Seeking Other Breastfeeding Moms

Hi M.,

My son had tummy issues, too. Gripe water was helpful. Avoiding spicy food was helpful for us. I've read now that getting completely away from daily has proved wonders for many moms with colicky babies.

Hang in there - changing to bottles may do more harm than good. Typically colic passes within 3 months (I know that sounds like a lot, but it does go quickly).

Hi M.,

I had the same thing with my daughter who is now 8 1/2 months. Keep track of what you are eating, I found that certain vegetables that I was eating didn't agree with her, the biggest culprits I found were broccoli, aspargus, onions, bell peppers. I made the mistake one night of making a vegetable stir fry, with all of the above, and then realized why she was so upset, I felt aweful. Once you pinpoint if it is certain foods that you are eating like me, I just tried to stay away from those for a little while, then started eating them again slowly, and now she is fine, hasn't had a problems since. Good Luck:)

When my first child and second child were babies they cried frequently from gas.It wasn't till I tried changing my diet that I discovered what the problem was. I was told by a friend of mine to stopped eating a particular type of food for 2 week and see if that helps stop the gas. It wasn't long before I discovered That it was raw milk products (milk, ice cream). Some of my friends had different results.

go to www.llli.org and find a laleche group in your area. this group is awesome and will give you the support you need. all volunteer moms dedicated to breastfeeding.

Are u watching what u eat? I had to cut dairy out of my diet due to my daughter not dijesting it easy. Good luck

Hi M. I have a lot of things I could say but Im not sure where you are at as of now with it... send me a private message and I may be able to help some... I also have a daughter who is still breasfed and she is 17 mos. so I so have a bit of experience .. hope to here from you soon.

I'm so sorry to hear that your baby has such an upset tummy. My daughter was similar to how to describe your daughter. I removed dairy from my diet- everything from milk and cheese to any small amount of dairy or whey in any food items. It helped so much. After doing a lot of trial and error, I discovered that I also needed to stay away from soy and poultry. I used a elimination diets to discover this. If you are interested in trying this method, I am sure some one at the La Le Leche League in your area could help (there is no charge). I know that not all colic is caused by food proteins (from what the mom eats) that pass into the milk, but I really believe a lot of it is. I can also say that if I accidental eat something that way dairy in it, at a year, my daughter still reacts that way.

Best of luck to you. You are doing such a good job & you are trying so many things to soothe your little one. You are such a loving mom.

Hi M.! I am a breast feeding mom. And I DO have some advice.
DO NOT GIVE UP!
Colic is common to all new babies. I know that may not be what you want to hear but it is so true.
I guess that I would like to address your comment, "I might as well switch to bottles."
Bottles will not resolve the gas or colic issues. Your baby's digestive system is very new and very young, this is completely normal and will resolve. Most colic peaks at 6 weeks and begins to subside at 8 weeks. There's not a whole lot you can do. But one product that we tried was "Colic Calm," also you can relieve gas by taking their legs, folding them up to their tummy, holding them there with a little pressure and rotating them side to side.
And there are so many other wonderful great reasons to continue breast feeding your daughter besides less gas.
And I know that its tough right now, believe me, I have been exactly the same place, and I remember thinking the same thing.
But breast feeding is so good for the both of you. It really does promote bonding, and helps regulate baby's heartbeat and temperature, gives closeness and is really so healthy for her.
I just can't say enough about all of the positive benefits.
So what you should do, is come to one of the local LLL meetings. I'm assuming you are in the Holland/Zeeland area (IF you are not, you can go online and find local meetings in your area). So you have your pick of two different meetings, either in Holland or Zeeland. LLL is La Leche League and it exists to support breast feeding moms. You will meet other moms there, as well as the leaders, and there you can find all the moral support and resources that you could possibly need. And the leaders are there for you at any time you have questions, not just during the meetings. You can find their meeting times and locations online - as well as contact information for the leaders.
They meet the fourth friday of each month at 10 am at Hope Church in Holland.
and they also meet the second Monday of each month at 7 pm at 2nd Reformed Church in Zeeland.
Hope to see you!
Don't give up - it is well worth the effort! You can do it! These weeks are hard, whether breast feeding or bottle feeding, and the breast feeding helps you to feel close to your baby and promotes empathy, which is especially important during these frustrating weeks.
Best of luck!
I hope you can hang in there!

E.

