Looking for Ideas to Sooth a Colicky Baby

I second MR's post!
Also, a sling or Ergo or other carrier will help. If not the crying, the fact that your arms feel as if they're falling off.
Our daughter did it from 10-3 every night, sometimes all day, until 8-10 weeks (it ebbeb off). I breastfed, almost starving myself to see what in my diet was doing it...nothing. Baring checking with your doc to rule out medical conditions, just try to be strong, rotate through people to help hold, and know that it WILL stop.
p.s. I'm still breastfeeding at 9 months, and she's healthy and a happy baby--so will yours too soon be happy!

Hello K.,
My son will be 6 months Saturday and I went through the colic stage. He is my first child and his colic actually drove me into post partum depression. First and foremost it will get better! Everyone told me that and I didn't beleive it, but it did. Nothing did soothe my son. At 6 weeks old it usually peaks and then it starts to calm down every week thereafter just a little bit. I had to have my mother and sister come over every night and we would take turns walking him around the house and changing positions. I realized that he stayed a little more quieter with my mom and I am assuming because she was more calm than I. I was nervous and stressed out and apparently he picked up my vibes. Gripe water worked for 20 minutes or so. I even gave him chamomille tea. I used 2 cups of water for 1 tea bag and gave him about 3 ounces that would soothe his little belly. Have you tried the vacuum? When I got to my wits end I would turn on the vacuum and leave it on for a few hours and he would stay quiet. Apparently it reminds them of noises they heard in the womb. The crying stopped at about 11 weeks. The doctor said it can go the whole 3 months I guess God knew I couldn't handle anymore. Stay strong and know that it will get better.

Hi K.. I'm so sorry you are going through this. It is awful. There was absolutely no medical reason for my daughter's colic (and that seems to be the case with many babies, according to my Pediatrician.) After stopping breastfeeding, we switched to the the most expensive formula on the market (non-lactose, non-allergen, etc.) and that didn't make a difference. Nothing did. She just had to outgrow it.

To make it through the nights, we did a couple things: we carried her around in the Baby Bjorn and sometimes danced with her. (Yes, I know it is very difficult to jump around and dance on very little sleep, but this is where my hubby came in!) Second, we let her sleep in the swing. I guess my child needed bumpy movement to get comfortable. By the time we took her to her 4 month check-up, she was a completely different child! She smiled, she cooed, and most importantly, she slept alone in her crib!!!

As bad as it might be, you will survive. I reminded my husband about her colic recently and even he said, "wow, I had actually forgotten about that." (I hadn't, of course, but I no longer remember how painful the sleep deprivation was.) Hang in there, Mama!

If you can get the book happiest baby on the block,it has alot of really good advice for fussy/colicky babies,the other thing Iv'e done is a warm heating pad on the tummy the one with the beads in you put it in the microwave works wonders of course you don't want it too hot best of luck!

Hang in there K.!! I see you've gotten some good suggestions from the other responders. My first was colicky and he did outgrow it by about 3 months. The one thing I haven't seen suggested is a BABYSITTER. Look, if you can swing it financially, get someone to take over for a little while in the evenings so you don't lose your mind. You mentioned your other children - they probably need a break too. Can someone help out by taking the baby somewhere else for a hour or so or can someone come over while you and the others go to the library or for ice cream or to the nearest tavern... (just kidding).

Do whatever you can think of to make this time bearable. There are no real rules for surviving your colicky baby. DOn't feel bad for a minute that you don't have the answer - some babies are just like this.

Having said all that, what helped with me and my little complainer was a really tight swaddle, gentle rocking, singing or music (soft) and a husband to hand him off to.

Good luck!!

I used peppermint water. Just dissolve 4 of the red and white star peppermint candies in 8 ounces boinling water. Put a small amount in a bottle and dilute it with cold water about 1/4 peppermint to 3/4 water and feed it to him. Keep the rest in the fridge for later use. You can go up to 1/2 and 1/2. My little one took about 1/2 ounce total but it helped. Peppermint is a natural tummy soother. Hope this helps.

