My granddaughter is just past the 3 month mark, however she was born 3 weeks early. She cries more than she is quiet even though we have found a formula to supplement her breast feeding which agrees with her. Her latest is that she screams while riding in the car. My daughter wanted to join us next week on a 500 mile trip to a family reunion but none of us want to see the baby (or any of us) miserable for 500 miles. Any suggestions or solutions?
I would say she has colic or silent reflux. You might try treating her and see if that helps her.
C.
Please encourage your daughter to just stay home with the baby. Travel is hard on little ones and risky due to exposure to disease which may overwhelm their maturing immune systems. I had a very needy/cranky first baby and it just isn't worth the effort to travel long distances. You will all be a nervous wreck when you get there. Sometimes as moms we must make tough choices in favor of the needs of our children. Please encourage your daughter to wear baby in a carrier as that seems to help baby quiet and mom sane. This too shall pass....until then, you have my empathy. Nurse Midwife Mom of 3 Blessings.
My daughter was 3 weeks early and colicky as well. She cried EVERY SINGLE DAY from at least 5 to 10 PM and frequently throughout the day. The only thing that helped me was wearing her (not sure fire, she still cried a lot). I bought a sling and when she was in it she could sleep laying down (unlike a baby bjorn where the baby sits up). I could even nurse her in it after some experimenting and she was with me whatever I did. It is not safe but I admit that at one time we drove 4 hours to the in-laws and I took her out of the car seat and had her in the sling while I wore the seat belt in the back seat. She grew out of her colick at age 6 months, and it started getting a lot better at age 3 months, so hopefully you are through the worst of it. I found a very good book helped me to deal with her extreme sensitivity. It is called The Highly Sensitive Child by Elaine Aron and I used it for many years since it has segments by age group. http://www.amazon.com/Highly-Sensitive-Child-Children-Ove...
Alternately, talk to her doctor and see if there is any kind of sleep aid or carsickness tablet approved for one so young. I take Dramamine for long trips and that makes me drowsy. Good luck.
Sounds like colic. I would look into some articles about colic and traveling. Not only would her momma be able to prepare for the car ride, she could read up on colic to know how to handle it. I'm sure that is very stressful and give your daughter long distance hugs :) I was a colic baby and I'm sure my mom had some stressful times.
Poor thing, she may be carsick.
Is flying an option, at least for your daughter and granddaughter? My kids were much better on planes than on long car rides.
Yeah, she could just hate the car. BUT, if she's generally crying more than she's not crying, I'd say there is another issue. It could be colic, I never had a colicy baby (thank GOD!) but it was my understanding that most kids grew out of it about 3 months, so if it just started or isn't starting to taper off I'd say that maybe that is NOT the issue.
Is she eating enough? You said her mom is supplementing, but is she getting enough at the breast when she's on it? She could be hungry. She could have reflux. That would certainly make her cry! Those are my initial instincts but I guess I'd need more info. I hope it works out and always call the pediatrician if you don't know what's up, they are there to be a resource!
I'd stay home too & not risk having to drive that far, that long w/a screaming unhappy baby. :( Sad but so much better of a time.
Colic?
Gas? If so, I used Mylicon drops.
My baby liked his car seat early on.....then not so much til later.
Could she be hungry? Feed her again (as they grown they sometimes need their feedings closer together during spurts.
Car rides just may not agree w/her.
Good luck and maybe sit this one out?
Some babies just HATE the car seat and driving in the car. My first daughter was that way. From day one she would scream and cry every time she was in the car or in the car seat. The only time I would take her in the car was when it was nap time so she would sleep. Even then she would scream for 10 or 15 min. until she was asleep. It was so hard to go anywhere...even just to the store. As she got older she grew out of it but for the first 10 months is was awful! I tried different things but nothing worked. So if I were u I would either not go or drive at night while she is sleeping.
my 1st hated car rides from day one until about 6 months old. we did not go many places!
