Nursing Mom Needing Suggestions for Colicky Newborn

I had to give up dairy, but it almost instantly solved so much of my son's "colicky" behaviors. I thought that it was normal and he was just more sensitive then my first (which I also think is true), but around 5 weeks his baby acne had gotten really bad along with the gassy miserable place he seemed to always find himself. 3 days into abstaining from dairy his skin cleared up and he became someone else. We also found that Gripe water helped a lot. And I didn't eat any of those high risk gassy foods (broccoli, raw peppers, garlic, etc...)for a fe months anyway.

After a week - a dairy free diet wasn't so bad and now I'm actually really grateful to be off my daily consumption of it. My son is 9 months and not as sensitive to it anymore, but I still try to eat minimal amounts of it.

Oh, and I also found that I could eat moderate amounts of non-cow's milk dairy (sheep's milk feta, goat cheese, romano, etc...)

good luck.

Gripe water is great for gas and hiccups but it could be something you are eating the first thing I would try is taking out dairy but it takes awhile before you will notice any changes most people that don't have any changes only do it for a little while and don't see results so they stop. Watch how much caffeine you take it because that can make babies gassy too

L., my third child was very fussy,gassy...for his first 8 weeks. When I brought him to the ped. he did a skin test on him that showed a dairy issue-not a full blown allergy but something to watch out for. I went off ALL dairy (even milk chocolate and things that had a lot of milk) and within days he stopped crying and never cried like that again for the entire time I nursed him. After 12 months I started to introduce cheese and yogurt and he has been fine now that his body is more developed and can digest these. He is on rice milk though and only gets dairy in small amounts. It was hard to go off dairy at first but it was worth it to not have our baby screaming for hours. It may not be dairy but it is easy to test it out to see if it helps, just give it a good 1-2 weeks to make sure it is all out of your system but I saw results with my little guy in a matter of days.
Best of luck to you!!

My breastfeeding little one had severe colic and gas issues. He was on Zantac but it didn't work too much and still my baby had colic symptoms. Finally, put him on babies magic tea, a natural herbal formula and within a couple of days he was a super happy baby.

I found the book "happiest baby on the block" helpful for dealing with my daughter's colic. We didn't have food issues, just lots of unhappy crying. Swaddling helps, as does wearing your baby in a sling or moby wrap. I really can't say enough positive things about wearing your newborn.

Hi L.,

My oldest daughter was a very colicky baby -- in fact, our pedi told me recently that my daughter's colic was the most severe the doc had ever seen in her practice. Sort of a badge of honor, I guess!

She screamed all the time and needed to be held for 6 months. We used to take shifts holding her 24 hours a day, literally. When she was 6 months old we found "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr Harvey Karp and "Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child" by Dr. Marc Weissbluth. I can't recommend these books highly enough! I know that Dr. Karp also has a video in case you're too exhausted to read :)

You can usually find used copies of the books on craigslist, too.

Best of luck!!
M.

Hi L.
I can get you in touch with other moms who have had their babies on Kids Now-a safe nutritional food supplement for children (even newborns) THat helps with Colic and acid reflux and many other gastro-intestinal issues. (The adult formula helped me with severe acid reflux--very severe--now on no meds) Would have loved to have had this with my first-the prime time cryer..poor thing-no help from docs in the 80's!
Love to share and in your area too.
J. H
Foxboro

Hi L.,
Congrads on baby #2! Both of my children had reflux though neither were colicky so I hope this helps. I did indeed cut out all dairy for both of my children and for me it was tough also because I LOVE dairy as well but it really made a difference for both of them. My son was much more gassy and spit up a ton and I could really tell the difference if I ate cheese (my favorite) or other dairy. It was a challenge at first but there are actually a lot of dairy alternatives even at Stop & Shop these days. I had tofutti ice cream which was yummy and soy yogurt.
ANyway, I could really tell a difference in my son's gassiness, fussiness, and spitting up when I gave up dairy. He is 11 mos now and I have been able to integrate it back in and it isn't bothering him at all. Best of luck with your girls.