It's great you are feeding your baby the food that is made specifically for her! Nothing else could give her everything she needs like her own Mommy's milk. For gas, is she taking in a lot of air when she feeds? Do you hear little gulping sounds or clicks as she drinks? If so, she might be swallowing air along with her milk. Making sure to burp her before switching sides and after she finishes can help, too. Also, just holding her upright can also help.

A couple of my babies (I've had 4 so far, my youngest is 17 months) took in quite a bit of air and what I wrote above really helped, along with sometimes massaging their little tummies. I would carry them in a sling in snuggle position, upright snuggling against my chest, the sling supporting their back and neck, and their spit-up was a lot less that way, too.

Good luck! Also, be sure to check out you local La Leche League! They are great and can answer your questions and offer support like no one else. They are local breastfeeding Moms, and the Leaders are too, and can help over the phone, email, in person, and they have support meetings too, where you and your baby can meet other breastfeeding Moms and babies and get help with all sorts of breastfeeding and parenting issues/concerns. They are great! Their website is http://www.llli.org/
The drop-down box at the top will guide you finding a Leader or a group to help. They are great -- with my first baby they helped us to work through problems that seemed nearly impossible (we had to teach my baby how suck right! along with other issues). They enabled us to successfully breastfeed for as long as we wanted to.

Good luck!

Its unlikely breastfeeding itself, so much as something you might be eating. Check some of the gassy foods for babies and see if altering your diet helps. What worked for my son was cutting out tomatoes for a few weeks and keeping him more upright right after feeding (used a front carrier) or the "football hold" (where you lay them tummy down on your arm with a gentle swing back and forth).

It could be something you are eating. Spicy foods or high fiber foods could cause upset in your daughter. Try going super bland with your diet for a few days and see if it makes a difference. I hope that helps!!!

Hi M.,
I am right there with ya! My second is 5 weeks old as of yesterday and every night she starts what my husband and I call "the witching hour". I must say the worst of it was around 3-4 weeks though. When I went to see my lactation consultant she said it is at this time that babies go through a large growth spurt. I was feeling so depressed because she was feeding every hour to 45 minutes, and I was getting quite sore ... not to mention she and I both got thrush at the same time (OUCH!). But what I am finding now in week 5 it is getting better and I am trying to feed her for longer sessions at night, so when she naturally falls asleep I wake her up with a diaper change and feed her more. I also introduced a bottle at 3 weeks ... just because the pain was too much. She took the bottle like a champ. And so we have bottles occasionally (once or twice a week we will have one), this has not caused any nipple confusion and I still nurse the other 98 percent of the time.

So to sum up since I realize this is disjointed advice. Don't worry ... it will get better ... it is not you ... hang in there. And if your nipples get really sore ... check for in your babies mouth (little white marks on the roof of the mouth, sore pink/red nipples)

Oh and I cut ice cream and chocolate from my diet ... the icecream was a killer for her it seems. I so miss milkshakes!!

Good luck!
M.

Careful with the gripe water - if it is the stuff from Canada its main ingredient is alcohol. It will cause more problems than it fixes. How big is your baby? Our son was very much like your daughter and he is now 20 years old and 6'5"...we now realize that he was probably hungry as he was a big baby (9# at birth). So, maybe supplement in the evening only but don't stop nursing. Also, try some white noise in her room like a box fan on medium (not pointed at her). And prayer always helps.

First I would recommend getting in touch with a Le Leche League group leader. Those ladies are incredible!
Some babies gulp when they eat and take in air, some need to be burped more frequently during feeding. Sometimes it is what YOU are eating...milk and eggs are the usual culprits but some veggies that might make baby gassy..brocolli or cauliflower...even some kinds of apples.
You are doing the BEST thing for you and baby by breastfeeding!!! I hope you can keep it up. Changing over to formula is NO guarantee your baby's tummy ailments will stop...in fact they could get worse. Try changing your diet and see what happens. Talking to an LLL Leader could help change everything for the best. Good Luck! One more thing...some babies just cry, that's how they talk, for now. Hang in there it will get better. :)

I had that same problem with my baby after breastfeeding, it ends up he had acid reflux. I would ask your pediatrician if this might be what it is. My baby had such bad acid reflux he is on his 3rd medicine as the first two didn't work well enough for him. Good luck!!!