My son had a week of crying, and my doctor diagnosed him with acid reflux. Apparently there's a valve at the top of the stomach that doesn't grow closed for some babies until about 6 months. He took Axid twice a day before eating, and I tilted his crib so he was always sleeping with his head elevated. it helped a lot. He went back to sleeping and eating more normally. The biggest sign for my doctor was that he would want to nurse, but then after a few sips would arch and pull away crying. Talk more to your doctor. Good luck. there's nothing worse than knowing you baby is in pain and not being able to do anything about it.
--C.

Have you tried the Fussy Baby Network? They can be a great resource for parents who are concerned about their baby's crying/colic, eating, sleeping, etc!

1.888.431.BABY | ____@____.com

Wearing your baby can be a great alternative for parents who feel they can never put their baby down.
Try Be By Baby at 1654 W Roscoe St, Chicago, ###-###-####, ____@____.com have a variety of carriers for you to try on in the store, before buying, with weighted babies so you can pick the best carrier for you. I will mention that a wrap style sling will keep your baby close and secure and leave you hands free.

Also, if you need a break you can try a postpartum doula from Birthways, 888-506-0607. They are women who have experience working with all kinds of babies.

Hang in there, and in the meantime don't forget to have your own needs met!
~K.

K.-
I have found that a chiropractic evaluation can rule out an nervous system irritation. I am in Oak Park, but to find a kid friendly chiropractor near you try www.icpa4kids.org or www.icapedicatrics. I hope this information helps.

Wear you baby in a carrier/sling for as much of the day as possible; this "cured" my second girl's colicky ways in less than a week. This was advice I found in Dr. Sear's "Baby Book," and it worked for us.

One Step Ahead makes a tummy wrap that you can warm in the microwave for a few seconds. It has lavender or chamomile in it and can be especially soothing for collicky babies, supposedly. www.onestepahead.com

I definitely want one for my next baby!

chiropractic care may help.

Buy the DVD "Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp, that helped us tremendously. Very easy tips too! Good luck!

K.,
I can relate! When my baby went through her colicky phase, there were a few things that worked for her:
1. Massaging her belly in a clockwise motion as often as she needed it.
2. Homeopathy really worked. I can help you with finding a specific remedy for your baby. It'll work within minutes! Otherwise, you can try a combination homeopathic for colic sold at Whole Foods & Fruitful Yield.
3. Gripe Water added to the bottle- mix it with breast milk (or formula). Directions are on bottle.
4. Swaddling might work up until they're 3 months old.
5. If you are breastfeeding, your baby might be reacting to something you are eating. For a few weeks, eliminate all dairy (including yogurt, cheese, cream cheese, cow's milk), eliminate anything spicy. You can try drinking some tea that has Fennel & chamomile. This will soothe your baby's tummy if you are breastfeeding.
If you have any other questions or need further help with homeopathy, please call my office at###-###-####. I would be happy to help you!
Dr. A.

i used to hand my daughter over my forearm. that really help bc it put pressure on her tummy. i also realized, too late, that i should have been throwing out formula after an hour instead of putting it in the frig and using it later. she was my 1st. i owe her big time, in my mind, for that-- good luck!

If you aren't using a sling, get one.

You got some great advice and would try them. Just to add, Colic Calm is suppose to be better than Gripe Water, google it and it will come up to purchase. Second, you probably need some probiotics to help boost your good bacteria so it will help your baby's if you are b-feeding.. If not, then you can purchase some online at www.smartbomb.com called FloraBaby by Renew Life. Just give to him either first thing in the am or before bedtime. He is lacking some of the digestive enzymes that will help ease his tummy issues. You can still give to him if you are b-feeding in the bottle. It does not hurt, I've been giving them to my daughter now 18m since she could take the bottle at 4wks. It helps to boost the immune system too!

