Help! Baby with colic... has anything worked for you?

[Lucy in Australia]

I know she'll outgrow it, but in the meantime I'm ready to pull my hair out. Has anything worked for your colicky babies? I'm breast-feeding, and have tried eliminating all the usuall offenders from my diet - nothing. I've tried a few over-the-counter colic medecines - nothing. Love to hear any ideas.

[MariannNOVA]

So sorry this is happening -- I had some success with Gripe Water...with DS, however, we found that it wasn't the colic so much as it was reflux....the doctor prescribed some prescriptions (which did not prove effective), but what helped most was carrying him in Baby Bjorn carrier literally 24/7....and I used the babby swing ALOT! In fact, when the twins were infants, we had FOUR swings -- two on the bedroom level and two on the main level of our house. For months, both of them spent the night-time sleeping hours in the swings....swinging and sleeping.

 

 

I've dealt with colic and reflux with three of my five and it is just.so.draining. Good luck! :)

Edited November 23, 2009 by MariannNOVA

[Alexandra]

This is really a difficult thing to go through. Here are some things that helped.

Walking with the baby.

Warm water bottle on the baby's tummy.

Baby swing.

Infant massage.

 

Does the baby have a particular colicky time of the day? You might be able to pre-empt it by going for a walk just before (take the baby :D). Also, if you think that it might be dietary, well I was told that it takes 2 weeks to get dairy out of your system. It is surprising what contains dairy! Casein, Sodium Casinate are just some of the things that are dairy based. Even Coffee-mate which is touted as dairy free has some dairy by-products in it.

 

When my son had this I just went on what my Pediatrician called a Cave-man diet. If a cave man couldn't find it don't eat it.

 

Poor Mom! Be gentle with that baby and gentle with your self too. I for one had some pretty unhappy thoughts during that difficult time. Sending good thoughts your way!

Alexandra

[katemary63]

All I can say is, you're not alone. Others have and are going through the same thing. My DS22 was so colicy that when my mother came over to see him, she thought we should take him to the ER. "A baby that cries that much has got to have something seriously wrong with him." I had BEEN to the Dr., many times. I had eliminated things from my diet. I tried everything that anybody suggested. No help what so ever. The only thing that helped was time. I'm sorry. I know how hard it is. My four months of hell occured 22 years ago. I'm hoping for your sake, somebody has a new idea that works! But if not, just hold him, love on him and realize that this will pass.

[MariannNOVA]

Instead of editing, I am bumping with this suggestion -- THIS worked better than anything:

 

running the vacuum cleaner.

 

And, I did read up on it to find out why. (It's called habituation) Finally when DD19 months and I could not take it anymore (dd went around with her hands over her ears saying 'make them stop') -- I turned on the vacuum cleaner. They stopped almost immediately. We kept the vacuum on and turned over so the 'beaters' weren't on the rug (b/c otherwise the constant friction will cause a fire :glare: -- ask me how I know).

 

We did try CDs of vacuum cleaners, and lawn mowers, and water running into a bath tub, but nothing worked like the actual vacuum cleaner. Until they outgrew the colic and reflux (which happens about the time they are able to sit up by themselves) the vacuum was our FRIEND! In fact, their first Christmas was spent in the Master Bedroom with various family members taking turns to watch them sleeping peacefully while the vacuum was running.

[Rebecca VA]

My son had colic for four months. He would scream as though he were being skinned alive -- all day long. I was traumatized by that experience for years, and that's why my two kids were born six years apart.

 

What worked for us was walking him. I would wear a pouch with him inside and walk all over town (we lived in Monterey, California, which is walkable all all year round). We'd look at sea lions and other animals, at the boats in the harbor -- all the beautiful sights. He'd get so interested in what he was looking at that he'd forget to cry.

 

When we were inside, he'd stay in the pouch as much as possible. I would bounce him a lot, too, and stand in front of mirrors so that he could see himself.

 

My husband's computer fascinated him from a very early age. Even as a newborn, he would get caught up in what he saw on the screen. He's 18 now and a computer geek -- and he has been high-strung his whole life. He has been under stress this year (from mock trial tournaments and being a freshman at college) and developed all kinds of food intolerances as a result. So he never really outgrew that colic personality.