Keep up the good work! I found that my daughter went through an hour each evening around 6pm when she was first born and until around 6-8 weeks. But it wasn't gas for her, just fussiness. The only thing that soothed her was taking her out for a walk in her stroller. (Soothed me too!)
My sister's middle child had gastro-esophageal reflux disorder (GERD) and her doc advised her to burp him well after nursing and keep him upright for a time during the day after feeding. She would stick him in the bouncy chair or in the baby carrier after nursing and let him watch his older brother or whatever. He was on Zantac and some other medications for it, but in the end he just had to outgrow it.
Contact the lactation consultant at the hospital you delivered at. Or, find a La Leche League leader in your area (the computer is great for that!). In my experience, bottles can sometimes make the gas worse, so they're really not a quick fix!
GOOD LUCK AND HANG IN THERE!

Dairy. Dairy. Dairy. Cut it out of your diet and likely you will see a big change! So many children are arriving with food allergies, and while this may not be the case with your little one, it is certainly worth a try. Your experience sounds very similar to our experience with our now 3 1/2 year old daughter. When I cut out dairy their was a huge difference. It's a small sacrifice for some rest and a comfortable baby!

i don't think you should switch to bottles just yet. with my firstborn, i began breastfeeding but around month 2 had to stop b/c she was allergic to my milk. she was a preemie and her stomach hadn't completely developed so we had to put her on a special (& pricey) formula. with #2 i just didn't try breastfeeding. my kids were born 11 months apart and i decided it was already too tired, but now wish i would have tried it. anyhow, my son cried every night around 5-6 p.m. for at least an hour. it was horrible b/c you don't know what's wrong, if it's gas or something else. finally my mom was telling her chiropractor about it and we were visiting them when he was about 3 months (and it had been going on for awhile by that time). he asked us to bring the baby in and so we did and he asked if he could give him an adjustment. i was scared, b/c i hadn't ever been to a chiropractor, but i was desperate to help my baby so i agreed. it wasn't dramatic or anything, just used these little tools to kind of tap his back in a couple of spots and that was it. after that he rarely cried in the evenings! it was the best thing ever. now i go to a chiropractor.
anyhow, what i'm saying is most people will say it's colic, and most people think it's due to gas. after having a baby that was fussy due to a real stomach problem (not just gas) and another who was in pain probably from birth (he was large and his shoulder was stuck behind my pelvis for a little bit) and i think most babies cry from other things rather than gas. so, ask your pediatrician. obviously mom's milk is the most gentle, but sometimes there's something else going on. also, if you can, take your baby to a chiropractor just to take a look at the baby's spine to see if an adjustment is needed. my mom's chiropractor told me that i'd be amazed if i knew how many babies he's seen b/c of 'colic' and it was a simple adjustment and they're problems were probably due to simply being born. think of how contorted their little bodies get in there and coming out! makes sense to me!
anyhow, sorry this got so long! i hope you find out what you're baby needs! best wishes.....

M.; yes they can get gas from breastfeeding , their little esophogus has air in it , when you drink or eat it putshes air with it , its how we are made, so give her a little burping afterward, it also sounds like she is not getting enough to eat , is she still hungry , do you quit the breastfeeding or does she at night when you feed her? if you are quitting you might want to let her feed more, also if you are uncomfortable and realy dont want want to breastfeed, she can sense this and could be responding to how you feel about it, its all normal, but if you feel like you cant do it any more then its ok to switch too, if you can keep going and give it a good college try, she might just feel better expelling gas, its ok, keep going and hang in there, you can do this, D. s

My friend's baby didn't do well when she ate dairy and breastfed him. So she switched to non-dairy and it made a huge difference. Some other foods can cause upset tummies too, things like cabbage, onions, beans, broccoli... I'd talk to your pediatrician and see if they have a recommendation for you. Don't give up on breastfeeding just because your child has colic.

I'll also recommend a book to you. It really helped us out a lot. The Happiest Baby on the Block, by Harvey Karp, M.D. You can order it online used for less then $10 or get the DVD (my friends recommend the DVD). Check your library as well. It give you more confidence as a parent to keep your child from being fussy, sometimes fussiness isn't related to pain, just separation from Mommy. :)

http://www.amazon.com/Happiest-Baby-Block-Crying-Newborn/...

Best wishes!

This sounds exactly like my first baby. I took her to the pediatrician and he diagnosed it as reflux, and I think she also had gas. Does your baby spit up a lot, and it almost shoots out of her? He gave us a medication that seemed to help. But even on medication, babies with reflux can't eat lying horizontal (acid bubbles up into their throat and burns I think). I stopped breastfeeding because it was so awful, we did Dr. Browns bottles (to cut down on gas) and tried to feed with the baby in an almost vertical position. Then burp well, with baby still vertical, and don't lay the baby flat down directly after eating (use a pillow or blanket to elevate their upper body).
I am not saying that you have to stop breastfeeding though. You can use positions that elevate the baby's head above her body. When you burp do it at the lower back and aim upward, almost pushing the air out with a firm rub on the back.
Hang in there, reflux gets better when they are about 3 months old. I know it is hard to watch your little sweetie cry!

