help! problems with 6 week old

Tanya Scott - posted on 12/27/2011

My daughter did this at 4 weeks of age....my dr said it was colic. A warm bath at the start of the crying period helped her. She could also have reflux or gas. Always feed your baby by holding her at a slight incline and then keep her in the up right position for a little while after feedings. Also burping her after every 2oz may help. Thats what my dr told me and my daughter no longer does it and she is now 6 weeks old. I also had to stop brest milk and change formulas to Similac Sensitive for fussiness and gas cause my daughter had a very sensitive digestive tract. talk to you child's doctor.

Jill - posted on 02/04/2009

my friends baby was doing this and it turned out she was allergic to the dairy in the milk. she put her baby on soya milk and within hours she was ok and she was the same age as your baby and she was doing exactly what ur baby is doing . im not saying that this it what is wrong wiv ur baby but its possible xxxxxxxxxx

Aimee - posted on 02/04/2009

Quoting Sarah:
Hello Sarah,

Has anyone talked to about possible reflux??  This is something common and my little one had it.  He did exactly the same thing.  He would not sleep and just seemed like he cried all the time.  We had a friend who's baby had reflux so I knew the signs and symptoms.  He was given previcide and it worked wonders... Within approximately 5 days he was doing better.
help! problems with 6 week old

my 6 week old has been crying all day, the only thing that seems to calm her down is giving her a bottle - she even spits out her soother. She has eaten triple the amount she usually does in the last 3 hours and then thrown up twice, but still screams for more. I'm at my wits end...any ideas on what might be wrong?

Lucy - posted on 02/04/2009

it sounds like colic to me, same as with tummy ache, lay her on her front and rub her back or sit her up holing her under the chin as if your stretching her up and burp her like that,good luck x

Mary - posted on 02/04/2009

We went through this with my son too. It makes you feel so helpless at times knowing that your little one is unhappy and it seems like there is nothing you can do.
Since my son was of normal size and weight (even though he was a preemie) the doc told me it was colic and to keep doing what we were. Well my husband and I are really into looking at things from all ways so we started researching it and found that he might have been allergic to his formally. So we started tiring different ones and found that the milk base formal worked best for him. (It is more command then people think.) He slowed down his eating to what was considered normal and not as much gas and spitting up. Before trying this call your doctor and see what they think too. Your daughter may have a milk or whey allergic and just a simple change for formal will be all the different in the world for her. Also we changed bottles to the first year best breast kind it has two nipples and your little one may find it easier to drink from. At least that helped us.

Sarah - posted on 02/04/2009

Hi Sarah

I really feel for you as I have been there. My second child went through the same problem. Cried all day non stop from when he was four weeks old. The constant crying was causing him to vomit. I tried everything mentioned above - gripe water, colic relief, massage, bathing etc, etc, etc. This went on for weeks and weeks. Nothing worked until a friend suggested I visit a baby chiropractor. After one adjustment he completely stopped crying. Nothing at all. Amazing. Within one day he became such a different baby. Now he smiles so much and never cries. I was told that his problems were as a result of his birth. He was a natural delivery but was posterior and had a hand presentation (his hand popped out first with his head). Since then we have come across quite a few friends whose babies were also helped by a visit to the chiropractor. If you do decide to try this out make sure you find a chiropractor who specialises in babies. They don't do anything that will hurt bubby either. My chiropractor was very gentle and they don't do any back cracking like with adults.

Good luck - hope bubby gets better soon

Sarah

Hayley - posted on 02/02/2009

hi Sarah could be reflux-both my children were the same. Reflux babies tend to want milk all the time as it soothes the acid in their throat. They can also vomit a lot or, in the case of my second son, not vomit at all, which is silent reflux. They tend to be bad sleepers, propping them up helps (we use phone books under legs of cot) and they cry ALL the time. Other symptoms that can be present are constant dribbling, swallowing, general restlesness, and sometimes a high pitched squeal if moved too quickly. My son has infant gaviscon with every feed, and it really helps. He sees a consultant every 8 weeks to check progress. Usually, the 'flap' in their throat matures and they cease suffering around 12 months, sometimes before.It really does sound like reflux, it causes them discomfort but is easy to treat.