[plansrme]

Colic in my firstborn is why I adopted #2. Seriously. That first baby ripped all of the baby lust out of my heart and stomped it flat. If I never held another infant, that was okay by me. When I found out #2 would be 15 months old when we got her from China, I was delighted and felt like I had scammed the system, would be found out and assigned an infant as punishment.

 

When #3 (biological) came along and also had colic, I found 2 things that worked: (1) a book called The Happiest Baby on the Block, which advises swaddling all the time (I had a velcro thingy that we called the burrito wrapper that saved my sanity); fast swinging or rocking (I would put him in the car seat and rock it with my foot); and this noise that I can't describe (kind of a loud, forceful ch-ch-ch-ch) but which my older 2 could use to calm him in the car; and (2) giving up dairy products. I have a friend who swears that chiropractic treatments helped her colicky baby.

 

If it is any comfort, #1, now age 12, turned into model child once she started walking. You would never know she had been such an evil baby.

 

Terri

[MamaT]

All I can say is, you're not alone. Others have and are going through the same thing. My DS22 was so colicy that when my mother came over to see him, she thought we should take him to the ER. "A baby that cries that much has got to have something seriously wrong with him." I had BEEN to the Dr., many times. I had eliminated things from my diet. I tried everything that anybody suggested. No help what so ever. The only thing that helped was time. I'm sorry. I know how hard it is. My four months of hell occured 22 years ago. I'm hoping for your sake, somebody has a new idea that works! But if not, just hold him, love on him and realize that this will pass.

 

Hoping too that there are new ideas that I didn't have. My colicy baby is now 23. I thought I was going to lose my mind for a while. Once he was walking, he was the easiest toddler, easiest child, easiest teenager of all my children.

[MariannNOVA]

My son had colic for four months. He would scream as though he were being skinned alive -- all day long.

When we were inside, he'd stay in the pouch as much as possible. I would bounce him a lot, too,

he has been high-strung his whole life. He has been under stress this year... and developed all kinds of food intolerances as a result. So he never really outgrew that colic personality.[/QUOTE]

 

:iagree: This was my experience with my DD who is now 29 -- still high-strung, food intolerances, colic personality, and in medical school. DD9 (who also screamed like he was being skinned alive) and she have identical personalities.

[Guest mtnzeh]

I have a 1 month old who is not necessarily colicky but has her moments. I use Hyland's Colic Tablets they are all natural and work wonders for my little girl. Hope that helps!

[dirty ethel rackham]

I didn't have colicky babies (they were usually soothed by being held - which was all the time:)). However, I had a friend with a colicky baby. This baby screamed all the time and they were going to lose their lease on their apartment (as in not be renewed) because there were so many complaints. Out of desperation, they took the baby to a chiropractor who worked on children. Within 2 weeks, the crying was cut in half. If you decide to try this, be sure the chiro really has specialized training with infants. The adjustments need to be very gentle.

[lionfamily1999]

My gramma says: Sit in a straight legged, straight backed chair. Hold the baby so they're on your chest, hold them firmly (don't squeeze, but hold tight) and support their head. Rock, so that the legs lift up in the front and then clomp down. You HAVE to support the baby very carefully, so they don't get tossed around. I don't know how this works, but my gramma swears by it. It's either the thumping, or the hard rocking.

 

My mother says: lay the baby face down on your thighs (works best if you can turn their face and lay their cheek on one thigh with their belly between your legs, keep your legs together, but let their tummy go into the crease between your legs, iykwIm). Bounce (gently) your legs and pat their back (like you're burping them). I've gotten some solid burps and gas out of this position with my littles. If it's their tummy, this seems to work).

 

Me: get a sling and strap them on. Lol, I'm lazy and carrying them (with a hands free sling, not one with leg holes cut out) seems to sooth them, while letting me get things done.

 

Hth.

