really have answers for you - just some suggestions.

1- If she is having a lot of pain because of gas - you may want to talk to her pediatrician.
There can be a lot of causes for it. In the meantime, try and bicycle her legs to relieve some of the pressure of the gas. My daughter had a lot of problems with gas and tummy pain. This helped - along with a formula change, and Mylicon gas drops.


2- Get the book "Happiest Baby on the Block" it talks about the 5 S's and how to deal with a crying or colicky baby by swaddling for sleep. sshing - etc.

Good Luck!!

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

I would call your ped and they'll most likely refer you to a pediatric gastro.....along with this may be a change in formula.

When you go to the ped bring a few dirty diapers to check for blood - signs of a milk allergy.

My son had colic - its horrible and to hear those poor little angels scream all day is so draining and heartbreaking - I truly feel for you!!!!

Please FM me with any questions you have and I'll be happy to lend some help :)

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

Thanks for all the help and suggestions, guys.

A friend of mine suggested Mylicon also. I'll buy it tonight and try it.

I guess Colic is one of those things we just have to deal with for 3 months. People have told me that it suddenly stops in 3 months...

Hopefully, they are right on the money

Either way, we'll take all the sleepless nights and frustrations anytime for our baby girl.

Thanks guys!

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

--try burping her after every ounce...she may not be colicky, but need to release a good burp more often...

--I second looking into changing the formula, some babies do better on others and the gas issues may originate there.

--also, definitely try the mylicon, it helped us...but also, we use Dr. Brown's bottles and that cuts down on gas HUGELY, I truly believe it helped our daughter...

Your Dr. is there to help you figure it out, so do not hesitate calling him/her, and calling often while you all work it out...

Good Luck and for you, your wife, and your daughter!

Message edited 5/2/2006 1:27:49 PM.

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

I understand the stress of colic very well. I agree with calling the pediatrician and doing things to alleviate gas. Movement was a big help for Andrew. He would calm down on car rides, or when we put his car seat on the washing machine during a cycle. His bouncy seat was somewhat soothing.

Good luck!

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

My daughter had colic a few things that helped were switching to dr brown bottles along with Nutramigen formula (for colic) an dwe used a ton of mylicon with no luck then out pediatrician told us to use gripe water worked 100x better!
good luck

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

I have a few suggestions as a mom who was not so long ago in your shoes

First, is your wife breastfeeding? If so, what she's eating may have a great effect on your baby's gas. I found that when I ate anything with dairy, green vegetables, beans, tomatoes or garlic, my daughter's gas got much MUCH worse. If you're using formula, try switching brands.

Second, try letting your baby sleep on his/her side. It helps the trapped gas bubbles to travel upward and out.

Third, invest in two things - a really good baby carrier/sling and a swing. Gassy babies are most comforted when close to mom. Carrying him/her in a carrier will help alleviate the symptoms. When my daughter was REALLY bad and couldn't sleep, I'd slip her into the baby Bjorn and walk on my treadmill on the lowest setting. It ALWAYS worked. The swing was also our miracle. It was the only way my daugher could sleep and/or nap until she was about 5 months.

What bottles do you use? Dr. Brown's are apparently the best for reducing gas.

Last, but not least, your little one may be suffering from Acid Reflux. It's worth it to take a trip to the pediatrician and rule out any other causes...

GOOD LUCK!! It's incredibly hard, I remember very vividly. But around 4 months my daughter started coming out of it. Remember, the more you distract your little one, the more he/she will forget about the discomfort... taking him/her out for a stroll, to the store, anywhere, should help!

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

I thought dd was colicky around this time too. We found this great cd called infant calm at bn.com. She would calm as soon as the vacuum track would play. Now at almost 4 months she is a very happy baby, so know that it does get better! Hang in there.

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

Posted by Bxgell2

I have a few suggestions as a mom who was not so long ago in your shoes

First, is your wife breastfeeding? If so, what she's eating may have a great effect on your baby's gas. I found that when I ate anything with dairy, green vegetables, beans, tomatoes or garlic, my daughter's gas got much MUCH worse. If you're using formula, try switching brands.

Second, try letting your baby sleep on his/her side. It helps the trapped gas bubbles to travel upward and out.

Third, invest in two things - a really good baby carrier/sling and a swing. Gassy babies are most comforted when close to mom. Carrying him/her in a carrier will help alleviate the symptoms. When my daughter was REALLY bad and couldn't sleep, I'd slip her into the baby Bjorn and walk on my treadmill on the lowest setting. It ALWAYS worked. The swing was also our miracle. It was the only way my daugher could sleep and/or nap until she was about 5 months.

What bottles do you use? Dr. Brown's are apparently the best for reducing gas.

Last, but not least, your little one may be suffering from Acid Reflux. It's worth it to take a trip to the pediatrician and rule out any other causes...

GOOD LUCK!! It's incredibly hard, I remember very vividly. But around 4 months my daughter started coming out of it. Remember, the more you distract your little one, the more he/she will forget about the discomfort... taking him/her out for a stroll, to the store, anywhere, should help!

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

I took my son to a cranial osteopath, there is a claim that colic could be due to pressure in the head and cranial osteopathy can help to sort out the plate of the skull that can be tight.

I am not like into alternative medecines, but I have taken my son a few times and his temperament is so much better.

Re: My baby is colicky--- I think? Help!

My sisters baby had very bad colic and she too took him to a cranial osteopath too and he was a diffrent child after a few sessions with her - might be something worth looking into, especially if the birth was difficult or he didnt sleep for a long time the first day he was born - dont know why but that has something to do with it....

My DD isnt colicky but is fussy and her witching hours are in the evening before bedtime and in the early hours of the morning -and its always due to gas, I always take her up at that time and cycle her legs and usually get results!!I find that if I take her into bed with me then she relaxes and goes back to sleep quicker -I know some parents dont agree with having their babies in bed with them but for me it works.

Good luck!