M.,

I have an almost 6 week old baby girl and I know exactly what you are going through, is she also spitting up more too? I had the same concerns and I read in a book that between weeks 3-6 babies go through some additional development in their intestinal tract that causes them to have more gas, spit up more, and generally be uncomfortable in their bellys. I think also some babies experience more discomfort then others. I tried the gripe water too and it didn't do much. I found that after I fed her I would try to keep her sitting up for 30min if I can in either her swing or bouncy seat, it allows her to get more leverage to push out gas herself or even fill her diaper! This has really helped the most, I hope this helps you.

Start writing down what you eat and what reactions you are seeing in your baby 2 to 3 hours after each feeding. A great book resource is The Nursing Mothers Companion by Kathleen Huggins. Trigger foods to avoid are chocolate, yellow cheese, dairy, garlic onion, broccoli, etc. If you see no difference, try cutting all dairy as your baby may be allergic to dairy. Best of luck.

Hi M.,

I found the book "The Nursing Mother's Companion" to be an excellent resource. It is most likely something you are eating. For me, my little ones didn't do well if I ate green peppers or chocolate (bummer!). So, I wouldn't do anything drastic with your diet quite yet... just try to find the offenders. I do hope you keep trying, but do whatever you need to do to keep your sanity. You have to take care of yourself, too, so that you can be a good mommy!

I am not a Dr. but I thought I'd reply. I had what sounds like a similar experience with our second child. After almost 6 wks. of enduring this the Dr. FINALLY suggested I cut dairy from my diet, which was not an easy task at the time. In the end we found out he is allergic dairy. You may want to ask your doctor about a possible allergy, keep a food log, or cut out certain foods to see if it helps. Dairy is in a lot of things you may not even consider like bread and even some chicken broths, italian dressing, the list goes on and on. I hope you find relief soon. I know how you feel; tired, helpless, sad, frustrated etc.
Charlene

even breast fed babies need to be burped or they can get gassy... I don't think it matters if it is a bottle or breast. I have no suggestions though, my 9 week old sleeps in my bed with me and doesn't fuss at night at all... she is pretty fussy during the day though, unless I'm holding her...
congrats on the baby girl!

Hello M. ~ My baby boy is 12 weeks old & I was experiencing the same thing (also from past experience w/my now 4 year old daughter I began to eliminating dairy from my diet) in the meantime our pediatrician tested his poop (there were also very small traces of blood ) the test confirmed that he has a milk protein allergy. I would do as some of the others have suggested & cut dairy out of your diet that should also included any dairy derivatives. Hope that helps. Congratulations! M.

M., please get the book The Happiest Baby on the Block by Dr. Harvey Karp. Dr. Karp has researched and believes that much of what is diagnosed as gas or colic in newborns actually has a different explanation. Check out the Happiest Baby website.
After reading other responses, I am adding a little more to mine about Dr. Karp's findings. He has discovered that newborns have a "calming reflex" just like the other reflexes (like startle, etc.) Sometimes, they have trouble activating this startle reflex themselves...usually have it down by 12-16 weeks. There is a very simple 5 step calming method you can learn that will help your little doll calm her fussiness and sleep longer. This worked wonders with my grandson and as a trained instructor in this method I have seen it work time and again....there is a reason why so many say this or that medication didn't work. Please check it out.

Definitely keep breastfeeding - it is the best thing for your little girl. I also had problems with my son being fussy after feedings. My doctor suggested that I cut out foods like vegetables, milk, caffeine - things that could be in my milk and could cause him tummy upset. If this helps and he is not as fussy, you can try to reintroduce one food at a time and see what may be causing the problem. I have to say that I just cut out everything and never did re-introduce anything, but by the time he was about 4-5 months old he grew out of it. My doctor also loaned me a book about baby massage, I'm sorry I cannot remember the name of it, but your doctor may be able to recommend something like that. I'm not sure that it really helped my son so much, but it helped me feel like I was doing something for him! Good luck!