Oh, this sounds exactly like my 2nd daughter who is now 17 months. The first 10 weeks were very rough. A few specialists told me she was just colicky but I really felt there was something else going on. She would only sleep belly to belly on me - never on her back. She was gassy, she spit up, she was very crazy on the breast and would pull off crying. For us, it turned out to be a very bad case of reflux. But this took a bunch of trips to the doc and then the GI Doc to get it taken care of. We finally got her on Prevacid and with in a week she was like a new baby. Slept in her own crib and slept well, ate well etc. One thing also was that I did have to cut dairy and all milk protein out of my diet. I also had to do this with my first. Both had milk protein allergy - which in our case presented with blood in the stool. I don't have advice if your daughter has true colic, but if you feel that there is something else going on then I would urge you to talk about it with your pediatrician. Hope this helps...

take her to a chiropractor. see www.icpa4kids.com for the directory of pediatric trained chiropractors in your area. also www.sorsi.com too. or ask friends who they saw when they were pregnant or with their babies. It's great for all kinds of pedi issues, especially colic.
As for the food issues, only cut out one thing at a time and diary everything you eat and what her day is like. I know what you mean about dairy, but it may be worth it for both of you!

Mylicon before every feeding. Burp good. And I actaually cut out ALL dairy out of my diet. Read every label; avoided thing with anything dairy related. I noticed even soy bothered my son, so I even avoided soy. I drank a lit of calcium fortified OJ and ate my cereal with rice milk. There was a huge difference in my sons behavior after six month I was able to introduce dairy back in.

Hi L.,
I am so sorry to hear you are going through colic. I too had a baby that developed colic after about 2 weeks at home. I'm sorry to say that it lasted a good 3-3 1/2 months and it was shear hell. He also had some gastric problems, always pulling his legs up like his belly hurt, crying day and night and would not sleep at all unless he was being held. Needless to say, this left me with little energy and completely debilitated. I tried Colic Ease and it did help a bit. I also put him on probiotics at the suggestion of our Pediatrician. That helped also. But, i think that time was probably the best medicine. It is just somehting their little bodies have to get through and as they grow, the come out of it. We can do all we can to help with their symptoms, but time is what they need (at least that was my experience). Just try to keep in mind that it will not last forever..and believe me, i know how hard it may be to hear that now, but one day it will stop. I have a beautiful, happy, sweet boy to prove it!
Best of luck and keep in contact if you ever need any encouragement!

L.

oh L. I can sympathize with you! I have been through the same ordeal and after six months my daughter is still extremely sensitive. YES do cut out dairy, and also wheat and sugar. This makes a significant difference! I know it is hard but it's only for a short time and will also make you feel alot healthier. I am a health counselor who specializes in food intolerance and I know that these foods are very h*** o* babies. Also soy, spicy foods. It helps for you to eat more greens and veggies (some say broccoli can be a problem be aware) kale, spinach and swiss chard will help you be more alkaline. She may be too acidic and that causes stomach upset and reflux. Some babies are just too sensitive for these hard to digest foods. Once she is around three or four monthes you can start slowwwly introducing these foods back into your diet(one at a time), if you notice a daiper rash or any discomfort, that food may pose to be a problem for a while and you should stay away from it. Sugar and wheat in particular can cause an overgrowth of yeast, which can cause thrush and can further make your baby colicky. Please be careful with certain foods, this is a very real thing! Some other things I have done is swaddle the baby and put her in a sling. A sling is the best tool you can have for a colicky baby, keep her in it as much as you can. Also make sure you are nursing enough on one side before you switch over so you get all of the fatty hindmilk (the first milk that comes out is very sugary, throthy milk that can be gassy) make sure she is latched on correctly as is not gulping down air. The vacuum(or any white noise) is also very beneficial to use (i vacuum with her in the sling and she falls right to sleep). Try the homeopathic remedies, these also help the gassiness. Good luck, I know it is not easy but this time will pass soon enough. Know that she is very sensitive and it DOES matter what you put in your body! Good luck!

