Oh bless your heart - I don't have any tips for you but just wanted to say hang in there.

I can't believe he's already a month old!!!!

Sounds like colic to me. And yes there is not much to do but wait for him to outgrow it. My DD had really severe colic. It can be very frustrating. You put them down ,they scream. You pick them up, they arch their little backs and scream. I did breastfeed and felt like a human pacifier.

DD liked to hang on my arm face down in the same position you would carry a coat over your arm. That and swaying back and forth would have a calming effect on her. The baby swing was also a life safer. Motion and more motion. We took a lot of midnight car rides with baby.

All I can say is it will get better. Everyone will give all sorts of advice. But the truth is nobody really knows what causes colic. Just know that it is nothing you are doing wrong and you and baby will survive.

If it's crying for a few hours a day it's normal fussiness. If it's blood curding wailing, it's colic.

I'm sorry to hear it's been rough. I have been there to the same degree. Grant was so good for the first few weeks, then he "woke" up and it got so hard. He cried alot too and had colic for months.

As for gas pains, other than what you've mentioned, I dont know of anything else you could do. What kind of bottles are you using? Try Dr. Browns if you're not using them already, they're great for removing air bubbles. He doesn't have reflux does he?

Hang in there!

I spent a fortune on gas drops and different bottles when Nick was a baby but I think only time helped. In retrospect, I don't think Nick had colic but it was probably his food allergies. At the time though I tried everything to alleviate his discomfort. In some respects formula feeding is easier when dealing with something like this. I had no idea if something I was eating was bothering him and if so, what and it's not an easy thing to figure out. Like I said, I don't think I ever did figure it out or find an answer, he just grew out of it.

My Friend is giving little doses of flax oil to the Baby. Lay the baby on its back and push the little legs into the tummy. That helps pass gas.

Lay the baby on its tummy on a "hot water bottle" and gently message the back.

In the "old days" our Parents gave us Paregoric. My Doctor prescribed "Seda Drops", which I think was equal to Paregoric. I don't think it helped any.

My Oldest was a screamer until she went on cereal. I started her earlier than suggested by Doctor and she got over the Colic.

I'm saying a prayer for you, because I almost lost my mind over the screaming. All I can say is get some help so you can get out of the house and away for a while.

Gayle

Another mom who had one who cried EVERY afternoon from about 4:00 until about 8:00. (If we were lucky it stopped then...) One thing that seemed to help was I laid him across my lap on his tummy and patted and rubbed his back. Seemed like the pressure on his stomach helped relieve the pain.

Sounds like you've done what you could so far. Austin went through this for the first 3 months. After they finally tried the Similac with Soy he got better. Seth had to have the same formula. It seemed to make them both happy boys! I hope you get a resolution soon, I know how it can wear on you! Good luck...and enjoy him!

My nephew had the WORST. COLIC. EVER. I am not kidding. I believe it was because he was breast fed and my sister had a poor diet full of soda, onions, and fast food. She wouldn't even consider trying to eliminate certain gas causing foods, and the poor baby suffered!

The only thing that seemed to help (besides hours of walking with him, bouncing him the whole time while he arched and shrieked or drew his knees up and shrieked):

I would sit on the couch with my feet on the floor and knees together. Then place him across my knees so that his knees and legs could come down on one side and his head was supported with the other leg or my hand. Make sure the belly area is across your lap - it is the warmth here you are looking for. Slowly rock your legs back and forth - keeping them together - while gently tapping the babies rump with your free hand. You can hum or sing or make shhhhhh shhhhh noises - whatever seems to work for you. He liked a "ch ch ch ch ch" noise. If the baby's head is nicely supported by your leg, you can use that other hand to rub the baby's back while you tap with the other.

The lap is not mandatory. Think warm, even skin to skin contact, gentle rocking back and forth, and the tapping. I believe this helps relax the digestive tract by relieving pain, relaxing the muscles, and the tapping helps free trapped gas. Sometimes he would toot up such a storm LOL!

For the burping, I found that babies in general (I am the queen burper LOL) respond better to a brisk rubbing of the back side to side with one hand while they are seated on your leg, being supported under the chin, using their chest to balance them and your fingers to hold their head in place. You would be amazed the burps I can get from babies that are "already burped". Like truck drivers.

DD never spit up after feeding, and I say it was because of that burping method.