Good Luck!
J. W. MPH
Wellness Educator

My son had colic this summer until he was about 4 months old. (he is now 9 months)
I took him on long walks to get him to sleep (you can walk in doors at the mall), we used the bouncy seat a lot (we bounced it with our feet to keep it rocking gently). He didn't care for the swing, my husband and I took shifts so we could get sleep. If you are breastfeeding, keep it up!! I used the mylicon drops (many people say it doesn't help), I found it to be somewhat helpful with gas. Rub your babies tummy clockwise to relieve gas bubbles (this helped a lot).
Hang in there!!!
Good luck!

Hi K.,

For those of us that have been where you are today, we feel for you. It is such a stressful time trying to figure out how to calm your baby without going crazy yourself! Our sons lasted 6 mos. Since then he was happy, and today he's the easier of our two! It seems like it will never end, but it does. I remember days crying right along with him! Please make sure you get time to yourself outside of the house, even if it's 15 min. here and there. Asking a friend or relative to step in for a short time will do wonders. Don't feel like you can't ask because the baby has colic.

As for what sort-of worked for us: I got the velcro swaddle blankets. Double swaddled- he seemed to like to be super tight, he did this up to 5 mos. He also slept in the swing, with white sound. I held him non-stop during the day. It seemed like the more noisy our house was, the more crabby he was. A friend tape recorded herself vacumming, and kept playing it.

Best wishes to you.

My twin boys had colic, so I feel for you. The good news is, not much else in life will stress you out once you've dealt with colic :)! A couple of things that helped my boys:

-take him outside if possible; even five minutes outside really seemed to calm my boys down

-go for a drive; if it won't put you to sleep, play a CD of lullabies

-the thing that worked best for me - bring your stroller indoors; I would put my boys in their stroller, put on a lullaby CD and rock them back and forth until they fell asleep

Try to get breaks for yourself; even half an hour away can work wonders for soothing your nerves. If all else fails and you feel yourself getting overwhelmed and angry, put your baby in his crib and walk away to a quiet room to collect yourself. Hang in there - it won't last forever, I promise.

My Son also get's like this. He is 2 month's old and every night @ 6 he start's in. Sometimes this work's: I try to catch him right when he start's wrap him really snug in a blanket, rock him & shoosh louder than he cries or humm show tunes, keep doing this as the cries get softer until he stop's & falls asleep. It's hit or miss but it has worked for me more often than not. Good Luck I feel your pain!!
-Cassandra

Hi K.,
My little girl cried non stop as well until we figured out that she was physically out of alignment from the birth process. Have you talked about the crying with your medical doctor, naturopath, chiropractor, nutritionist? Is your baby allergic to the milk that he is being fed and having issues with digestion?

I know how it feels to want to help your little one and not know what to do. Keep asking questions until you find the answer. And ask for help from others if you need a break. You will get through this!

P.
www.momscominghome.com

I have 4 children and my oldest son, Casey, had colic. There really isn't much you can do for them except wait it out. Casey had colic for four months. I lived out of state, had no relatives or friends and I did NOTHING morning, noon and night but try to sooth him. He's 28 now and he is a wonderful person. Get outside help so you can get a break and try to hang in there. P.

Are you nursing? You can take a high quality garlic supplement from Shaklee which I am told helps quite a bit with that. 100% money back guarantee. I wish I would've known this. We suffered through colic for a good 4-6 months. All I can say is get some help - get out of the house and get yourself a break. TRUST ME!

K.,

My son was very colicky and would be so stiffened up and I'd turn on the vaccuum cleaner and he'd just relax. Now for quite a while I would turn on the vaccuum in the middle of the night and fall asleep with it on and then decided to record the sound. Now they have all sorts of white-noise cds & stuffed animals you can buy and control the volume. I'd also suggest wrapping your baby tightly in a "burrito" blanket. That seems to sooth them as well. Simethicone drops for babies can supposively help which I used - they can't harm the baby so it's worth a try! Good luck!

Make sure you encourage sleep at the apropriate times. I didn't realize how much sleep babies needed and when mine would get over tired it was bad. "Healthy Sleep Habits Happy Child" was a good book for that. Also the "Happiest Baby on the Block" has five soothing techniques. Remember to have a plan, when you feel like losing it, just put the baby in the crib and walk away for a few minutes.