[Murphy101]

Baby massage

warm bath with mom (often where I do the baby massage)

gripe water

daddy walking the floor

nursing in the recliner

letting them sleep on my/dh chest (yeah IF you can get then to dose off!)

music or tv on

glass of wine for mom

[lmrich]

We had to turn on the vacuum cleaner and put her in the swing just to get through a meal otherwise she lived in a baby carrier. I kept saying this too shall pass, this too shall pass... by the way she is the sweetest girl now who still loves to cuddle.

[dsmith]

The only thing that would stop my son's screaming was walking around with him and bouncing him. It would have to be a little rough, and for some reason we had to have swing music on. I was afraid he would end up with shaken baby syndrome the way we were bouncing him. I was exhausted for months and used to wake up in the kitchen with him in my arms, not remembering why I was there. I couldn't breast feed, and my pediatrician didn't think changing formulas would help. Finally I decided to change on my own, and we switched to soy. After one week he was a different baby.:001_wub: Of course, ped says he just happened to grow out of it at that same time.:glare: This experience frightened my dh out of having more kids, and really caused a lot of tension in our marriage those few months. It really was quite traumatic, and I thank God I didn't have postpartum depression at the same time! My friend went through both, and said she actually felt like throwing her child against a wall. She shudders to think what would have happened if she didn't get help.

[Ellie]

:grouphug:

 

What worked for me was eliminating ALL dairy, the whole time I was nursing. And it takes up to a month of no dairy, BTW, to see improvement.

 

There's a book called "The Happiest Baby" that's supposed to be life changing. There's baby swaddling involved and I don't know what all else. Maybe this would be helpful.

[Pongo]

I know she'll outgrow it, but in the meantime I'm ready to pull my hair out. Has anything worked for your colicky babies? I'm breast-feeding, and have tried eliminating all the usually offenders from my diet - nothing. I've tried a few over-the-counter colic medecines - nothing. Love to hear any ideas.

 

Not all Gripe Water is created equal.

 

We tried a brand and it did not work at all, then a NICU Nurse friend of mine said to go to an Indian store and ask them. I went in, choking on the overwhelming smell of curry(and I like curry). I asked the women for the colic water, and she handed me this tiny glass bottle with a tin cap wrapped in lovely purple silk. I brought it home, and took the bottle out of the package ( I was waiting for a cloud of misty smoke to follow, like a potion). My husband looked at it and said, "I can't read a thing on it, where did you get this, it looks kinda scary." I twisted the tin lid off, it smelled wonderful, then I prayed over it...lol I was so worried about what was in it, but not worried enough to handle another 6 hour stint of a baby crying and a mom with NO SLEEP for 30 hours! Then I gave a teaspoon to my 4 week old ds, and I swear within minutes the gas he produced cleared the room. It was horrible. In a few days he stopped crying completely but the gas was so embarrassing, Church, Grocery Store..I started leaving him at home (not alone, dh and I would switch off:) We dealt with the stench until he was about 9 weeks old, and as quick as it came it was gone. No more crying after and during every breastfeed, as if pinning him down to my breast to eat was normal.

[Lisa in Jax]

Have you tried chiropractic? It works for many.

 

HIH,

 

Lisa

[jujsky]

Nothing solved it, but a few things made it better:

 

1. I got a sling (a Maya wrap) and wore her as much as possible

 

2. Car rides in the middle of the night seemed to help

 

3. We bought this special device for her crib that mimicked a car ride. It mounted to the bottom and vibrated, and there was a sound box that attached to the railing and made white noise. It was expensive and wasn't quite as effective as I hoped, but it did offer some relief so I found it worth it.

 

4. Swaddling her tightly. My aunt made me some extra-large receiving blankets and those worked well.

 

5. Walking with her in our arms while we bounced her quickly and firmly and made the, "shhhhhhhhhh" noise. I learned about that and the swaddling from the book, The Happiest Baby On The Block.

 

None of these methods was fool-proof, but they did help! I hope you are able to get some much-needed rest. It is so frustrating to have a colicky baby. Mine was miserable -- didn't sleep well and often cried until she was about 2 1/2 or so. Since she hit 3 or 4 she's has been the easiest, sweetest, most pleasant little girl in the world. There's light at the end of the tunnel!

[Tammyla]

:grouphug: Colic :grouphug:

 

It does end. We walked a lot, drove around, darkened the room and listened to music. It ends, but it's torture until it does.

