Help with Colic and Gassy Baby

Like Karen D, I also use Gripe Water and we absolutely can't live without it. A girl friend gave it to me at one of my baby showers and she swears by it...now I'm a believer too! They didn't carry it at New Leaf, so I ordered it from DrugStore.com. Good luck!

try mylicon drops, bicycing her legs to help gas escape. I wouldn't put cereal in her milk...that would just add to the problem.

My daughter had colic for 5 months and is 19 mos. and STILL has acid reflux. The best help I found for her when she was a young infant was the book "happiest baby on the block." All the suggestions in that book helped with the colic and fussiness. Best of luck.
E.

Experiance (four kids, five grandchildren) has taught me that every baby can be a little different. Here are some of the remedies we have tried that worked:

Mylicon drops for infants (my favorite, and no the store brand does NOT work as well)

A couple of drops Karo syrup per oz of formula, helps relieve gas and also good for constipation.

Play the "wheels on the bus" with your baby, moving his her legs like a bike, bringing the knees up near the chest, this helps relieve pressure and pass gas.

2-3 drops peppermint oil (not extract) in a full bottle.

Gentle tummy massages during and right after feeding to help pass gas.

And always keeping baby upright instead of laying down during feeding. I have no idea why this works, but it helps greatly.

Good luck and know that this will pass :)

Im not sure what kind of formulum you use but my little girl was the same way so her dr. Put her on simalac alumentum(not sure if i spelled that right,but it is a puprple can)and go buy dr. Browns bottles.all my kids had colic and where very gassy and the dr. Browns bottles are thr best.also you can go to a spanish store and ask for grip water this helps with the gas and colic.there is also another idea go to your pharmacy and ask for humphrys #3.this is homopathic med.and it is for teething and colic.

The easiest and most effective thing is Hyland's Colic tablets. They'll melt in the mouth. I had a baby that screamed from 6pm-10pm EVERY NIGHT. classic colic. So I started giving them to her at 4pm. By 6pm she was passing gas, happy and no screaming at all! And this was a GERD baby!

try milacon drops works great also it could be a lactose thing so might wanna try him on lactose free. my daughter had it terribly to the point the ped put her on dolotal to stop the intestinal spasms which helps alot. i gave her body massages with her laying face down on my chest and just massaged her back. that helped alot. but it didn't end until i got her off lactose her small system just couldn't handle it. now she can drink milk but as an infant she had issues digesting it.

Have you seen the video or book titled "Happiest Baby on the Block" It has really great tips plus "white noise" on the DVD. I thought it was great! Good luck

Babies magic tea is the right solution to deal with colicky and gassy baby.

Colic is a term used kind of loosely to describe a cranky baby.
How old is yours? Babies outgrow colic between 3 and 4 months.
Swaddling really helps at this age--check out the book "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and/or the DVD (which is great because you and your partner can watch it together and really see the techniques working).
http://www.amazon.com/Happiest-Baby-Block-Crying-Longer/d...
It's truly amazing how you can use the authors techniques to soothe and calm a cranky/colic baby. If you are having problems actually swaddling the baby "the Miracle Blanket"
http://www.miracleblanket.com/index.htm
was the only thing that we found that works. In fact, I now give it to every new mom I know.

If your baby is older than 4 months, then I would look into other reasons for it being so cranky which would include overtiredness (which can be rectified by getting him or her on a feeding and eating routine like the one in Good Night, Sleep Tight http://www.amazon.com/Good-Night-Sleep-Tight-Helping/dp/B...
or the Baby Whisperer http://www.amazon.com/Secrets-Baby-Whisperer-Connect-Comm...)
Also many babies have acid reflux. If your baby is projectile spitting up a lot, this could also be an issue. Your pediatrician can give you and Rx, but it is also recommended to keep the babies head above his heart when he is sleeping. The easiest way to do this is to roll up some towels under his sheet to create a wedge. They also sell wedges specifically for this. Baby hammocks like the Amby baby hammock http://www.ambybaby.com/
also do this, but can be pricey (but they also help with colic and teaching them to self-soothe) so this may be the solution for you.
Finally--all babies are super cranky around 6 weeks of age--it's sort of a peaking point where they gradually get more and more cranky until then and then start tapering off afterwards....

With my kids I simply turned them face down across my knees and bounced them gently while patting their backs. It always helped move the gas through and made them laugh instead of cry! A gassy baby needs help getting it to move so trying to hold them still as a measure of comfort is really counter-productive.