HI. I have 3 sons..my baby turned 1 in January. We had lots of fussy issues with him. Maybe your daughter has reflux. It is worth asking the pediatrician about. My baby was very fussy especially at night and gassy. We put him on Zantac and it seemed to calm him down a lot. Good luck!

Dairy out can definitely help and it's worth a try. Only thing that helped our guy was techniques from "Happiest Baby on the Block" - get it NOW! =) Also, Dr. Sears Fussy Baby book is a lifesaver.

Hi L.,
My now 11-year-old was colicky, had hick-ups in the womb and for months afterward, and cried every day for hours and hours. I tried the drops from the drugstore, not eating broccoli/onions/garlic, burping during nursing, Pampers Supreme ($$) diapers, etc.etc. She was just going to cry no matter what. The doctor told me that if I tried everything else, just to lay her down for a half hour and go to the opposite part of the house to get a few minutes without her. The only thing I found that helped her is if I carried her in a sling (I got mine from a La Leche consultant). She was happy to sleep against me, and when a bit older could be involved in everything I did. I basically carried her with me for the first 6 months (and she still cried a lot). She could sleep, sit up, even nurse in the sling. She will always be sensitive so I cut out clothes tags and keep lights dim and temps just right and snacks and rest are scheduled STILL. Even the most colicky baby like mine will likely sleep through the night at about 6 months (mine did at 7 months with Dr. Ferber's routine of going in a few minutes later each night and letting her cry it out - not fun but necessary when she was still nursing every 2 hours at 6 months out of habit). His book was helpful to me at various stages: http://www.amazon.com/Solve-Your-Childs-Sleep-Problems/dp.... Good luck, get some time away from the crying, take all the help that is offered and DO NOT GET FRUSTRATED and shake her, just lay her down and walk away. Hang in there. Cato

Hi L.. I have a 9 week old that has some protien alergies. At first I cut out dairy. It took about a week, but he went back to his normal calm self. I too love all things dairy, so I tried soy milk, yogurt, cheese (chz was pretty bad tasting) but anyway, he ended up being allergic to soy too! So now I am off dairy and soy. I"ll be honest...it sucks. But you find things to eat. I eat a lot of fish, chicken, beef, pork, salad, sandwiches, hommus, fruit. I was thinking about switching him to formula beacause I miss milk so much, but...after a while it kinda becomes normal and when you think about it...it's more heathy to eat this way. There is a stool test that your pediatrcian can do. It"s simple and you have the results immediately. It basically tests for blood in the baby's stools (that can not be noticed by eye). If it's positive, the baby's got an alergy...if not...well, just a colicky baby. Good luck!

You should consider the possibility that your baby might have acid reflux - hiccups are a definite sign. And is the spit up maybe sometimes throw up? Your baby sounds like my oldest (both my kids have acid reflux, but they had completely different symptoms). Everyone gave me advise about colic. Turns out colic is a walk in the park compared to acid reflux (actually my baby had both things - the colic, gassy symptoms went away when we tried soy formula and stopped breastfeeding - the acid reflux things like hiccups, not being able to lie down, spit up, crying for hours on end - those all stayed, but got better with medication). If your baby seems worse than the average colic - and it happens all day long, not just one time of day, like at night - seriously talk to a pedi gastro doctor about acid reflux. And if that is the case, keep in mind that crying also makes acid reflux worse - and acid reflux babies need their sleep - so do whatever it takes to minimize loss of sleep (always nap at home) and don't let them "cry it out". Good luck!

hi L.,
I changed my diet as soon as my Son was born to No Dairy --- it really made a difference! Since you have not stopped yet, it will take a while to get it completely out of your system (1-2weeks) so be patient. It will really make a huge difference. Good Luck!

Hi L. - So sorry to hear about the colic! My second child was the same way, and my first, like yours, was so easy, so I was totally unprepared for how to handle the constant gas, crying, and needing to be held that my youngest exhibited from 3 weeks until 4 months!! :( Even after 4 months, she didn't sleep through the night (until 12 months) and ALWAYS had an issue that needed to be resolved... like spitting up a lot, needing to be held, etc. I could have written your post! But she is 20 months now and is the happiest, most adventurous and fun toddler, so hang in there!

