Colicky baby - out of the box ideas
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Anonymous
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Oh OP hugs
Definitely gastroenterologist to rule out underlying conditions. Try probiotics - klaire is a great brand If baby likes movement consider renting or buying snoo second hand Pitch black bathroom and running water - the darkness and sound of the water from the tub helped. Louder than you think shushing while firmly holding - not too tight but some babies need that sensory feeling. Especially if not swaddled. Try a zipadeezip or arms up swaddle something to keep bubs contained and help regulate his nervous system Headphones w music or something you like - a podcast or comfort show playing Simithicone or gripe water Good luck on you're doing great |
Anonymous
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When I asked my pediatrician if colic would end, he said, emphatically, "It ALWAYS ends." He told me that more than once, and I reminded myself of it every day.
You have to try different things. My baby hated swings and strollers and changing formula didn't help. Being upright against my body in a Baby Bjorn was one success. He would still cry but often would fall asleep. I would sometimes put him down in his crib while crying just to take a break. After a while he did not nap. It was extremely draining. I would hand him to my husband when he came home at night. I would go to my parents just to be around someone else whike he cried. We would put him in the car seat and drive in the car at night to put him to sleep. That was magic and such a relief. One day at about three months old, in the middle of screaming, he smiled at me. After that, there was a reduction in crying and his very happy, laughing personality started emerging. Just in time, because I was having a hard time with it. It tapered off at four months with just some fussiness in the evening until about six months and then he was delightful. He slept through the night around four months because he rarely napped and that was a plus. Hang in there. It will change. |
Anonymous
| So sorry. I was a colicky baby and my mom gave me goat milk formula...I don't know if they make that anymore. She also would drive me around so if you have a car that's an option. Or she'd put me in my car seat on top of the running dryer...something about the noise and vibration seemed to help (obviously monitor while this is happening in case the seat starts to shimmy off the dryer!). Agree with the person who suggested the vacuum...I have a friend whose baby liked the hair dryer so they made a recording of it and just played that over and over. Also the idea of wearing noise cancelling headphones sounds good...you could play audiobooks/music/podcasts through them. If you have anyone who can visit and hold the baby while you go out for a walk, do it. Even if it's a random older lady you go to church with or something, take the break. And don't be afraid to put the baby down somewhere safe and go take a shower. You will both get through this. |
Anonymous
| Does he have reflux? My niece spent all day and night screaming that I had to step in and watch her so my sister and BIL could get some sleep. She ended up having silent reflux and once medicated she wasn't screaming all day and night. |
Anonymous
| I had one of these. The sound of running water. Actual running water. We would stand by the sink with the tap running. When he was less fussy, we could do the rain noise on a sound machine but actual water was needed at times. There is a great portable sound machine that you can bring on walks. Front carrier worked best with sound machine going while walking. We eventually worked up to sound machine in stroller but that was like 8 weeks in. |
Anonymous
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Are you combination feeding or just formula? Mine was screaming bloody murders due to a soy allergy. I stopped eating it and he was miraculously better.
If he’s 100% formula fed, get him checked for reflux. Hold him upright after feeding if you suspect this. Run the vacuum cleaner. For hours. Try different songs to find his favorite. My oldest liked “Baba Yetu” by Christopher Tin. I wrote the artist, and he said he heard that a lot. My younger liked an Andy Grammar song, but I can’t think of the name. Nobody is going to report you to CPS for having a screaming baby. If you walk all night, maybe. But other parents have been there, done that. My cousin sat on an exercise ball and bounced while rocking her baby up and down for 8 hours a night. It was the only way the kid would sleep. |
Anonymous
| Reflux. Try medication and a pediatric GI. |
Anonymous
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Headphones to listen to a podcast. Mother’s helper to switch off so you can occasionally have a break. And time plus a lot of patience.
My colicky first born is now a very pleasant 9 year old, but wow was it rough in the beginning. I went on to have 2 more babies and those maternity leaves were so much more pleasant. With my first I just had to grit through it and then almost overnight he mellowed out around 10 weeks old. |
Anonymous
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How is bath time? Won’t solve the problem but could give relief?
Very loud white noise? Have you tried laying down on his belly for sleep? I know back is best but mine wouldn’t nap except for as soon as tummy time started. I wouldn’t put him down for a long nap belly down but for a few minutes to get a break I totally would. Then maybe he can be flipped. I’ve also heard baby massage helps. Supposedly there are pressure points on the feet and palms? Gently stroking the nose to forehead between the eyebrows. There’s also body adjustments and tension that could be done with a PT. Have you had a tongue tie evaluation? I’d also echo other posters that blood isn’t normal and you should feel empowered to keep showing up at the pediatrician for help. |
Anonymous
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I’m so sorry OP, I have been there. In addition to ruling out all the GI issues, here was my magic tip:
Baby Got Colic - try the hour long YouTube video (don’t watch, it’s creepy). I bought the music download and played it on loop all the time. Like all night during sleep, whenever he was super fussy. We tried SO many kinds of white noise, but this was the only thing that worked. I would stand in the pitch black bathroom, baby in the carrier, doing deep squats and listening to that recording over and over until magically at 3/4 months old, he was a super happy baby, and then a joyful toddler! Also, do not feel bad walking with a crying baby. Maybe not at midnight, but seriously, babies cry. It’s part of life. We lived in the city when my colicky baby was a newborn and I would get lots of weird locks pushing him screaming around the block, but eventually he would fall asleep. And the fresh air and movement helped me too. I did occasionally have to reassure nosy old ladies that he had just been fed and burped, didn’t have a dirty diaper, wasn’t too hot or cold etc. I had two more kids after my first, and they were both super easy babies! I was sooo worried, but most people I know who had colicky babies just had one. |
Anonymous
We had 6 weeks of colic. Disappeared one day. But brutal in the interim. Agree with walks - the crying just seems less loud outside. If you are moving about a neighborhood, who cares if other people hear? |
Anonymous
+1 - Insist on trying reflux medication - it was a game changer for my colicky baby. |
Anonymous
Op Thank you for the tips. I will ask for reflux medication today. He did sleep some last night, maybe that was the liquid alimentum or maybe he was just tired from the past few nights, but I'm hopeful. To respond to a few things - my pediatrician said it's too early for GI because he's a month old. And blood in the poop is something they see all the time and not a problem because he's gaining weight. It sounds like all a GI would do at this point is prescribe reflux medication and recommend the next level of allergic formula. Thanks to the poster who knew in depth about the difference between nutramigen and alimentum, that was super helpful I am sure my neighbors won't really report me to CPS, but it's a quiet neighborhood and he probably would really wake people up, and I need to save up goodwill for when he's a mischievous little boy. Also, the weather is terrible. But if he has another night like last night then I will totally take him walking- it just doesn't help my nerves any to be walking a screaming baby. |
Anonymous
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The running water idea oddly worked well. I'll try that again next time I'm desperate.
And sorry for not responding, but I'm glad I didn't use my phone because I was able to fall asleep as soon as he did, and now I'm a little more human. |
Anonymous
| Tldr: liquid alimentum makes me hopeful and lots of other ideas here worked, thanks |