Christine - posted on 02/02/2009

Hiya there Sarah. Just joined the Circle of Moms today and noticed your problem you posted on 21 Jan. My third child, another girl born in September had quite bad colic. As I could not get "Infacol" here in Crete, Greece, I had folk send it over for me. I found it helped a lot bringing the wind up, given immediately before each feed, therefore eleviating the extreme pains she experienced and the scrunching up of her legs. Give it a try, alternatively I noticed someone write to give her some cooled boiled water. Perhaps thirst quenching as she could well be thirsty but something with a little flavour may be more appealing to her. We give over here teas to babies inbetween milk feeds. Not your normal everyday tea but Chamomile, a soothing tea with just a few grains of sugar in. Better still if you can find a herbal shop, they could well have a tea called Telio, ( or named linden with foriegn name) a very soothing tea, that helps them to sleep as well. I would be happy to post you a packet to try if you are still desperate as I know what you are going through. Let me know.



Kind Regards



Christina

Maria - posted on 02/02/2009

I don't know if you had any suggestions that have actually worked but I think she is having a groth spurt.Its notmal for babies to bring back some milk with each feed. You might need to take up the dose on your formula coz it might not be fatty or filling enough.Also I found these syrup that my girl loved when she had colic, its called Infants Friend. Its all natural and it reliefs wind and helps them relax and have a good sleep. Good luck.

Kristy - posted on 02/02/2009

Quoting Danielle:

i recall not long ater my daughter was born and I had fed her and she started screaming and wouldn't stop, my husband suggested to give her some water and it worked beautifully, she burped and then went to sleep not long after that.

Good luck

thank u 4 backing me up. small sips of water do work. i hope it helps.

Danielle - posted on 02/02/2009

i recall not long ater my daughter was born and I had fed her and she started screaming and wouldn't stop, my husband suggested to give her some water and it worked beautifully, she burped and then went to sleep not long after that.

Good luck

Kristy - posted on 02/02/2009

Quoting Kristy:

Quoting Jenna:

Quoting Kristy:

give her a bottle of cool boiled water. she may b thristy. sounds crazy right. but milk is her 'food' at the moment. not her 'drink'.

It is recommended NOT to introduce water before 6-8 months. Breastmilk or formula is all she needs, it IS her food and drink. Water would fill her stomach up, but contains no essentials nutrients. Therefore she would end up missing out on those nutrients from feedings.

my dr said 2 give my daughter a few small sips when she was around that age. i didnt know any better, thanks 4 telling me. seriously.

spoken 2  alot of mums that i know here in aust & theyve all said that its ok 2 give (a newborn even) small sips of water.

Shannon - posted on 02/01/2009

It sounds like reflux to me. Both my girls had reflux and had to be medicated until about 4 months old. They were different babies once medicated, drank their bottles without fuss, slept normally and more importantly stopped crying because the pain had gone. My first daughter was put on Zantac syrup, but my second daughter was on Losec tablets.

Sandra-Lee - posted on 02/01/2009

i think you should get baby checked for gastirc-reflux... my youngest was diagnosed at 8 weeks with the same problems... the reason why he was crying so much was that the acids in his belly would raise up into his throat and burn... when we finally found out what was wrong he was ulcerated 10cm in his throat. we felt so bad that we hadnt picked up on it earlier.. he seem to be always hungry and every time we put him down for a sleep he would wake screaming...he was put a medication zantac liquid only prescribed by dr or paed.. he is 8 mths and off the meds and a happy little boy... hope you sort it out... good luck sweety..

Nichole - posted on 01/31/2009

Quoting [no name]:

Another thing I used to do with my son is use Spirits of Peppermint. It's an oil sold at pharmacies. I rubbed it on his stomach and it warms the belly up and helps the gas to move and the warmth helps to soothe the stomach pains..

Where are you from?  My mother used to give my sisters and me that stuff when we had tummyaches.  I asked around at various pharmacies here (Minnesota) and I was told that they don't sell it and/or don't make it anymore because parents were giving it to their kids too often and it was making them sick.  I don't plan on being one of THOSE parents, but the stuff really works and I'd like to have it around if I can ever find it.

Kristy - posted on 01/31/2009

Quoting Jenna:

Quoting Kristy:

give her a bottle of cool boiled water. she may b thristy. sounds crazy right. but milk is her 'food' at the moment. not her 'drink'.

It is recommended NOT to introduce water before 6-8 months. Breastmilk or formula is all she needs, it IS her food and drink. Water would fill her stomach up, but contains no essentials nutrients. Therefore she would end up missing out on those nutrients from feedings.

my dr said 2 give my daughter a few small sips when she was around that age. i didnt know any better, thanks 4 telling me. seriously.

