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964234 tn?1331949207

Baby Tummy Issues!

Where do I begin... my son is 8 weeks old and has always been gassy/fussy/colicky from day one.  When he cries it's no surprise.  It happens everyday and he is not content for very long. Most of the time he will cry and I will go through different comforting methods (if he is dry and not hungry).  They work for 20 minutes then he will fuss a little and we switch it up.  He is fussy, but most of the time I can calm him immediatley.  Last week I started to notice he was really struggling to pass his gas and go #2.  He was going daily, but the texture of it was so thick you almost couldn't wipe it off of his little tushy.  So, I called the doctor and she told be to try Gerber Goodstart Gentle Plus formula (I did have him on Emfamil Gentle-ease).  Baby was happy for the first few days and bowels were normal.  Now a week later last night he was just inconsolable for about 4 hours strait in the middle of the night.  Nothing could calm him and he was acting very much in pain.  Bowels are still regular, and his normal colicky time is 5pm-8pm he is a great sleeper so this was really out of the ordinary for him.  He has no fever, and I couldn't even really hear any gas just saw him pushing so hard his little face turned bright red when he was screaming.  I am at my end with his fussiness.  It makes me so sad to see him so upset, and really makes me feel I am not doing right by him by just sitting here while he "grows out of it".  Anyone else have a similiar experience?  Could something be wrong with him?  Doc swears he will grow out of it, but last night was not like any other it was times 1000 of his normal episodes.  =(  Any insight would be appreciated!
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1222635 tn?1366396286
i agree with ashelen with the gas drops. i know mylicon is expensive but you can get the equate brand at walmart for literally half the price. the work great on her; we use them if she fails to burp after a bottle.
also you can put a drop or two of gas drops in his actual bottle and it will get the bubbles out. oftentimes shaking the bottle causes bubbles that can create gas in little babies.
also try switching bottles. dr. brown's bottles are good for colic/gas. if he is just taking a standard nipple you can put any standard size nipple on the dr. brown's bottles. these are supposed to "filter" out the air in the bottle so it doesn't get into his system.
try burping him more than normal. burp him after 1-2 ounces so you essentially burp him anywhere from 2-4 times during one bottle.
also ive found that when ariana is gassy she likes to have her feet together up by her belly and her hips basically spread. and then you hold their feet and roll them from side to side. this rotates their hips and helps to move gas bubbles down and out. if you've ever had gas bubbles stuck (it happens to me all the time) its really VERY painful and sometimes keeps me from being able to walk. i try to think about what positions *i* would like to be in when im in this pain.
if NONE of this works similac has a formula for fussiness/gas. i've never tried it but ive heard good things. you want to avoid switching his formula too much so be sure to phone the doctor before you try switching.
but definitely start with the gas drops and work your way down the list. i hope this helps!! let us know if he gets better! sometimes they are going to be inconsolable and there is nothing that can be done; oftentimes babies cry as a way of strengthening their lungs and there isn't really anything wrong. when this happens you need to put him in a safe place like his crib and step outside to de-stress. you'll have a clearer mind and be able to help him better when you step away for a moment.
OH one more tip is any kind of white noise. ariana had one night where she was the same way; inconsolable. i put her in her crib and turned by blow dryer on (cool air). DONT blow it on him, just set it on the floor near his crib and see if the noise helps him. *she* fell asleep IMMEDIATELY. and i mean the moment i turned it on she stopped crying. but dont turn it off until he wakes up. i tried to move it further and further away from the crib and turn it off and she woke up, so just turn it on and leave it on the floor near the crib and see if that helps too.
Helpful - 0
1035252 tn?1427227833
You can always try gas drops for the gas...they really are very safe and can make a huge difference with a gassy baby. I've heard some good things about gripe water too but I can't say for sure.

I never found the gentle plus to be all that special...both of my kids are "Good Start Protect Plus" babies (previously "Good Start Natural Cultures") and i found that the probiotics seem to help their digestive systems a lot. so you may want to try that.

when you mix the formula, are you packing the scoops full? it's supposed to be level, unpacked scoops...and this (oddly enough) can make a difference. if the formula powder-to-water ratio is too high it can cause thick, clay-like, difficult stools...so you may want to make sure that you're not packing the scoops too full. on the flip side you don't want to have too much water-to-powder ratio either.

If I were you I would switch to the liquid, already-mixed Gentle Plus for at least a week and see if that makes a difference..you'll know you've got the right concentration and if that makes a difference at all it can help you.
other than that I'm not entirely sure what to recommend honey I'm so sorry...it's gotta be stressful. *hugs*
Helpful - 0
964234 tn?1331949207
Forgot to add that his appetite is just fine?  
Helpful - 0
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