[joannqn]

I think a crying baby that you can't figure out how to console is the hardest experience ever. I'm very sorry your little one isn't feeling well.

 

With my oldest, her "colic" turned out to be her neck being out of alignment. After 3 weeks of trying everything usually suggested for colic, I read something about chiropractic helping. I took her the next morning. My chiropractor told me her neck was out, adjusted her, and she never cried like that again.

 

I took my next three children to my chiropractor within the first week of life because of that experience, and the first two were fine.

 

My last baby had colic. It turned out to be a combination of reflux and dairy allergy. Of course, it took a little while before we saw improvement after eliminating diet. I can tell you that if I goof and have dairy, the colic comes back that day.

 

I encourage you to keep looking for things that might be causing your baby to be in pain...consider chiropractic, food allergies/intolerances, and reflux. Chiropractic can help some because birth is traumatic to the spine, especially if it was fast, or augmented/induced with pitocin. Sometimes their backs can get out just because they are so wobbly and slouchy. With the allergies, look for patterns with a food diary if you are nursing and/or elimination diets. If you are using formula, try changing to a different one, try changing to soy (in case there is a dairy allergy), and if that doesn't work try a specialty formula for those allergic to dairy and soy. With reflux, look for lots of spit ups or little hiccups or swallows with no spitting up.

 

If you think it is just that baby is tired, try the other breast and/or laying down in a darkened room to nurse. Mine is very particular about how she wants to nurse and will refuse one breast or to nurse in a lit/busy room at night.

[Vida Winter]

Two out of three of my babies were colicky. Try different things. What works today may not work tomorrow. The element of surprise has something to do with it.

 

What worked for us (sometimes):

 

going for a drive in the car

going for a walk with the stroller

running a propped-up vacuum

spending time in the laundry room with washer and dryer running

(and if all else failed I'd run a warm bath and bring the baby into the tub with me - be careful they may poop on you. My kids all hated baby tubs and I got good at laying out everything I needed and letting them bathe with me.)

 

:grouphug:

[SonshineLearner]

Did you read about the hammocks that are available? My husband's ex wife loves that for her baby.

Carrie:-)

[*Inna*]

:grouphug:

 

What worked for us with this baby is holding him upright facing outward while applying gentle pressure on his tummy and doing "baby-bop"( walking around and bouncing). 10 minutes of this is usually enough.

 

"Baby Gripe" water helped too.

Oh, and bringing him to the bathroom and turning the shower on for a while.

 

Keep repeating to yourself: "It's just a phase. It will pass." :grouphug:

[Lucy in Australia]

I had no idea so many of you have had experience with this :001_smile:

[Carol in Cal.]

From about 4PM until about 10PM every single day.

We took turns.

Leaning against a counter while jiggling as though walking was not effective.:glare:

 

Also, I became the human pacifier. Yup, I pretty much nursed all evening every evening. When she was clamped on, she couldn't scream. It was worth it.

 

The funny thing was, when she finally went into a deep sleep she would sleep for about 5-6 hours. And when she woke up she would be a completely different baby--relaxed, thoughtful, observant, cheerful. It was so weird. Every night for the longest time she would go to bed one person and wake up another.

 

When she was around 3 months old, she stopped. It was such a relief!

[Janet in Toronto]

Haven't read through all the posts, but my family doc had a flyer for a probiotic product called BioGaia. My brother tried it with his colicky 2 month old and it really seemed to help. It needs to be refrigerated once it's opened. Five drops on a baby spoon or dropper, once per day.

[katemary63]

From about 4PM until about 10PM every single day.

We took turns.

Leaning against a counter while jiggling as though walking was not effective.:glare:

 

Also, I became the human pacifier. Yup, I pretty much nursed all evening every evening. When she was clamped on, she couldn't scream. It was worth it.

 

The funny thing was, when she finally went into a deep sleep she would sleep for about 5-6 hours. And when she woke up she would be a completely different baby--relaxed, thoughtful, observant, cheerful. It was so weird. Every night for the longest time she would go to bed one person and wake up another.

 

When she was around 3 months old, she stopped. It was such a relief!