Mine wasn't even colicky, but would fuss for 45min-1 1/2 hrs in the evening - and it was still hard. Hang in there.

Hi, K....

Boy do I feel your pain and frustration! 2 of my 3 children had colic...and one had it until she was 4 months!!

First and foremost...like they tell you on the plane with regard to the air mask, please take care of yourself first so that you are better able to care for your little one--ask hubby or neighbor to watch the baby long enough for you to take a walk/a drive/take a bath/read a few chapters of your favorite book/watch your favorite show in peace/call a friend...whatever will give you a much needed break. I wish I would have heeded this advice more seriously.

Next...here is what personally helped me and my little ones through:

1) In my humble opinion...You HAVE to get yourself the book or DVD, "The Happiest Baby on the Block" by Dr. Harvey Karp. It saved my life! Here is a little about what he teaches you: (The 5 “S’s”: the simple steps (swaddling, side/stomach position, shushing, swinging and sucking) that trigger the calming reflex. For centuries, parents have tried these methods only to fail because, as with a knee reflex, the calming reflex only works when it istriggered in precisely the right way. Unlike other books that merely list these techniques Dr. Karp teaches parents exactly how to do them, to guide cranky infants to calm and easy babies to serenity in minutes…and help them sleep longer too.)

2) As Dr. Harvey will tell you...SWADDLING is absolutely wonderful for a baby who is colicky. I swaddled the last baby every time I layed her down. The swaddlers that I did best with were: The First Years Easy Wrap Swaddlers, and The Kiddopotamus SwaddleMe blankets. They Miracle Blanket didn't work for me because it was too time consuming having to keep it wrapped snug enough. But, each person is different. This helped my third baby not even struggle with colic, because this time I KNEW to start her out swaddled and I let HER let me know when she was ready to not be swaddled, so when she started rolling onto her side, I would put her into her wedge while swaddled and we did that for a few more weeks and then she was ready to go without.

3) I could not have lived without my BabyBjorn...I would put them into the carrier and get a few things done and they were happier being right next to me. But, find the carrier that works best for you.

4) The GRIPE water really helped. I got mine from Fruitful Yield and even Walgreens has it now, I've been told.

5) I put a clock radio in their rooms and I would play 'static' from the radio on low to try and mimic that muffled sound they were hearing in the womb. You have to search around on the radio, as some static sounds better than another---and look for the one that sounds right to you.

6) Finally, due to health reasons, I was only able to breastfeed for so long, so I also had to work to find the formula that each baby did the best with--Carnation seemed to be a winner here. Also, I did notice that when I made sure they were going #2 regularly, that they were much happier babies--so with the last two, I added Udo's Infant Probiotics to their formula (I get it at Fruitful Yield) to help their digestive system. I would also try the Dark Corn Syrup now and then.

My final advice to you is to practice self-awareness...when I started this, it helped both me and my baby. When we are stressed, our babies feel that and it can cause them to feel stress. So, I would be sure to take deep breaths and be aware of the tension that was in my body because of the stress that I was feeling...so, as I would walk the floor with my little one that had colic the worst, I would breathe deeply and I would move through my body, one body part at a time (neck, shoulders, chest, arms, etc.), and I would tense it up and count to 10, and then release until I felt relaxed. I would also hum lightly or sing a little soothing song and before I knew it, we both felt much better!

May God bless you and your little one! Trust me when I say, this too shall pass! Please feel free to contact me should you need any further advice or have any questions about what I have shared, as I have surely "been there, done that!" and I believe we should all help one another through our own experiences. :)

Take the little man to the doctor and make sure that it is nothing more than just colic. My friends little guys was the same way and he ended up having acid reflux in which case the doctors had him sleep with his head elevated which ended up being in his car seat for the first few months it did help some. However my little guy which is the last of three was just very needy. Since the first day I brought him home and laid him down he cried and for about 20 months he was on my hip. Every child has their own tolerance level as does every parent. I had people telling to just put him down and he''ll cry it out well after about 40 minutes one day I gave up and he eventually outgrew it. Just remind yourself he will eventually outgrow it. Try the swing, take him for a ride, buy a soft noise machine for your own sanity I know it''s not the best thing but have him sleep with you in bed. Desperate time calls for desperate measures...I wish you the best you luck and pray for patience.