Now, my other nephew would scream and cry even after an 8oz bottle because he was HUNGRY. The only thing that helped was as suggested above, starting cereal sooner.

My Grandson had colic, and his only relief came from a baby seat that had a vibrator in it. He also was on the drops and they did help, but the chair was the sure thing that worked for him.
Every baby is different, you'll have to see what works best for him. My DGH didn't want anyone to hold him, pat him or mess with him when he had gas! Kathy

Here is a link that might be useful: baby chair

I wondered like Stephanie if it was acid reflux?
Or an allergy to milk?
My oldest DD was allergic to cows milk (formula) but I don't think it showed up til shortly before the 6 wk check up? She was then put on soy and fine.
When my kids were babies and had gas and colic my Gramma told me to get Fletchers castoria and just give a couple drops in an eye dropper and by gosh it worked!! They almost always felt better. I thought they'd fill their diaper from it but it didn't work that way for them if you only give a little bit.

Here's a pretty good up to date website on colic.

Here is a link that might be useful: Colic Facts

Great tips already. You might also try swaddling him tightly in a blanket and see if that helps to quiet him. It helps to make them feel more secure and calm like they did in the uterus.

Poor little guy.
Jesse had this problem and it was the worst thing I have ever dealt with.

I'd hang her over my arm, like a monkey and walk with her.
Or, hold him belly out against you and pat his tummy or put your hand firmly against his tummy and walk. And walk.

A lady recommended peppermint water for Jesse.
Mix it very weak and add a little karo syrup for sweetener.
This gave my baby a little relief but the walking and pressure on her tummy did the most good.

Good luck!

Lori

The sitting up, chin/chest support and back patting or rubbing was a godsend with one of mine, that Dances describes..We had to really "beat" on him..lol...he liked that much better than gentle pats. And brisk rubbing...

When my daughter had terrible colic, many years ago, a cousin who was a nurse, told me to be sure her feet were extra warm. She was all right too, when we went for car rides. It surely is not much fun.

All the best

You might try using Milicon in his bottles. My DDIL uses it with her 6 mos old twin boys. It doesn't stop all of the gas but it has been keeping them more comfortable. She uses it in every bottle. It can be bought over the counter.

I am sorry that you're going through this. It's so hard to deal with. But there are a lot of good suggestions here. I would, though, ask the doctor about the possibility of acid reflux. Does he spit up or gag?

I, too am sorry you and Brody (love that name) are going through this difficult time. I'm sorry I don't have a suggestion, but when I had my first baby in 1955 my Aunt said I should lay with the babys bare belly against my bare belly and the babys gas pains would go into me. LOL. She had a whole lot of those "old wives tales" which she gladly told to me. I might add that she was childless, but considered herself an expert. LOL Remember,bearcat Va, this too shall pass. Hang in there. Dottie

I sure feel for you, Bearcat. Like you said, it started after a couple of weeks and for mine it was lactose intolerance, which is VERY common. That was true for even a single drop of dairy! I'm assuming the formula has no dairy in it? We adopted the Indian method of burping and soothing, which is similar to what Dances described. With baby in a sitting position on my lap, I'd support the back of the head and back with one hand and arm, and with the other cradle the chin and lean the arm kind of crosswise against baby's chest-- well-supported. Then, let the rocking begin! Just a gentle push back and forth helped with the burpies. Also, having baby in a warm bath was very soothing to her, but warning: the bowels did relax and do their thing. Best to have someone near-by in case of that! Much good luck to you and I do hope you have some help.

I'm sorry, that's hard to go through for both of you.

Dances' method is what helped my DD (in 1972) I couldn't do anything for about three hours in the late afternoon but have her lie on her belly across my lap.

LOL Dances did so much better a job of explaining than what I did!! When I was reading her post I kept thinking, "Yeah! THAT'S what I meant!" lol

Oooh, and I forgot about GRIPE WATER! The kind that smells/tastes like licorice - not the kind that has dill. I don't think the bottle says, but you will know for sure when you open it LOL.

You can make your own by steeping anise or fennel seeds in hot water, and letting it cool. Strain out the seeds. You can add sugar or not, as you wish. This helps if the cause is gas.

