Colic / wind and breastfeeding

[TomDaleysTrunks]

Dd2 is 10 weeks old and exclusively breast fed. From 3 weeks we've had problems with trapped wind / colic. About an hour after every feed she screams in pain due to wind. I wind her during feeds and after feeds and get some good burps but it doesn't seem to stop the screaming. Gripe water sometimes helps but not always. Most evenings she screams from 5- 10pm. We are at the end f our tether. We endlessly carry her around across our arm or in the sling but this doesn't seem to help.

She BF every 2-3 hours. A lot of feeds last up to an hour. around 45min- hour at a time. That can't be right surely? There's nothing wrong with her latch. It's so long while trying to entertain a toddler too.

Any help would be appreciated. Am really struggling.

I'd get this reported to breast/bottle feeding. Someone will help you on there.

Sending a big unmnetty hug.

Is she gulping milk for 45-60 mins each time? Doubtful, as we're always told any feed beyond 20-30 min each side is comfort feeding- in other words using you as a dummy!

You could try to keep baby awake to tickling feet, touching cheek etc, which may promote more productive sucking. If not, the feed is complete. But bear in mind growth spurts equal cluster feeding though!

If it is colic, it often starts to settle around the 12 week mark. Have you considered whether it could be silent reflux though? It's really painful for them and often gets mistaken for colic.

I am sure there will be loads of people who disagree with me, but I was in a similar position and began using dummies. They were an absolute God-send. You're well established breastfeeding wise at 10 weeks so it isn't likely to cause nipple confusion (the recommendation is to wait until after 4 weeks).

I feel sorry for any parent going through this, I've been there twice now and both times it was horrendous.

Oh and alongside a dummy I found playing white noise and walking baby outside helped to settle. Hard to do in the winter though. Sounds like at 10 weeks you've done the hardest yards, although I can appreciate how you might be understandably at the end if your tether. Fingers crossed this is the darkest hour before the dawn for you.

Thanks, will ask for it to be moved. Thanks for replying too. I have tried just allowing her 20 min on each side, which is what the health visitor suggested. When I take her off, she screams and looks for more. Sometimes she will take a dummy which does distract her but more often than not she refuses.
Would silent reflux kick in so long after a feed?

She also rarely falls asleep on me during a feed! I wish!

It's not impossible in my experience. My first baby would lie down after a feed (fast asleep) then wake about 20-45 min later screaming with reflux.

My second baby was not possible to lie down after a feed as he would start to gulp/reflux and wriggle uncomfortably towards the end of the feed and had to be kept upright for a very long time.

Maybe your little one is like my first was? Worth exploring I guess. Reflux can also kick in about 2-4 weeks old too which would fit with your situation.

My DD was similar and was diagnosed with reflux at 6 weeks. Does she arch her back? It's worth asking her to be checked for tongue tie too.

I used to swap sides every 20 minutes or so but sometimes it would take 4 or 5 side swaps before she was settled!

I agree re checking for tongue tie. If its posterior its not obvious, but it can make feeds unproductive, can cause reflux, and can lead to terrible painful trapped wind (voice of experience with my second baby).

Thanks for replying. Will make a GPappt.shes also come out in a vesicular rash on her face, maybe chickenpox. Oh joy!!

Oh bless her, poor little thing! She will want lots of comfort, poor Mum too!