I also had problems with my second child in that he was fussy especially at night and at times couldn't be comforted. He spit up about 90% of the time after feeding him and any time he was placed on his back. I found that I had to cut all dairy and most vegetables (especially those that are green-- including salad) from my diet. I also made sure that the formula we used to make his cereal was lactose free-- we used Similac for Sensitive. After changing my diet, it reduce most of the fussiness, and he was a much happier baby. Now at 21 months, he still doesn't have dairy, most veggies, bananas, and many other foods because he is extremely sensitive to gassy foods. Don't count on your doctor helping you figure this out. I went through five different doctors and two different practices, and they all said that he just needs to learn to sleep on his own. They didn't understand the type of distress he was having. It was really through my trial and error we have found what helps him feel well.

I also second giving Gripe Water. We still give it to my son every night before bed, and I really believe that it helps his tummy.

I wouldn't have survived the first three months of having my son without my baby sling. He also was diagnosed with GERD, so medicine and a hypoallergenic formula also ended up being part of the solution but the baby sling was the ONLY thing that would calm him down, even when he was screaming like crazy! My husband and I walked around with it all day and night! Good luck and it will get better.

K.--are you breastfeeding or bottle feeding or a combination. Something is not agreeing with his digestive system and making him uncomfortable.

I can help if you let me know what he is eating. You will definitely need probiotics and omega 3's (organic cold pressed coconut oil or a pure liquid form) for him which will help immensely. You can start these immediately and are more than safe.

T.
Detox Coach

Try chaning bottles. We were using Platex Nursers and that was causing my son's gas. We now use Avent. I was nuring him and it seemed like I was eating something wrong, but it was the bottles. Every kid is different and bottles that work for one, may not work for another. If you are not nursing, try different formula.

The other thing I did for my guy was I put him on his tummy and patted his back, on the floor.(I watched him, this was while I was awake) That helped him get his gas out better. He is now 6 months old and is doing well. You can also try doing the bycicle with his legs, that might help. Bounce him on your knee, put him across your leggs on his belly.

My heart is with you, and it will get better. Take care of you and your little one.

My first born had terrible colic and there is not too much you can do. First double check with the doctor for reflux or anything else (I am sure you have). Then find out what soothes him. For us, we swaddled our son (miracle blanket is a life saver) and did elevator drops till he fell asleep. THe drops are holding him like a baby and bouncing up and down - deep knee bends to the ground and up. It would take several attempts before we could quietly walk away from him without him waking. He also slept in his bouncer or car seat. He did not sleep in the crib until almost 6 months. He liked to be slightly upright. White noise like a loud bathroom fan works wonders. I used to turn off the fan and his eyes would open! I could get him to sleep 3 hrs straight with this fan during the day. The colic may not end until 4 months. Our sons tappered off and then he was just fussy. Also, Dr Weissbluth's books are wonderful. There is the Healthy Sleep Habits and i think it is "My Fussy Baby". Good luck to you and just know that this will end. Our little guy sleeps perfectly and is a smart, fun little boy.

My second son was very colicky and what worked for him the most, was switching to a different formula that is called Nestle Good Start. This formula has helped a lot of my friends who had problems with colick. The other thing I used to do with my first son who also had colick, was swaddle him with his arms at his sides. This way, they can't keep working themselves up by throwing their arms all around. It helps them calm down and feel snug. Both worked well for me, hope they work well for you!