Cynthia - posted on 01/31/2009

burp burp burp! she is trying to let you know she has gas. Lots of different methods of burping. her abdomen on the corner of your shoulder, and pat her back quite vigorously. rub her back in circles while you are standing, she on your chest with legs hanging down and her bum pushed flat against your chest (when their bums stick out they don't get the full effect of the burping)



some techniques that help to move lower gas out: lay on her back and do bicycle with her legs at least 12 times, rub her belly (everything below the rib cage) in a CLOCKWISE MOTION 12 times, then gently bring her legs up together towards her belly until her knees are close to her abdomen gently holding there for 30 seconds. Repeat several times until you hear toots or baby calms down.



you'll know if it is upper gas if she calms down while your doing the upper burping (first paragraph). if she doesn't really calm down after trying those try the second paragraph ones and if she calms down then you know it is lower gas. repeat like crazy. or call the nurse line in the babies best chance guiude book.



the reason might be she is crying for more food, she is hungry, but she has such bad gas there is no more room untilit comes out. they are too little to work it out on their own. good luck.

Jennifer - posted on 01/31/2009

Does she arch her back at all?

My son had acid reflux and would scream and cry and not want to eat, but want to eat.

We fed him and kept him upright-try holding her like you have in the photo and rock her in a rocker. We also used Mylicon and there is another herb that helped. They come in little droplets where you twist the cap off and squeeze it in their mouth. We also had to do exercises with my son because of extra gas/acid reflux. We did the bicycle thing that someone else had mentioned, but we also had to touch his feet to his head and that seemed to help as well. Another thing we had to do was put vasoline on the thermometer and swirl it in is anus, to help keep it open. 

Good luck! If none of that works-you should go to your Dr and ask to see a GI Dr. My son went an entire month without gaining weight because of the acid reflux!

Jenna - posted on 01/31/2009

Quoting Kristy:

give her a bottle of cool boiled water. she may b thristy. sounds crazy right. but milk is her 'food' at the moment. not her 'drink'.

It is recommended NOT to introduce water before 6-8 months. Breastmilk or formula is all she needs, it IS her food and drink. Water would fill her stomach up, but contains no essentials nutrients. Therefore she would end up missing out on those nutrients from feedings.

Kristy - posted on 01/31/2009

give her a bottle of cool boiled water. she may b thristy. sounds crazy right. but milk is her 'food' at the moment. not her 'drink'.

Melissa - posted on 01/31/2009

Quoting Shannon:

Try a little bit of Gripe Water, that normally calms my daughter down when she has a tummy ache. Plus it gives them something to suck on that isnt more formula. After the Gripe water, give her the soother back and then rock her in your arms standing up. Hopefully it works. Good Luck!!!

When all else fails I reach for the gripe water, it has chammomile and ginger in it and it does wonders!  My daughter won't take the paci when she is upset unless I am rocking and moving. Babies need to suck its a reflex!  Try a different pacifier, my daughter only takes a MAM!!  Try to find one like the nipple she is eating from.

Lindsay - posted on 01/31/2009

Just bring her to me girl ill make her all better lol give her kisses for me!!

Becky - posted on 01/23/2009

when my baby girl came home from the hospital until she was able to crawl, we'd have to lay her on her back and play with her legs like she was riding a bicycle. It was the only think that would calm her. I think it helped sooth her tummy and also helped her bowel movements.

Charissa - posted on 01/23/2009

Also, at about 6 weeks they'll be going through a growth spurt so expect to feed her more, but that would also make the gas worse so watch out.

Charissa - posted on 01/23/2009

If this is not a normal occurrence, it's probably gas...give her some gripe water or ovol to help...

Emma - posted on 01/23/2009

i would take her to or call your midwife for advice.at 6wks you should still be under their care.she could be lactose intolerant and need formula switching to a prescribed source.dont ignore it,get qualified help,just in case or you will blame yourself forever if something really is causing her pain.yes it could be just colic but better safe etc.xxx

Candice - posted on 01/23/2009

This is a very serious question because alot of formulas are HORRIBLE for your child... she probably not getting the enzymes she needs to feed her body from the formula (if that is what you are using) and if you are using an isloated Soy formula... that is even worse... I would highly suggest to go to the nearest local health food store, buy the highest quaility baby formula there (with no GMO's, msg, ect.) and private message me your address or a work address (something you are comfortable with) and I will send you a cd with some info on Live Enzymes that saved me and my family! Seriously! It will change your life! my email is candicedyeager@yahoo.com

Jennifer - posted on 01/23/2009

YOu can also check for thrush is her tongue staying white after she drinks a bottle.. this will aslo cause an uncomfortable feeling for her.. if so get a clean COLD wash cloth and let her suck on it.. and get her to the dr's the heat will spread it and make it even worse but she will feel better sucking on things thats why she may continue to eat..

