I have a 14 week old daughter named Juliana. I know she is colicky... she definitely screams more than 3 hours a day, every single day of the week, for every month shes been in this world! Shes been on zantac and had her formula switched 3 times, hates her bouncy seat and her swing, wont take a pacifier, still cries if you wear her in a carrier, isnt even crazy about riding in the car, been to the pediatrician more times than I can count... shes had xrays that came up fine, she doesnt spit up, doesnt appear to have gas problems, we do gripe water, we talked about putting her on prevacid but its $70 every month with insurance!... You name it, weve done it! Sometimes I feel like I cant do it anymore but somehow I wake up the next day with the strength to do it all over... plus I have a 1 year old! I really dont feel like its a reflux problem for her...
So my question is for those who have survived colic, when did it end for you? Is there an end in sight for me? I waited to join this group until well after she was 3 months, after hearing that colic normally ended at the three month mark.
Since every baby is different who knows when it will end. I swear it would be easier to take if you at least knew when it was going to end. When I 1st took him to the doc for colic (waited 3 weeks to call and then had to wait another 3 weeks for the appiontment) she told me about one of her friend's in med school who's baby was colicly for a whole year! Then prescribed a break for me. This was the same month my husband had to be out of town 3 to 4 days every week. At least my guy has calmed down after 2 months of torturing me (difficult for 1st two months, colic for 2nd two months, and now not colicly but still difficult). I started to notice one week that he wasn't screaming as long and that he had to have noise or booby to sleep. And if he did not get a moring nap the rest of the day was shot.
So the answer to your question is nobody knows but your baby. But since your baby is now older I would go back to square one with the calming techniqes. Things that you had tried earlier in her life that didn't work might work now that her brain is a little more developed. And if nothing else it gives you a plan to work from. Get a break, maybe grandma, people from church, or a neighboor for just 30min to an hour will really make a difference in how you feel. Another thought is to get ear plugs. You will still hear her but it won't be as painful and that might make your sanity last longer.
i remember dd was 4+mo old and i was saying to dh, when is this going to end? my question for you, have you tried infant probiotic? my friend has a 3 wk old and it has helped her... wish i had tried it with my baby.... i think it ended for me/us at about 6mo... sorry but just being honest.
Where can I find this infant probiotic? Im willing to try it!!! Thanks for the suggestion. Juliana will be 4 months on the 16th of this month and she seems just as bad, if not worse than ever!
Quoting katiesmom123:
i remember dd was 4+mo old and i was saying to dh, when is this going to end? my question for you, have you tried infant probiotic? my friend has a 3 wk old and it has helped her... wish i had tried it with my baby.... i think it ended for me/us at about 6mo... sorry but just being honest.
Oh boy, do I feel your pain!! I have a 12 month old and just had my son October 8th. He has been suffering from colic and I cannot begin to describe the toll it has taken on us. I switched to Nutrimigen formula 4 days ago and guess what? I think it's done the trick! In the past two days we have had a much happier, content and QUIET baby. I hope and pray this lasts. We've been going nuts trying everything we can to help him. The endless crying was not something we expected (who does?) My daughter Samantha, born last October 18th was an incredibly easygoing, peaceful and happy baby - she still is. This little guy has been the total opposite (from the colic I know) but our fantasies of having another 'dream child' were out the window when he was about 2 weeks old and the screaming started. I never heard a baby scream like that before and boy does it ever throw the whole family into a constant state of anxiety. I am physically and emotionally drained from it. I would recommend trying the Nutramigen, it's got completely broken down protiens (similar to the idea behind Goodstart which has partially broken down protiens) it seems to be working for us so I'd recommend it to anyone going through the nightmare of colic. Hang in there, I know that's easier said then done. And try the Nutramigen if you have'nt yet, it's worth a shot.
I know the end seems no where in sight. My second daughter had colic.....I was also recovering from a c-section, had my two-year old daughter going through potty training and getting used to a toddler bed.....plus a husband that worked crazy hours....no near family...no close friends....-sigh-
It was the longest eight months of my life....I cried every chance I got to shower so no one would see me....perhaps every 3 days or so. Even in the back of my mind I can sometimes still hear the constant crying and she is about to turn 2 years old in April.