I'm going to post my method I give to lots of the daycare providers that I network with. But I also wanted to suggest a visit to a chiropractor. Elise, my now 6 yr old, had colic from 3 weeks till 8 mos. What made it liveable is the method I am posting below. What made it disappear was a visit to the chiropractor. So, here you go..

try using the Baby Whisperer's EASY method for a schedule, and the Happiest Baby on the Block 5 s's method. Those two combined will make cio not be a needed thing (at that age)
EASY - when the baby wakes up it Eats. After you feed it, then it has Activity - bouncy seat, tummy time, sitting up and playing with toys, swing, exersaucer, etc. When the baby gets fussy check the B's - boredom, butt or burp. If it's none of those then off to Sleep. Don't wait for the baby to do more than get the tiniest bit fussy, then see what is causing the fusses - if it's just that they needed their diaper change do that, but if it's not the activity is boring, the butt is dirty or they have to burp, then put them down. This may happen after as short as 45 minutes, don't freak, it really means they are tired.
Now, to get them to sleep use the 5 s's. Swaddle the baby, hold the baby on their side and sway as they suck on something (paci, your knuckle or their finger/thumb) and make a shush noise. This will calm your baby. When the baby is calm, but not asleep yet, keeping them swaddled lay them in the bed. I like to pat them instead of sway after a minute or two cause you can still pat after they are put down but you can't sway, so pat the baby and continue patting gradually decreasing it as you put them in the bed. Also continue the shushing as you put them down, again gradually getting quieter.
If you do these two you will find a well rested, easily managed baby in no time.

I feel you pain. My first was colicky for four months. The second two had severe reflux. Neither are fun. I highly recommend the book Happiest Baby on the Block. Buy the swaddle me blankets or learn how to swaddle and follow all five steps if necessary. They work. I promise. Get that baby swaddled tightly and go from there. Also, if there are reflux symptoms, have it checked out.
Good luck. The screaming is unnerving, I remember.

Congratulations on your new baby!

The sling worked WONDERS for us. (I think the one we got was called a "slingrider"). My husband called it "baby kryptonite" because she would literally be asleep within a few minutes after he put her in it and started walking around. She usually fell asleep in less than 2 or 3 minutes. It was such a lifesaver for us!

I know it's hard, but it will get better. My daughter wasn't colicky, but she did become fussy (especially in the evenings and at night) starting around 7 or 8 weeks of age and it lasted until she was about 12-16 weeks old.

It is so important for you to get a "break" even if it's just to go for a short walk or to take a bath or long shower (with some music playing so you can't hear the crying). Make sure you do this for at least 10-15 minutes each day. It's amazing how much that short break will rejuvenate and energize you.

Good luck and hang in there!

Call Dr. Marc Weissbluth - ###-###-####. He "cured" my baby within 24 - 48 hours!! Frankly, she practically has never cried again -- and she's 2 now!! Your child is actually over-tired -- I know it's confusing. Dr. Weissbluth will be worth every penny!!!! Tell him M. Graham Norwich sent you :))

I would call the pediatrician.
You never know what is really going on and I would ask the dr before adding in any supplements to his diet, most are not monitored by the FDA and effects are not known on a 4 week old even if they are FDA approved! Be careful.
One of my sons did very similar things to yours and he was breastfed... turned out he had acid reflux. Once the dr got him medicated for it, he was a whole new wonderful sweet and sleeping baby!
If it turns out that it is just colic, the vacuum cleaner running calms them and so does a seat on top of the dryer while it is running. I know we used the swing alot at this age! Sometimes nothing works but handing off to another adult and getting away for a bit may help you! Take care of you, this is a rough time regardless!
I wish you luck!

I feel your pain, my second child had colic. He would cry all day sometimes. He slept in his swing at night, which helped. We also used the hypoallergenic formula. A nurse told us when her kids had colic they put a little corn surup in the baby's bottle, so we tried that as well.

Good luck it will end before you know it.