Candice - posted on 01/23/2009

Are you giving her formula or breastmilk?

Carrie - posted on 01/23/2009

Sounds like she may have reflux. My son had it and he cried a lot. They feel better while eating but once it's done the pain comes back making it worse. I put Mason on prescribed tagament and would keep him at a 45 degree angle after eating for atleast half an hour....this made a world of difference. He is now 11 months old and no more reflux.

Misty - posted on 01/23/2009

Not discounting all the other suggestions because they are all good suggestions too, but sounds like teething and gas to me. My baby did that for the first 8 months of his life. He had 7 teeth all coming in at the same time and I didn't see that until they all came thru. After that he stopped screaming and crying all the time. I gave him baby gas drops and the baby Orajel. The Orajel doesn't last very long (didn't for him anyway), but it does take the edge off for a little while. Just watch for a fever because that could mean it's something more.

Jennifer - posted on 01/23/2009

My daughter had tummy problems try baby massage.. with holly oil or even baby oil.. take ur thumbs to her belly button gently but pushing a little bit and slide them towards her hips it will relieve some tummy pains.. i found that over the counter colic medicene didnt work eventually everything eased on her.. with the massaging.. Look up baby massage it will give u helpful tips on what other massages u can give them.. babies thrive on touch and routine.. hope it helps!

Amanda - posted on 01/23/2009

This happened to my son and it ended up being a severe ear infection. He had no other sinus symptoms or anything but by the time I finally got him to a ER his ear drum was about to burst? What did the Ped. say?

Jessica - posted on 01/21/2009

hi im the mother of a 14wk old son and im a registered nurse who works in paediatrics. if its colic(upset stomach) ur little one will be crying uncontrollably and drawing their legs up. nothing settles colic. it something they just have to grow out of and it can take up to 12wks unfortunatly. they can get it until their digestive system has matured. are the vomits projectile or just spills( spills are the size of a couple of mouthfuls). if projectile and its whole feeds may be take ur child to the doctor in the am. if spills or small vomits it could be acid refux. most babies have reflux as their valve at the entrance of the stomach is inmature and allows food to go back up into the mouth. this can be very painful and cause crying and vomiting. if it seems too bad u can go to ur doctor and if it is reflux u can get medication to decrease the pain.

dont worry too much. it could also just be a wonder week. hopefully its something that passes overnight and tomorrow is better.

Jenna - posted on 01/20/2009

6 weeks is supposed to be the peak of "purple crying" as they call it now. Purple crying is when a newborn cries basically for no reason and will not settle. Their needs have all been met (dry diaper, full stomach, not gassy, just enough attention/stimulation) but yet they continue to cry. It is so common but yet many do not know of this period between abot 4-6 weeks. Here in BC, Canada they actually hand out a dvd with your newborn papers given to you at the hospital on this topic. This "purple crying" period is the time when caregivers are stretched to their wits end. Statistics show this is most often the period in which a caregiver might shake their baby(Shaken Baby Syndrome).

Furthermore there is supposedly is a growth spurt time around 6 weeks as well.

I don't know which puzzle piece fits but....

If all your baby's needs are met and it seems like she may just be crying for "no reason"(they used to call it colic). Don't be afraid to put him/her down safely in their crib(or other safe place) and take a moment to recollect yourself.Go in the other room and cry or scream, or relax for a minute. This is what the dvd suggests to avert getting too frustrated.