I was breastfeeding her.....I discovered by accident through having a conversation with my OBGYN...that the problem may be that my daughter is lactose intolerant. So I removed ALL dairy from my diet (which was difficult since I am a Wisconsin native). Soon once all the dairy worked itself out of my daughter's system...she did start to let up some from the colic. Once a month I would test her and have a piece of cheese or have a glass of milk...and BAM the colic would become worse for about 2 weeks.
She is still lactose intolerant but she is finally happy and healthy....although very small for her age...I think due to the lack of dairy during her first year.
There is an end...although no one can say for sure when. You and your family will survive...just hang in there.
A couple of things.....sometimes it is OK....to just let baby cry by him/herself. Leave the room...if hubby or trusted adult is around...leave the house for a few minutes...just to get yourself away from the crying. You can't soothe her everytime she cries...you have to accept it....and not feel guilty.
The Shadows are just as important as the light
Thank you so much for everyone that responded to my post!! Your replies were so very helpful and even though she is almost 5 months and still a little colicky, Ive learned to deal with it. Thanks to everyone, the responses made me feel so much better.
oops... :-)
first let me just say, i feel for you sister!!!! im a mother of 3, my first daughter was an angel, and i thank God for that cuz i was very young when i had her. my son came 5 years later, and was pure adorable hell!! he cried from the moment he was born. i breastfeed him constantly!! but nothing would sooth him. that lasted until he was around 6 mnths old. i say "around" meaning.... after, but before he hit the 7 mnth mark. i heard the 3 mnth thing also from everyone and was devastated when the next 3 1/2 mnths were just as bad as the first 3 mnths, if not worse!! i have no idea what causes it or makes it stop, im not sure anyone does. i was so very sad when my second daughter was born and turned out to be colicy also, she was ok for the first 2 weeks or so, then the constant crying started up. i swore, there is no way God has delt me another colicy baby, but sure enough, he did. i would dred 2pm everyday, cuz thats when her crying started and would NOT stop til around 7 or 8 in the evening. now, for her though, she is just over the 3 mnth mark and its almost over. she cries much less then the full blown colic days of the first three mnths. i say she is just a cronic complainer :-) but she is getting better day by day.
so overall, i dont think there is a for sure answer to your question, although i wish there was. i think it just depends on the baby. the old saying, everyone is different. but i feel your pain, and although we dont know when it ends, just remember it does end!!!
this is one of my favorite pictures. we all just coped w/the constant crying. life went on, ya know :-) my other two kids loved her to death even though she cried through everything. this pic really caught our day to day life, we held her, loved her and took care of her........she cried
oh my ! lol that picture is what our life has become in the last few weeks. We all just kinda go on with life and my little man cries/fusses from about 8pm till 1am hes just 6 weeks and i just switched him to Alimentum and we do gas drops I'm going to talk to the doc tomorrow about trying prevacid 
Quoting Margee30:oops... :-)
first let me just say, i feel for you sister!!!! im a mother of 3, my first daughter was an angel, and i thank God for that cuz i was very young when i had her. my son came 5 years later, and was pure adorable hell!! he cried from the moment he was born. i breastfeed him constantly!! but nothing would sooth him. that lasted until he was around 6 mnths old. i say "around" meaning.... after, but before he hit the 7 mnth mark. i heard the 3 mnth thing also from everyone and was devastated when the next 3 1/2 mnths were just as bad as the first 3 mnths, if not worse!! i have no idea what causes it or makes it stop, im not sure anyone does. i was so very sad when my second daughter was born and turned out to be colicy also, she was ok for the first 2 weeks or so, then the constant crying started up. i swore, there is no way God has delt me another colicy baby, but sure enough, he did. i would dred 2pm everyday, cuz thats when her crying started and would NOT stop til around 7 or 8 in the evening. now, for her though, she is just over the 3 mnth mark and its almost over. she cries much less then the full blown colic days of the first three mnths. i say she is just a cronic complainer :-) but she is getting better day by day.
so overall, i dont think there is a for sure answer to your question, although i wish there was. i think it just depends on the baby. the old saying, everyone is different. but i feel your pain, and although we dont know when it ends, just remember it does end!!!
this is one of my favorite pictures. we all just coped w/the constant crying. life went on, ya know :-) my other two kids loved her to death even though she cried through everything. this pic really caught our day to day life, we held her, loved her and took care of her........she cried
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on Oct. 23, 2008 at 10:19 PM