Anyway, what worked for us was chiropractic care and adjustment and probitotics. I never tried the Colic Care tablets you mentioned but I love all Hyland's products so I bet they will help. The chiro I took my daughter to explained that she was basically backed up intestinally, and even though she was peeing and pooping normally, her system didn't process the milk quickly enough, leading to pain and gas, thus, the crying and wanting to be held. The chiro treatments really helped right away and saw us through those first few, hard, difficult months. I didn't cut food out of my diet, though I did cut back a little on dairy by switching to soy milk, and I did avoid overly spicy foods for those first couple of months. I do agree with others who said that babies like this just need to work it out of their immature little systems, and it can seem endless to us, but I promise it will pass! You'll then look back and wonder where the time went! Good luck and hope this helps...

Had a colicky baby too.

YES - Happiest Baby on the Block DVD and/or book was a lifesaver.

Keep DD upright for 10-15 min after feeding, burp her A LOT.

The 'colic drops' did not help my LO, but that book DID, as did dark rooms, white noise ALL day long, swaddled ALL day long, and lots of motion. I kept the stroller in the house - she seemed to be better in her car seat than laying flat or on her stomach.

It is HELL having a colicky baby but it WILL pass. I have a very happy and healthy baby now!

Good luck!

Hi
I am an Occupational Therapist who does CrainoSacral Therapy. I find it very helpful for all the things you are describing. You can find a therapist by going onto Upledger.com. Good Luck
C.

Hi L.,
Congratulations! I know how hard it is in the beginning...
It sounds like some of the symptoms you describe are NOT food related; rather, they seem normal...Such as: wait at least 3-5 min before putting baby down after eating. All babies hiccup alot - no one knows why and they don't seem to bother anyone except the parents. And babies are gassy in the beginning because their digestive systems are immature. It takes a few weeks/months for their bodies to regulate. From what I've read, baby allergies to Mom's diet are not that common (and may likely manifest as rash and not gas etc.)
Perhaps your baby is simply overtired or overstimulated. We confused our baby's fuss with everything under the sun except being overtired...until we read the book that changed everything for us: "Healthy Sleep Habits, Healthy Child" by Dr Marc Weissbluth. He talks alot about extremely fussy babies in several chapters.

I wish you and your new family all the best and good luck!
~Z.

Hi L.,

Many have good suggestions so I will not repeat. My 2 cents if those do not work...

Both my babies had reflux, the 2nd one severe. It was very frustrating to hear from all (including the dr!) "oh, all babies have a fussy period during the day, just a phase". If dietary changes don't seem to work I would suggest checking with your pediatrician about reflux. Some babies respond well to the first line meds (my first did). Others need more (my second one). It wasn't until we say a pediatric GI specialist that she got the right treatment and the correct dose. She was a whole new baby!!

Other things that worked-we gave up on the crib/bassinett and put our babies in a bouncy seat and/or swing. They were very uncomfortable laying flat and this was the only way they would sleep. Also "wearing" them during the day in a sling or carrier helped too.

Good luck, having a fussy baby is tough on the whole family. I know what your are going through:)

Hi L.,

I had the same issues with both of my kids. Dietary changes made a HUGE difference for us. It takes about 2-4 weeks to see results from the change in diet, but once it kicks in you'll realize it's SO WORTH the sacrifice of giving up some of the foods we love (and there are decent replacements out there to get us by until we can start to introduce again).

I eliminated wheat and dairy. It's apparently difficult for some young digestive systems to process and causes all sorts of uncomfortable symptoms for them.

I will admit it's not easy - especially eliminating both at the same time, so maybe if you don't have the wherewithall to eliminate both at once (due to everything else you're dealing with with a newborn) maybe start with one and if you see results then you know you can hang on to the other one! If not, then try adding that one in? Ultimately it's your decision, but if you can get a good mindset about it, I know from experience that it IS possible. :-)

Best wishes! I feel your pain! :-)

Take care,
S.