Jenna - posted on 01/20/2009

you should so check her for acid reflux and try laying her on her belly my mates have just found out that there 3 month old has it and its painful and feeding will only help y they r feeding then she gets go upset they put them on a formula that help and now she is doing a lot better so cheek her for it

April - posted on 01/20/2009

I know this post will probably be no help, but It's actually pretty common at 6 weeks. Where they cry, won't calm down, you think they have all these things wrong with them and go crazy trying to figure it out, but I think it's just a growth stage. The good news is that they grow out of it. :)

Shannon - posted on 01/20/2009

Try a little bit of Gripe Water, that normally calms my daughter down when she has a tummy ache. Plus it gives them something to suck on that isnt more formula. After the Gripe water, give her the soother back and then rock her in your arms standing up. Hopefully it works. Good Luck!!!

Sheryl - posted on 01/20/2009

If she is crying all the time and food seems to calm her down, but only for a short time, I would have her pediatrician check her for acid reflux. Especially since you say she is spitting up as well. She wants a bottle because the formula in her tummy helps calm the acid down, but once she digests it the acid comes back. My son was like this from 3 weeks old. Once I started giving him zantac it was like a new baby. He still takes medicine at 5 for his reflux, but it is worth it to not see him in any pain. I would give your pediatrician a call or look for a pediatric gastroenterologist and get an appointment.

Melissa - posted on 01/20/2009

my pediatrician recommended giving a tablespoon full of room temperature weak chamomile tea. Add a little sugar to make it taste ok. This worked with my son at this age. He had very bad colic at first, but this really helped his poor tummy and soothed him enough to be able to sleep. Best of all, its a natural remedy!

Chelsea - posted on 01/20/2009

If you have a yoga ball it sometimes works to bounce the baby on the ball. (Hold her up over your shoulder and bounce). Both of my kids loved that!

Bobbi - posted on 01/20/2009

oh ya girl she is totally cluster feeding. There bodies now when they need more calories..........The gas part seems to get better as they get older and learn how to get it out.

Jane - posted on 01/20/2009

My 11 year old daughter cried for the first six weeks of her life...until I changed her formula to soy.  She was absolutely perfect ever since.  When my son was born, I put him on Prosobee right away.

Nina - posted on 01/20/2009

Another thing I used to do with my son is use Spirits of Peppermint. It's an oil sold at pharmacies. I rubbed it on his stomach and it warms the belly up and helps the gas to move and the warmth helps to soothe the stomach pains..

India - posted on 01/20/2009

Definitely sounds like a tummy ache coupled with the growth spurt.  Try to keep her upright, maybe lay across your chest and shoulder and pat her back.  If you have a rocking chair, maybe the sway and the comfort of you being there will help.  I know it worked for me as my son had issues at that age.  I had plenty of sleepness nights for this very reason.

Sarah - posted on 01/20/2009

she had a has had 2 bm's today so i dont think thats the issue,

the tummyache sounds resonable but everyting i've tried hasn't seemed to work (holding the soother in her mouth, bycycling her legs, rocking her and rubbing her back)

At first I kept feeding her because I thought it was a growth spurt but now I'm not sure that eating as much as she has is even normal for that ( she normally eats about 6oz every 3 hours, in the last 4 she has eaten about 16 - 18ozs)

Michelle - posted on 01/20/2009

i think she has a tummy ache...at this age there is only a fairly small number of things it can be, really! she is probably feeding more because she thinks its going to make her tummy ache go away...are her poos okay? also, she may be going through a growth spurt..alot of bubbies do at the 6 week mark..she may be guzzling too much. try the bike thing with her legs...(you know, pushing her legs around like she is on a bike!).it might help to shift the wind...warm baths can also ease tummy aches..does she like to be swaddled? i have always found swaddling great for all my babies..if all else fails, just have a cry with her..nothing about babies is super easy and anyone who tells you it should be is either lucky or lying!!good luck

Bobbi - posted on 01/20/2009

well what i learnt at the hospital is true. They "cluster feed" at 3 weeks 6 weeks 3 months and six months. Which means that they are about to have a growth spurt. The only thing to do is keep feeding. I know it will fill like "how can they eat so much but if it works stick with it."

Hayley - posted on 01/20/2009

it might be trapped wind and its causing pain. my son always found a warm bath helped to calm him if not standing and rocking him. good luck

Laurie - posted on 01/20/2009

If she has thrown up I would stop feeding her. She may have a belly ache and eating might calm her but not help her in the long run. Has she had a bm lately. She may be constipated. You can try taking a rectal temp. This always helped my kids have bms when they couldn't do it on their own.



You can also try swaddling her in a blanket and putting her in a vibrating bouncy seat. Hold her soother in the mouth till she settles down and falls asleep..

Hope this helps. Best of luck