M., it is hard to diagnose what's wrong here, but these are some of my thoughts: Have you found a LaLeche League meeting near you? Go on www.llli.org and find the meeting nearest you. You can contact the leader ahead of time if you want to. My meeting is in Warren next Monday morning and you'd be most welcome. Most areas have a group. The moms would not only help you problem-solve what's going on but give you lots of love and support, which you could sure use about now. It doesn't sound like there's anything awful happening from what you've said. Babies do this sometimes, especially during growth spurts.
Yes, ometimes breastfed babies are gassy - they can swallow air etc. Also, I wonder if you're breastfeeding on demand (frequently) or trying to hold her off between feedings. These little ones need to nurse quite often! I wonder how she's growing/weighing and if she's having plenty of wet and poopy diapers?
I absolutely think that switching her to formula will multiply your problems and not solve anything! Breastmilk is by far the most easily digested thing you can give your baby! You can look at the LLL website under Resources then check the Answers section for more information. LLL's main book is available for $18 in most large bookstores and at some libraries and most groups can lend you one. It's called THE WOMANLY ART OF BREASTFEEDING and is immensely helpful and comforting.
Please hang in there, snuggle & nurse your little sweetie, and get into a LLL group right away. We women need each other in this heroic adventure of mothering!

It sounds like gas to me. (I have 2 sons and breastfed both of them for a year each.) For both of my sons, I just made sure I held them upright for at least 30 minutes after their feedings and then put them down. It definitely was tough physically in the beginning but after 3 months or so it got much better. During the 30 minutes of holding them, I either watched something on the internet or tried reading to make the time pass quicker.

Hi M.,

First, there is a product called Colic Calm that works WONDERS! www.coliccalm.com

I used it with my daughter (after trying gripe water and mylicon) and it was amazing. I also recommended it to a friend of mine whose daughter was having SEVERE issues, and she too has found relief. So, that is something to help immediately.

Second, look at your diet. There are many foods that can cause irritation to baby's digestive system. Baby's system is still immature and is developing and they aren't able to properly handle (digest) some of the proteins, or acids and such that are found in these foods. When breastfeeding (and YEAH for breastfeeding!!!!) these proteins and what not get into your milk. So, baby DOES get them. And yes, it can cause gas, it can be reflux, it can be just simple irritation.

Some of the biggies for me were: tomatoes, anything acid ... like pickles, chocolate, milk, sugary foods.

I would try eating a very very bland diet. Seriously, I lived on potatoes and chicken for several months. Make sure you keep taking a good prenatal multi-vitamin so ensure you are getting all the vitamins and minerals you need and that baby needs. (it goes through your milk)

Keep in mind, if it is dairy proteins that are aggravating your baby, those proteins can take 2-3 weeks to leave YOUR system. So, by cutting dairy out you won't necessarily see results right away. Dairy proteins are very very difficult to digest ... consequently many babies have trouble with them.

The good news is, this typically only lasts 5-6 months. By 6 months baby's digestive system is more mature and can typically handle more foods. I was able to start adding foods around 5.5 months. (You will know immediately if it doesn't agree with baby. I typically found my daughter would scream and cry and draw up her legs within 1 feeding after eating the offending food item.)

So, you shouldn't be on a limited diet forever. Just a few months. But, the colic calm really does help tremendously.

You can also try laying her across your lap, belly down, and GENTLY bouncing your legs. A warm towel laid across her belly can also help relieve pain.

I hope your little one can find relief... and mama too! I know watching your baby cry like that can really break your heart. We went through it with our daughter.

Keep up the breastfeeding!!! It is SOOOO good for them!!!

Try Mylacon - infant gas relief and burp for a long time. Don't give up. :o)

Very wonderful to hear that you are nursing, I have had 4 children and brestfed each of them untill they were 15 mo. old. My last son (11 mo.) came out lactose intollerant. My body naturally became lactose intollerant also, It is simply amazing how our bodies work. The fact that I started having lactose problems so that I could produce lactose free milk for my son!! VERY COOL. Any ways, try and cut the dairy out... milk, cheese, ice cream :(, eggs are fine. See if that helps. Also none of my children did well when I would eat alot of tomatoey (not a word) things. That was rough, we are Italian. if you have any more questions feel free to email me at ____@____.com my info helps a little bit.

I am here to 2nd Erin's response. Don't stop- it will not make it better!
Cut out dairy- thats a big one- it can take up to six weeks for it to leave your body completely- but you should see a change in a week or two. Plus- if you switch to formula to avaoid the dairy issue- you cannot get the reg. formula- you have to get really expensive kind that smells awful....the others have the same dairy issues and there is debate re: babies and soy......
Also- wear your baby! Visit thebabywearer.com- a sling/bjorn, wrap- whatever- will work wonders.
Goodle colic- there are 100s of tips out there- some days one thing works, some days another...keep trying!
Good luck and it does end!