 

This is very close to my experience. DS would start crying at 5:00 pm every.single.day. Boy did we dread that half hour after 4:30...it was this horrible sense of forboding...we knew what was coming...... My son did not just scream. He thrashed, arms and legs flailing up and down non-stop the whole time, face red, choking on his own screams. Nothing ever even muted his screams. I held him, walked him, sang to him, ran the vacuum cleaner etc. But the screams and thrashing never stopped. Sometimes I would lay him in his crip, go into my room and beat a pillow to virtual death, then go back, pick up my son and continue on. The Dr said if my holding him didn't help, why not just let him cry in his crib and save my sanity. But I couldn't do it. I held him the whole time, every single day. ( BTW: DD24 was only 15 mos old at the time and DH worked third shift.....not fun.) At 10:00 p.m......silence. He was so exhuasted that he slept all night long, even at 3 weeks old. He would wake up about 5:00 a.m., happy as a clam and be a joy until.....that dreaded....hour.....would.....turn....5:00 p.m. again....hell on earth. One day, he didn't start crying till 5:30 and from there, his screaming, thrashing hours slowly shortened untill they disapeared about 4 1/2 mos. old.

 

Personally, I agree with my DS's pediatric neurologist, that his colic was neurological. He sufferes from ADD and serious anxiety and depression. The FIRST question the Dr. asked me upon his first evaluation at age 9 was, "Was he a colicy baby?" Hmmmm..ummmm......yes! I don't think it had anything to do with my diet or his digestion. The timing just wouldn't make sence with that.

 

I have three daughters, non of whom had any colic at all. All 4 were breast fed exclusively.

[tdeveson]

Boil a few star anise in water. Use that to prepare formula, or mix it with breast milk or juice. It's a powerful anti-spasmodic.

 

When my DH was a baby, she became colicky. My mom told me to give her star anise tea in her milk, but I told her we were in the 20th Century and I didn't believe in that sort of thing. I packed up my baby, took her to the pediatrician, waited an hour to see him, and he told me there were no drugs available for colic, but a little star anise tea mixed with juice or milk would do the trick.

 

Duh!

 

My mother laughed at me when I got home. :)

[Cera]

Our first was a tough, fussy baby. She did have a milk intolerance and reflux but it was more than that. There were only two things that calmed her, jogging outside and water. We spent many evenings jogging the 2 mile loop around our neighborhood, as long as you kept up at least a 12 min mile pace she was fine but if you slowed she would start to scream. When we both ran out of energy we would stand in a very warm shower with her and hold her over a shoulder with the water beating on her lower back. Often we stayed in there (alternating) until the hot water ran out.

[Lizzie in Ma]

I am so sorry, it is hard I know. The only thing that worked for my little one was constant motion. I wore her, I swug her in her car seat, and when I couldn't do it anymore we would get in the truck and drive up and down bumpy roads. The only really good news is that is it over at about 3 months.

[Katrina J]

Hi, I'm in Perth too.

 

I tried every natural remedy and every sleep book I could get my hands on with my son. I remember trying to read yet another sleep book in a darkened passage way in the middle of the night, pushing my baby back and forwards in the buggy with one hand, while I desperately looked for the bit in the book that would just tell me what to do.

 

My son had reflux but it took a while to diagnose because when I gave him Zantac (a fairly mild antacid) it didn't make any difference, so the GP ruled out reflux. It turned he needed a much stronger drug and that made a huge difference, as much as I hated giving it to him. The drug was called Zoton and the pharmacy at St John of God, Subiaco made it into a suspension suitable for babies. He still didn't sleep very well but I could tell he wasn't uncomfortable anymore.

 

To get some rest, I finally put a mattress on the floor and breast fed him to sleep and slept myself. I learned to sleep on my side, baby attached with my arm under my head. When I needed to roll over I'd wake from being uncomfortable and move baby to the other side and sleep for another hour or two. I did this all night for a couple of months - not fun but at least we all got some rest and peace.

 

I also tried a week at Ngala (local sleep clinic) but that didn't work either. Sleep deprivation and not being able to comfort your baby is a cruel combination.

 

Hope you find something that helps soon.