This is not normal. Please get your baby on Nutramagin or Alimentum. Please this is not normal and there is no such thing as colic anyomre it means the dr is to lazy to figure out what your childs tummy problems are. It could be somethign simple as changing hte formula. themore you let him cry and be inpain the mroe damage you will do to the lining of the stomach and end result will be blood in his stool. have you taken him to the pedatrician to see if he has blood in his rectum? ti is a simple swab with their finget and then they put it on a slide.
I am so sick of people caling it colic sorry not you but drs still do and they need to get with the times. it could be as easy as relflux to. but I promise you and a i hate to be the one to tellyou to stop breast feeding but nutramagin and aliementum will help your child heal inside too. If he still has blood after two weeks on the hypoalergenic formula then get him to a Gi and ask for Neocare or elecare. Good luck and I am sorry to be so forward but I do not want your baby to be in anymore pain.
J.

Hi K.!
I feel your pain! My daughter was colicky for the first month and a half (she'd cry, some days, non-stop from 6 pm. til 4 a.m., unless she was nursing!!!!). What we found worked best was putting her in her swing and playing a c.d. recording of a vacuum running very loudly. You can also run your vacuum, but (while you'd have very clean carpets!) I don't think you want to do that. Sometimes, you just have to wait it out. I know that sounds impossible right now because you think this will never end, but it does. Keep in mind most babies hit the "6-week peak" of crying and fussiness and then begin to settle down a bit more. Hang in there! I'll keep you in my prayers!

Have you tried gripe water? it worked miracles for me and my baby was VERY colicky. I lived by the gripe water. You can find it online.

Humphreys Teething/colic $5.99 they sell it at walgreen my daughter was colic and that was the only was we slepts it relax her it was great also Chamomile tea works great tea before there after 1 can use honey before 1 I didn't put anything. Oh my I hope this help I remember those sleepless nights I didn't want anymore kids after her just keep telling urself and this will pass it feels like forever now but it wont last my daughter lasted a yr no sleep but with out tea and humphreys I wouldn't have slept ever thank God for those things.

Hi K.,

Try Baby's Bliss Gripe Water. I could only find it at Walgreens. Go on Amazon.com to read reviews from other parents who've tried these drops.

Also, if you're nursing, maybe there's a milk/dairy sensitivity. I noticed early on with my son everytime I had a heavy dairy day the crying got worse. I ended up going dairy free for 6 months until he out grew it.

Good Luck!

Hi K.,

I do not know the type of bottles you are using however; I have found that Dr. Browns bottles work well because they are designed to prevent babies from ingesting air due to the tube that is inserted in the bottle. We have used it on four children and we have defintely noticed less "colicky babies." The daycare love these bottles!

I had the same issue and it continued until we bought a cradle swing. It was the only way we could get him to sleep. He slept in it all night, sometimes. He did become a bit dependent on it, but we were able to slowly transition him from the swing to his crib after he got through the colic.

Realize this will end, most likely around 6 weeks,. I would recommend buying a babycarrier to use during so you have 2 free hands. The ones sold at regular baby stores do not work as they just arent comfortable and there may be some issues as to the way they carry the baby. I would recommend for a baby that age a Maya or Moby wrap. You can use the Maya wrap for a long time, the Moby will last until baby is heavier and then it will start to hurt your back. I also heard, but have no evidence to back this up that a teaspoon of sauerkraut juice will help relieve colic. I would recommend if you try this method to first make your own sauerkraut as the store brought stuff is probably full of all sorts of icky stuff. Good luck and hopefully the screaming at night ends around 6 weeks like it did for my daughter!

I lived w/ a colicky baby almost 9 yrs ago, and then again with another one almost 2 years ago. Try Colic Calm. Works like a charm-no harmful chemicals like the over the counter ones have (also known as Gripe Water). You can only get it online. Pretty expensive, but so is therapy when you end up needing that!

Good luck!