Hi M.
I read a few other suggestions of getting off dairy, and hope that's helped. That may take a few days. If that dosen't do it all try going of wheat, and or gluten for a few weeks. Keep a food log it really helps you to see the big picture.
Good luck, keep up the good work.
A. H

Hi. I am sorry you are losing sanity, but keep up the good work!!!! Breastmilk can give a baby gas, especially if you are eating gassy foods. Try rubbing her belly in little circles and moving her legs back and forth to help let out the gas, if that is the problem. I didn't have the gas or colic problems, but other problems with nursing in the beginning. I am now still nursing my 8 month old son and am so glad that I kept up through the tough beginning.

Take a deep breath and know that you are not alone. If you feel at your wits end, try and contact LaLeche League. They are great and supportive. Good luck.

she may be getting too much fore milk and not enough hind milk. I recommend contacting a lactation consultant at the hospital you delivered at and discuss.

You may need to pump a little before she feeds so she can get more hind milk.

My son was the same way and this helped.

Do you have a good latch? It might be possible that you're getting too much in the beginning.. I remember someone at LLL mentioning this caused some problems. I had MAJOR breastfeeding problems for about 4-6 weeks with my son. It got better with help from supportive friends and La Leche League. I would think that formula would only cause more problems with gas or things like that IF that's what it is. Just keep experimenting with different foods and elimination and see things get better. Also find VERY supportive friends that won't try to sway you from breastfeeding if that's what you're wanting to do.

Breastfeeding is not the problem. The babies immature GI tract is the problem.

My daughter was a breastfed baby that cried every night.. sometimes for hours.

TIny babies can cry like they are in extreme pain.. pass a bit of gas and then settle down.

Do not give up on breastfeeding. Breastfeeding a very young baby is very hard.. Bottle feeding will not help. But by the time you introduce bottles and get her going on formula.. most likely she will have grown out of the colic phase.

I too tried gas drops.. they did nothing.. the baby just has to grow out of it.. After a couple of months.. she will be able to move around a bit and move that gas bubble and there will be no more crying over gas.

Crying peaks at 6 weeks and then gradually diminishes - it is generally over at 12 weeks..

This too shall pass..

Your diet may be the problem. You should be eating a very bland diet...I know, that stinks but it will help her not be gassy. For my kids fresh veggies and any type of beans were off limits. Anything that gives you a feelig of being bloated can cause gas her the baby. Good luck!

M.,

Hang in there it will get easier!! I have 5 children and nursed them all, and it takes a little bit to get into the groove of breastfeeding.

First of all I would recommend that you eliminate a few things from your diet and see if the fussiness improves. These things bothered some or all of my children at one time or another: Milk, onions, garlic, peppers, citrus, strawberries, anything carbonated, alcohol, broccoli (anything in the cabbage family), or beans. Really anything that makes you gassy or has a very strong taste could be the culprit. For me the very worst offenders were Broccoli (or anything from the cabbage family), milk, or carbonated things.

Hang in there and remember that if the baby is fussy switching to formula is not an automatic fix. You are doing a good thing by breastfeeding, it is something to feel good about and it is definitly worth toughing it out for a little bit longer to figure this out. Sounds like you are doing a great job, God Bless, and it will get easier!

I breat fed my babies. Do not eat chocolate, gassy such as cabbage or highly spiced foods. Things that could upset mommy's stomach will upset babies stomach. If you slip up and baby is drawing its legs up to the stomach and screaming--heat a towel and place between you and your babies stomach as you hold the baby to your shulder.. The towel heats its stomach so that it shrinks the gas and your body will maintain the heat when the towel cools of.

The early days of bf canbe very hard! I found La Leche League to be very helpful. I have included a couple of links to meetings in your area.
http://www.lllusa.org/web/DearbornMI.html
http://www.lllusa.org/web/DownriverMI.html
K.

I'm not sure if this will be of any help, but my son was strictly breastfed and he seemed to have a "crabby time" every night. From 9-11pm each night he would cry and cry. After about a week we realized there was a pattern to his crying fits and renamed it "crabby time".

Does she ONLY cry at certain times or is it after every feeding; morning, noon, and night?

If this continues, I would talk to her ped., a lactation consultant, and/or Le Lache.