There are two things that I found helped out with my babies when they were gassy. One thing was to press his knees up to his chest and keep doing that and most times we would get some toots out of him. Another thing that you can do is to move his legs around like you do when you are bycycling and that will get things going. But I would just repeatedly press his knees to his chest and push down until they would toot. Another thing for burping is that I would have them sit up on my laps an have them lean over the heel of my hand, which was right under his rib cage. I would lean him foreward and pat his back it seemed to help push the gas out. Luckily none of my babies have had colic just gassy depending on what I had eaten.

Good luck and love from one mama to another, try to sleep when you get the chance. Sometimes it also helps to lay down shirtless and have the baby naked and lay on your chest the skin to skin contact helps. I feel for you, my cousin's little one had colic and cried all day everyday from morning through night for 5 months.

Do you have someone that can come and help you out and give you a break, just remember to take a deep breath and it won't hurt the baby to cry just a little book, put her down and take a moment for yourself and take a breather if you start feeling too stressed out.

Stacie
girlsingardens

I made a rice bag for my grand baby. She goes to sleep with it (Warmed in the microwave for 30 seconds.)on her tummy almost every night.

Actually I made two, and they switch them out, before they go to bed.

We believe it helps.

Moni

I don't have any more advice than already given. Hang in there! Hopefully this is short-lived. I found the magic number with all 3 of my babies was 6 weeks. It got so much easier after that.

My nephew was a very difficult baby. I'm not sure if it was colic, but he was fussy all the time. My poor sister would come over to my house and fall asleep while we tried to rock/cuddle/soothe the baby. I even strapped on the front pack several times and walked him around the neighborhood. Sure fooled my neighbors, who wondered when I had a baby when I never looked pregnant!

Good luck to you, and keep us posted!

Sheryl

Thank you all SO much. You have given me hope that we'll get through this!! He was on soy for the first few weeks, but we switched to cows milk, and the gas is the same. I ordered him a tummy wrap that has the seeds in it that warm in the microwave. I can't wait for that to come in!

Thanks all, gotta run--crying baby!!

My son had wicked colic (and he was totally breastfed). The only thing I can add to the good advice above is to try the position Wildchild recommended. If you're not familiar with it, here's how:

Hold the baby against your chest so he's upright and you're both facing in the same direction. Put your left arm over his left shoulder and grasp the top of his right leg with your (left) hand. Now tip the baby onto your left arm. It's a secure position that will put some pressure against his stomach at a good angle. You can carry him around this way for a while until your arm gets tired.

Good luck!

My GD has a colicy baby also. Dr prescribed Zantix and that helped along with Dr. Brown's bottles and switching from power formula to liquid We tried peppermint water. Old, old fashion remedy. Dip a toothpic into Spirts of Peppermint, then into warm water. We used ossimos water. Really did bring up the bubbles. And you use is as much as you want. We kept socks on the baby also.
I wish you the best.

Another believer in Peppermint water. Our son was really gassy and a neighbor fixed him a bottle of peppermint water one night while we were at her house. It worked like a charm...and I made sure to keep peppermint candy on hand after that.
Peppermint tea works too..

littlebit

mariend reminded me of something.

My babies couldn't tolerate concentrated formula.
They could only drink the 'straight from the can' formula.
For some reason the formula mixed with our hard water upset their tummy.

I would try this.

Good luck!

Lori

a bottle of water with peppermint for a 3 week old baby?? Really?

Just like others have said, laying my DD across my legs on her tummy and rubbing her back seemed to help.

I'd forgotten about those nightly car rides where she finally would fall asleep and I would be crying my eyes out from lack of sleep and begging DH to keep driving!

Didn't have time to read all the posts, but wanted to add bicycling his legs while he's laying on his back, sometimes I would sit on the couch w/ my knees bent up, w/ my feet on the couch, lay Bradley so that he was kind of lounging w/ his back resting against my thighs, and just cycle his legs, he loved it and it seemed to help him when he was fussy. Also rubbing the tummy in a clockwise (when looking at the baby face to face) motion. Hope it's getting better!

ginger

Joanna-That's rough for both of you! Hope some of these suggestions are working for you and Little Brody!! You've got to figure out what soothes him-car rides, music etc.

I'm a little nervous as Katie is right at the 3 week mark now! So far so good, but we have to burp her like crazy! Olivia had maybe 1-2 burps a feeding, Katie has about 5-6!! And some of them sound like a frat boy! lol

Hope you are able to have peace soon!!!