Good Luck!

We used to use Dr. Browns Bottles - use Mylicon before feeding - burp a lot throughout feeding and give Mylicon after eating. Sleeping on you helps - the warmth. We also went to the Homeopathy store and have them make Gripe Water (not sure where you are but the one behind Publix on Roosevelt in Jax, FL makes it homemade). I'm sure any homeopathy store would make it. IT HELPED! Good luck.

With baby #1 I discovered a product called "Gripe Water" that worked wonders. It is made of natural herbs, is a clear liquid, and you can either add it to the bottle or put it in a medicine bottle with a nipple. It is perfectly safe. I used it with my daughter at each feeding. I purchesed it at a health food store in Rome, GA but I'm sure you will be able to find it near you. I am about to have baby #2 and I plan on searching for it at my new locatin if I need it. Good Luck
K. D.

If you are bottle-feeding, be sure that the is full at all times. If breast-feeding, be sure that your s are positioned so that they are always pulled in a forward motion. For example, if your baby is postioned to your front, your s should also be positioned to your front: If the baby is more to the side, you should turn so that your s will point to the side(s). This will decrease the amount of air that is causing the gas/colic. It is also important to frequently burp the baby during feedings...To remedy colic, place the baby on his/her back. Then place your hand around the baby's ankles, bend baby's legs at knee joints and push baby's knees to baby's chest. The baby can also be positioned as stated earlier and, instead of creating knee-chest contact, twist the baby's lower body from side to side. Both if theses maneuvers will expel gas.

I've been here before...Here is my best advice...
* Warm baths after dinner,
* Lots of burping not just during and after a feeding but everytime you think of it during the day and night, take a feeding break for 1 minute every 1/2 oz. to burp ~ it's ok if they don't burp just doing it more often during the feeding helps in the long run. I also have some burping positions that worked well (contact me if you are interested and I'll send you my number as it would be harder to try to explain this way)
* They also have what I call 'the bug' it's actually a massager that looks like a lady bug ~ I would put my son in the swing with 'the bug' and it seemed to help when I went to burp him later.
* Baby massages are not only just good for bonding time but good for working on the tummy and pushing some of those bubbles upward.
I have not heard of the cereal ~ My doctor had us switch formula's and the gas was not as bad.

Hello M.,

Your baby is to young for cereal to be introduced at this point. I don't know if you have heard of "infant massage ", this technique has been brought to the western culture in 1980's and it helps with colic and gassy babies" it also helps with bonding with your child. If you would like more information please contact my at ____@____.com

Priscilla

Try Gripe Water. You can buy it at your local health food store. It worked for me, I wish I had discovered it sooner. Good luck.

hi M.
my son had awful colic and gas.....no matter what i ate while nursing (for about 10 weeks.) then BAM, just like that he was fine..... to help him, we would stopped nursing about half way through and burped him. (he did not like being interupted, but we always got a large burp out and then let him finish nursing,) and we used GRIPE WATER right after he was done eating! it helped tons... you can find it at any healthfood store. (much better then mylacom and all natural.) good luck...my thoughts are w/you...and know it does come to an end, about 13 weeks the tummy is mature enough to break down the milk protiens. god bless..J. j

When my son was first born, he had problems with gas and colic...I felt like I was going to lose my mind....A friend of mine also had a child with the same problem and told me to buy something called Gripe Water. It's all natural and you can find it at some grocery stores, WalMart, and natural food stores. I checked with my ped before I would consider it. He told me that its ok to give it to him.
I read the package and its safe enough for very new infants. I bought it and it works! Wonderful stuff. And its safe enough to give every 30 mins as needed. It also works for hiccups, teething and other minor problems.
Have you considered the belly band for colic? I never bought one because I heard about it too late, but that may be something you would try to look into.
A question for you? Is your baby fussy all the time or does he/she spit up alot of food and vomits alot? My son also had this and it took several trips to the doctor before he would address the issue and he finally put him on Zantac and he improved alot within a few short days. I wasnt keen on putting medicines in my infant but he needed it and it has worked for 8 mos now. I hope this info works for you and you find a solution that works for you and your baby.
Just remember that its only for a few months and then its over. Good luck!!

Warm a receiving blanket in the microwave (folding it to about the size of a popcorn bag) When it is warmed wrap it around his tummy like a mini heating pad. It warms the air and brings it to the top. (I don't know how it works but it makes them feel better.)