My oldest son had HORRIBLE colic. The Dr told me to give him soy formula, but it did not help. It was bad for about 8 months. I found out when he was 3 years old he was allergic to soy!! No wonder!!!
With my other 4 boys I had them "tested" for sensitivity. It is a non-invasive test. They were tested sitting on my lap as newborns and the test worked through me. It sounds weird, and I am not good t explaining it but it workd on the same points you would have acupuncture. Anyway, they just pressed on a point in my finger and that was it. On all my boys they had a dairy and soy allergy as babies. If you want to know more I can get you correct, specific info. Just email me:) They eventually outgrow the dairy, but some still have soy.
Anyway, we had to give them Nutramigen or Alimentum. The premixed, the powder made them gassy...still not as bad as colic! One of them had reflux also, so we had to give him some drops.
I really agree with the one of the other posts that colic is something you can change. Not something you have to wait for them to outgrow. There is a reasom they are crying! It was a night and day difference with all my boys when I finally figured out what was upseting their stomach.
Good luck! If you do not figure out the cause, my little guy stopped crying with the sound of the blowdryer!! Sounds crazy but I remember many night standing in the bathroom rocking him holding the dryer in one hand! Good luck!
J.

i put my little one in his bouncy chair on vibrate with the dishwasher on...puts him out like a light. any 'white noise' like that soothes my baby- also a warm bath and then swaddle! Good luck- i know what you are going through..

M.

my daughter had colic.i think i had a little of the baby blues w/ her.i got an exersise ball and while holding her bouned. the motion of bouncing really soothed her.i also rocked her.but if no one(me )wasnt holing her she cried.the good thing is that this wont last forever.hopefully whenit gets really bad you have a little help so you can get a break. i know a crying baby can be very stressful.boy babies digestive systems are sometime very delicate. its possible that he has acid reflux.or maybe just gassy.i nursed my three kids.all diff. but they did want to be near or held by me or someone else all thetime.hope this helps .and good luck.

Here are a few things to think about or try...none guaranteed to work.

All three of my children were fussy. Only thing I can tell you for sure is it will pass...usually by the time they are about four months old.

1.) If you nurse, cut out dairy from you diet for two weeks and see if that helps. Then cut out spices, citrus, and all foods that cause you gas.

2.) Buy those drops for the tummy. I liked the Gripe water best. I got it from Walgreens.

3.) You can also try Humphries tablets...just crush and put in the little ones mouth. I think you can only get those on-line.

4.) Hold your little ones head close to your chest snuggly so his little head doesn't bob around and then gently hop up and down. This helped my last child quite a bit. We called it doing the rain dance. For some reason it helped him pass gas and then he would quiet down. I might have to hop around for five minutes or so, but he would stop screaming. I got very tired, but anything to stop the screams.

5.) Sometimes it helps to lay them across your forearm, head toward elbow, belly down...legs and arms hanging down. Rub their back gently.

6.) With my oldest I had to stand holding her upright, tightly to my chest, and then rock forward and back....watched a lot of late night tv doing that....like I said before anything to stop the screams. Sometimes she would let me sit on the couch and do that as well...stomach got into better shape quickly with her.

7.) Sleep whenever you can...sleep deprivation makes you cry, yell, get frustrated and generally turn you into a foggy, walking zombie. I know I've been there.

Good luck and keep telling yourself......"this too will pass". You will have a happy baby before you know it and you will laugh about all this later.

Hi K.,

There's so much good advice here I won't add anything else except to say I know where you've been! I think that first few months I went a little nutty. If no ones mentioned it already, it's totally worth shelling out for a sitter once in a while just so you can have some time to yourself. You deserve it!

Hi K.,

Looks like you've received a lot of responses, but I thought I'd add mine as well. First of all, I'm so sorry you and your little guy are going through this. I know from experience that it's very difficult for baby AND mommy. My son had similar issues. After a lot of doctors visits and trial and error we realized that he had acid reflux and a milk protein allergy. So, in addition to acid issues, he was actually allergic to the proteins in my breast milk. We switched him to Neutramagin formula. The proteins are partially broken down, so digestion is easier. We also had to put him on medicine for the acid reflux. Hope this helps. Good luck and hang in there. It will get better :)

Try Colic Calm - it's homeopathic - all natural and I swear it works! You can only buy it online and it's expensive, but just google the name and the website should come up. I used it for months for my son starting at about 4 months and it really helped! I hope you find the right thing for you - hang in there.