Baby screaming in discomfort from trapped wind

[ClaireI1988]

Hi,
first time poster so hoping to get some advice. My baby boy is just over 7 weeks old. He has been solely formula fed since 3 weeks old, but from about 2 weeks old he has suffered with trapped wind. It started off with mild discomfort squirming around and grunting but it’s got Progressively worse since then with it waking him up screaming and crying inconsolably. He is also very colicky and the cramps tend to make this worse. It’s also now a constant cycle of feeding and then cramps until next feed so overnight it’s very difficult to sleep in between feeds as he needs to be held to calm down enough to sleep.
The doctor has said that it’s normal and he will grow out of it but I’m concerned as it seems to be getting worse.
We’ve done everything we’ve been recommended (cranial osteopathy, baby massage, bicycle legs etc etc) and we’ve tried infacol, colief, gripe water and dentonox. We’ve also tried changing his formula to the comfort variety and also the HIPP organic (which actually made him much worse) but nothing seems to help.
Has anyone else experienced this? He writhes around in pain so much that he screams and cries and it breaks my heart that I can’t help him.
Any advice or just to know it is normal would be much appreciated.
Thanks in advance

Poor him and poor you

my second son was exactly the same but breastfed, I had to give up all dairy and soy in my diet, and it went away pretty much instantly
The few times I accidentally had dairy, it came back. I can vividly remember the pained screams, they were awful

you can see if your doctor will prescribe Neocate formula or similar
Has your milk totally dried up? Would you be able to relactate and give up dairy?

My heart goes out to you, having a baby with colic is so hard emotionally for you. My colicky baby is now a 14 year old gangly teen, but he spent 11 weeks screaming from 5-1am every evening/night. It’s exhausting. And I think week 8 is the peak time for the amount of crying.

If it gives any hope, at 11 weeks he just started sleeping through 11 hours a night. Was like a switch and he slept through from then.

You are doing the right things - osteopathy, infacol, trying different milks etc. Do you have someone who could come and look after your baby, or even take him out in the buggy for an hour to give you an hour or twos sleep? You must be exhausted.

I’m sorry I can’t give more useful advice. For us, it was almost like DS1 had to get to a certain age (11 weeks) before his stomach could digest easier. I remember DH used to swaddle and rock back and forth for hours stood next to the extractor hood on full blast!

Have you tried the hold where they’re on their tummies in the crook of your arms?

Your GP is right that he will grow out of it.
my first was like this and then a happy baby by six months. You can try dairy free formula but it made no difference to us.. I just had a very upset baby! It does improve, hang in there. Them catnapping overnight and needing to be held is also pretty normal. Can you and your partner take shifts settling and holding him so you can get some sleep?

Thank you all for your comments and advice. It’s really comforting to know that others have been through the same thing.
Unfortunately due to some issues with the delivery and post birth some things were missed so I wasn’t able to bf properly hence him now being on formula. I’ve got huge mum guilt over not being able to bf but he got a couple of weeks so I just have to make peace with the fact he at least got the good stuff.
Thankfully our neighbours are fantastic and constantly offer to look after DS so we’ve been leaning on them to take him out a walk for half an hour in the evenings.
Hopefully it will pass soon and he will feel better

This sounds a lot like my DD and she turned out to have CMPA (cows milk protein allergy) and silent reflux. Took 6 months of zero sleep to get diagnosed as we kept getting fobbed off by the GP who told us every week that "all babies cry". Dd is now 8 and still allergic.

Go back and insist on trialling a dairy free formula. Also join the FB group "CMPA support- main group" as lots of people with similar experiences.

How are his poos? My nephews both had CMPA and Neocate milk made a world of difference for both of them. Their nappies were disgusting though, and really stinky!

Not the point of your OP, but if you regret not BFing, it IS possible to restart, under the guidance of a good lactation consultant.

Often the issues you’re describing are down to cows milk allergies, and BFing mothers would be advised to cut out cows milk. Not sure what happens with formula, but might be worth speaking to your GP or Infant Feeding Team?

I hear you, I was the same and mine first had dreadful colic.

What helped (other than what you've tried) was spending rather longer than I imagined in the bath, with him. Doing the backward C tummy massage and leg cycling.

Looking back now after more kids I think I was also not being forceful enough in getting wind up after feeds, I was probably a bit too gentle and scared I'd break him. By baby 2 I was far more chilled and got her wind up more effectively. The hula manoeuvre worked a treat!

Best of luck....I promise it does pass but it is hellish.