If you are using powder formula try shaking it early in the day and let the bubble settle in the frig. (warm it in a glass of hot water and roll it back and forth in your hands rather then the microwave-for hot spots unless you shake it again.)

Car rides, walking, singing and crying with the little one sometimes helps.

Try lying baby on a heated vibrating pad. This will help move the gas out and the low heat is soothing.
L. G.
____@____.com

I was always told warm peppermint water! That is what i did, and i have three kids! Put warm water in an 4oz bottle and half of an peppermint, then shake it up real good and let sit for alittle bit until you see it melting and then give it to her! R. h.

This is very old fashioned but works great for colic and gas, you will probably be apprehensive about it however i raised my daughter who is now 17 and she does not drink alcohol as she doesnt like it, with this regime when it came to colic and had no problems with it or her in the the long run. Take 1 ounce warm water, 1 teaspoon honey and one thumbnail yes measure it as a thumbnail of whiskey, mix it in a bottle and give it to the baby, the mixture of the tiny bit of whiskey and honey breaks up the gas and colic and also helps the baby to sleep, no it doesnt make the baby drunk as its such a tiny amount and you only use it when the baby is colicky. Well give it a try and hope all goes well with the colic. Also you can ask the elderly ladies about it and they will tell you this regime or maybe another old fashioned way. Take care.
R.

Depending on their size, place the infant on your forearm with their face and head beig supported by the palm of your hand, chin between middle 2 fingers and like rock them. It hasnt failed me yet and I just had my 4th, my oldest is 19 already. Some how the pressure of the baby against your palm,ect.. Relieves their discomfort. The problem though is that its a workout!!!!!!!! Gas Drops?

My son was colicy when he was an infant. We found that the Dr. Brown bottles were one of our best purchases.

How old is your child? And when you say Colic what do you mean? Many children who are considered "colic" actually have severe reflex. Does your child throw their head back and arch their back and cry? Does he/she projectal vomit? Does nothing seem to work to stop him/her from crying in pain? I ask these questions because my son had severe reflex, my month old nephew has it, and my best friend has her sons who have it. Now a majority of babies have reflex but there are a few who have it severe and doctors do not know much about it (this is fairly new).

All of the above children had to have ZANTAC. My son was off of it at one year. I do not like to give my children medicine and do not give them medicine when they are sick, unless it is really bad. They fight fevers off on their own unless it is extremely high. So it took a lot for me to give my son this drug. But let me tell you it was wonderful. He wasn't crying in pain in more, he was comfortable and could hold down his food. It was as if he was a completely different little man. So you might want to look into that.

If he does have reflex then you want to elevate the head of the crib/bassinet. Put a small book UNDER the mattress to help elevate him (this will help him sleep better). Also reflex babies sleep better on their stomaches and it is actually better for them. There is a wonderful hold that can be done that will help too. Face the child outward and scrunch him/her up as if they are a football. They are going to fight at first, but start to bounce slightly and that will help. This is a wonderful hold and it works on gassy babies.

Now if your child is just gassy, I lived on the infant gas drops with my third son. He was the gassest baby ever. I was up at CVS every 3 days buying more! You can also use Gripe Water to help (you can find this in drug stores as well). Also taking them outside sometimes just helps the fussiness go away.

If your little one is under 6 weeks or just getting to 6 weeks, give him/her another week. Usually the fussiness goes away around 6/7 weeks of age.

Also this is going to sound crazy, but my sister-in-law said that when my nephew is crying (even if he is in pain) she can run the vacuum cleaner and he calms down. Might try that!

Good luck and I hope this helps a little.

Hi M.,

Colic..gas.. and acid. I am sorry to hear. My son has a problem with acid. The nurse at my doctors office suggested that I feed him a teaspoon of rice mixed with expressed milk (not sure if you are nursing), but rice can be constipating so you will want to also give 1 ounce of water. I would check though with your docs office about age and water. My son was a little bit older when I started feeding rice.

As far as gas goes, lower gas you can bring baby's legs up to her chest. There is also a certain position that you can hold her in, I'll do my best to explain it. Hold baby with her belly facing the ground, and head facing out next to your elbow and trunk of body being supported by your forearm. It also helps if you are rubbing her belly while holding her in this position. I also found that belly time helps with gas. Last but certainly not least there is Mylacon for the gas and Gripe water for all other belly problems.
We ended up having to put my son on perscription meds for acid.
Don't forget this is only a stage and it will end!!
Best of luck and if there is anything else I can do...
K.