So depressed--colic?? What can I do?? PLEASE HELP!!!

[calebsmama713]

So the past two nights Lily--my perfect little sleeper (3w2d old)--has woke up around 10pm and just screams bloody murder like she's in extreme pain until about 2am. She arches her back and becomes really stiff and just screams in agony. I couldn't take it anymore so I took her to the doc today--he proceeds to tell me it's probably just colic and goes into a lengthy discussion about how extremely PAINFUL it is and how there's NOTHING I can do for it. Why the EF would you go on and on about how painful it is to me and then rub in my face that I can't do anything about it??

I'm so depressed right now. Her appt was over an hour ago and I'm still crying. I can't stop. My baby's apparently in extreme pain and I can't help?? I am so tired and so depressed. I don't think I can deal with this. I asked him if it could be reflux cause it runs in my family and my son had it REALLY bad and he said if she's still screaming in pain like this in THREE MONTHS then he'll consider reflux and give a referral to have tests done. So what if it IS reflux and she has to spend the next 3 months in agony until she proves worthy enough to have the test done to make sure?? God I can't stop crying. I hate my pediatrician. My son had severe reflux and was hospitalized at 4 weeks old and started medication at FOUR WEEKS OLD--not four months!!

Anyone been through this?? Is there really nothing I can do but listen to her scream in agony?? I can't do this I won't survive the next couple of months. I just can't stop crying...

[mia480]

Hun, you r not alone in this, we all here have gone or are going through this. Try a few things, colic tablets, that u can find at a drug store, Gripe water, massage, warm baths, after feeding the baby sit him up for 20-30 min. incase it is reflux. they have white noise cd's u can purchase for them for soothing, just hold him. and lastly, what worked for my son, was chiropractic care, yes,it seems odd, but mine did a miracle. but mind u......most cases of colic wont disipate til 4-6 months. Im here if u need to talk, get help from family too, u need support.

[julielawyer]

I agree with the gripe water.  It's mostly sodium bicarb (aka baking soda) which will neutralize the stomach acid .  The one I tried with my son you could give it 10 or 12 times a day.  That could be your stop gap measure (and it will give you and your doctor infomation if this is reflux)  until you figure this out.  If the gripe water works go back to the doc (or get a new one!) and explain what you're giving and the effect that it's had.  If you can, prop baby up after eating (car seats and swing chairs are great for this) AND at night.  My kid slept in the swing chair for four months all night swinging (gotta lova the A/C adpater) .  If baby is in the crib you can put a rolled up blanket UNDER the mattress (between the mattress and springs) to create an inclined sleeping surface.  Or you could be lazy like me and put baby in the car seat and set the whole car seat in the crib.  If you are bottle feeding you can mechanically thicken the formula (or breatmilk if you pump) with rice ceral so that it's harder for it to reflux.  You might need a speical nipple for this.  If none of this works zantac is available over the counter and infomation on dosing for infants is online.  I am not recommending you do this without talking to your doctor first, I am just saying that the information and means are available.

My other suggestion to prevent yourself from going crazy is to get earplugs.  You will still hear baby screaming but it does help you stay clam longer.

[Liv32]

I feel terrible for you because at 2 weeks old my baby also has colic.  When you get pregnant no one really mentions that colic is a serious possibility, I think it's one of three infants get it.  Anyway I've definitely had my share of crying, almost every night that I have to take care of her alone, I cry because I feel so badly that she has to suffer.  I have one aid that could also help you.  It's a homeopathic remedy that was oked by my PED and the pharmacist uses it with his son as well.  It's called Cocyntal and it's suppose to be tasteless, even tho she makes a weird face when she takes it.  It comes in little vialed doses that are extremely easy to administer.  It has SAVED me from hours of crying.  She fusses a little still but as long as I give her a dose before she eats and sometimes another after she eats and be sure to burp them good or nothing really works, she seems to pass the gas quickly, sometimes immediately.  If you try it let me know how it worked for you...

[Moonshyne777]

I feel your pain 100%!!! My son was extrremely colicky for the first 5 months of his life. The emotional and physical toll it took on me and my family was unbelieveable. I also had a 12 month old (who was and still is such an easy baby) to take care of. My son's colic was awful, endless screaming, day and night. He only was quiet while he ate or was asleep (rare). There were times in my traumatized, shell shocked and sleep deprived mind I even contemplated giving him up for adoption!! Not kidding. Then I would feel so guilty for even thinking that but man, it was just so hard to deal with. The hardest thing I've ever endured. It seemed like the crying just never stopped. There are 2 things you need to know, 1. IT WILL NOT LAST FOREVER! Most babies outgrow it by 3 months (which seems like an eternity when one day feels like a week going through this!) Or a few unlucky moms like me will have to endure it for 5, 6 months. 2. GET HELP!!!!! I cannot stress this enough. I did not have much help at all but when I did it really helped. I had my grandma come and stay a week and that helped me so much. My mom passed away a few years ago so she isnt around to help me. Please, please get whatever outside help you can to deal with this. It will help to save your sanity. Also I switched my son to Nutrimigen and I noticed a decrease in the crying right away. It is pricey but I would have paid any price to help my son, even if it just cut down on the crying by a few hours a day. Another thing I did was get "The Happiest Baby On The Block" it really has a lot of helpful techniques, a few of which worked with my son to lessen the amount of crying. There will be times when you'll feel like your just too overwhelmed to deal. Put the baby in a safe place and step outside for a few mins for some air and just to recompose yourself. Remember, this won't go on forever and you will get relief in just a few months. If you need to talk just pm me. I know how awful going through this is and I always said that if I could ever help anyone in a similar situation I would in a minute. Having no help is what made going through this a living hell for me. To this day I still resent my MIL for offering no help at all, even though she knew what I was going through and that I did not have my own mother anymore. It also took a toll on my husband's and mine relationship. We argued a lot more because we were so stressed out. Be prepared for some rough days (and nights) ahead but know that it will not last forever and gradually over time the colicky little screamer will turn into the happy little baby you dream of. As I said, please feel free to pm me, I know how hard it really is. (((HUGS!!)))

[calebsmama713]

Thanks everyone. It turns out that my baby was just having a bad couple of days. My doctor was quick to label her with "colic" and I was so sleep deprived that I just had a meltdown. Not to mention I was only 3 weeks PP and completely hormonal.

The night that those two bad nights started, I ate literally half a bag of Hershey's Bliss chocolates, a chocolate milkshake, chocolate chip cookies and some chocolate milk--yeah horrible I know, I was having horrible chocolate cravings after I had her. Anyways, I wondered after the first night if it was the chocolate bothering her so I stopped eating it all together. She had those bad two nights and then was fine.

Well after almost two weeks of no chocolate and great sleeping I figured I'd try the chocolate thing again--sure enough she got really fussy and was crying, wouldn't sleep, was spitting up frequently etc. Soooooo I'm thinking she was reacting to the chocolate. I've cut it out again and she's been fine again. She still acts fussy but she had an Upper GI today and she has silent reflux so thinking that's where the rest of the random fussiness comes in. That and gas cause she refuses to burp after she eats anymore.

Thanks for all your support and sorry if I came off crazy--I was so tired and hormonal and desperate. My friend's baby had colic for the first several months of his life and I couldn't even visit them cause he stressed me out so bad--I was afraid Lily would be like that and with my severe anxiety I know I wouldn't have been able to handle it. Guess God knew that...

God bless you all and good luck with your babies. You're definitely heroes in my eyes--I know I couldn't do it...