Saturday, April 24, 2010

Colic can suck it

My poor son is still suffering from bad gas. Gripe water is doing nothing for him so it looks like I am going to have to resort to mylicon. I changed his formula to an extra sensitive type. I'm not pumping nearly enough milk of my own for two babies and with him getting so upset with gas it's near impossible to keep working on nursing. Thank God Riley isn't having gas issues. But it's been hard to keep her focused on nursing since I am trying to console Dylan so much. Plus his colic is stressing me out. Not the optimal setting for teaching to nurse. So I'm pumping away to keep my supply up. But it's getting frustrating, I'm not going to lie...

Last night was bad. BAD. Dylan was turning red, crying, clenching and passing gas all night. It's almost like he's acting as if he's constipated, even though I know he isn't since his diapers look normal. His hands go into little tight fists and he starts flailing and scratching and contorting his little face and body. It helps to bounce him so he was in my arms until around 5 or 6am when he finally got to sleep. Riley woke up for her feeding and so I was trying to console Dylan while feeding Riley. I started crying and went into the bedroom to get Josh to help. So he took Riley and fed her while I sat with Dylan on the couch trying to calm him. I would have been able to handle it if Riley stayed sleeping but it just pushed me to my emotional edge. I got 45 minutes of sleep, then woke up for an hour, then back to sleep for an hour.

The worst thing is I feel like I can't console Dylan when he has a gas attack. He looks like he's in pain and it hurts me so much to see that.

I had called his pediatrician when it first started and we have an appointment on Tuesday. So I am cutting dairy from my life and going out today to get the mylicon and soy formula to see if it helps.

Right now he is blissfully asleep in my arms while Riley is happily slumbering next to me on the couch. I think they have the right idea and I'm taking it as my cue to take a nap....

8 comments:

Rebecca said...

Oh, wow, that just sounds so hard. My SIL has a son who had colic, too, and I know it was just so hard. I really hope you can find something that will help soon.

Once Upon A Time said...

Oh honey- I know exactly how you are feeling. It is so much harder when you have two babies (as is a lot of stuff we have and will experience!).

I hope you find the magic solution to make Dylan all better (shoot me if you are getting annoyed with me mentioning this again- but are you sure it isn't reflux?) Sam didn't have the spit up/vomiting issues that Anna did, and he acted just like Dylan, but the prevacid has worked wonders on him too.

Hang in there sweetie.

Once Upon A Time said...

Check this out too: http://hyenacart.com/BalticCreations/index.php?info=557
One of the blogs I follow had a post about it a while ago and raved about it. I had forgotten about them until now.

Lauren said...

I'm sorry, it's so hard to watch your baby be so upset:(

I have simethicone drops (the ingredient in mylicon) and they don't seem to affect my son's gas at all. But here's a little tip you MIGHT try: during the day, put Dylan on his tummy for his naps.

I know they say to have kids sleep on their backs, but many nurses have told me that tummy sleeping is fine during the day when you're around, which I'm sure you always are when your little ones are napping.

My son majorly overreacts to the feeling of gas or having to poop. He grunts, squirms, turns red, and cries. I find it's better if he's spent his daytime naps on his tummy with his legs bent so his bum is raised up. He farts like CRAZY in that position, with very little effort on his part. He just grunts and squirms a couple of times and then 5 farts come out. During a 2 hour nap he'll fart like 80 times.

Good luck!

Melissa Ann said...

Please let me know if I can help with the no dairy thing. That first week is CRAZY trying to figure out what to eat yourself. There's lots of resources over at my blog and at BabyCenter's Dairy Free Mom's group. SunChips original, Triscuits, and Wheat Thins are all dairy free (except the ones mentioning cheese) and Almond Milk is fantastic. I hope your appointment goes well! You're doing great!

VelvetJinxx said...

I guess I had gotten the boot those few times and hadn't tried again - so here I am to comment somewhere besides Facebook!!

Have you considered a milk allergy in your breast milk? Some babies can't tolerate when their mothers eat dairy then nurse them. B was like that, so I was a vegan for the first 8 or so months of her life (she grew out of and eats dairy herself now, no prob). Oh and I kissed those 43 pounds buh-bye.

Just a thought!! (I hope this goes through.)

sweetpeanme said...

Awww! I hope your little one feels better soon! My kiddos are starting to have little spurts of crying/gassiness. Nothing like that though! Its so tough when BOTH are crying...even for five minutes...because even though we have two hands...its hard to give them what they need with just one hand!

Thinkin' about you and hoping tonight is more restful!!!

Amber said...

Hope today is going better and Mylicon is helping! I remember those nights where you get no sleep and just don't know what to do to help your baby.