Colic baby - I think I’m going crazy

[bunnymum96]

My DD is 10 weeks old and has had colic and reflux since the day she arrived. This last few days have been really dreadful and I’m not coping. She doesn’t just have spells of crying, she cries constantly, all day from waking to sleep (which, luckily, she does). And the cry is loud, and high pitch and a scream. She goes red in the face, arches her back, is entirely inconsolable. But this is constant: in the car, at home, being held, in a sling.

We’ve been back and forth to the docs and she does it in the docs (she doesn’t stop so obviously is like it in front of the docs) and they just say infacol etc. We’ve got a referral to paediatrics gastro and she’s on the highest dose gaviscon, but could be end of January before we see anyone.

I’ve found it really difficult, but just the constant nature of it now for 10 weeks I feel like I’m having a breakdown. I have constant anxiety, I worry something is seriously wrong and hasn’t been picked up, I even took her to a&e. I can’t go out anywhere as people comment on how loud and upset she is (this happens every time I go out).

I entirely loved her when she arrived but now I don’t feel anything but angry and broken, I realise how truly awful that sounds. I’ve been to baby classes and she just screamed; all the other younger babies were fine/cried and could be consoled. I can’t play with her or read to her, I don’t feel like we have any bond and she seems so unhappy. I’ve tried everything for her, so really my plea now is for ways for me to cope? I’ve developed awful PP OCD but already on medication.

Anti colic bottles.

Bicycle legs

Change milk if needed I Concur this could be a milk allergy.

Check for signs of constipation too.

Poor bubba and poor you.

Don't take no for an answer. 'Colic is normal' isn't an acceptable answer. Its hell. 'Colic' is only 'meant' to be In the evening for one not All bloody day.

X hugs op.

I’m blown away by everyone’s reassurance and kindness. I’ve made a plan to speak to the docs tomorrow about CPMA and omeprozole. I’ve ordered the recommended probiotics and I will also go back to using
Colief in bottles. I will also make an appointment for a cranial osteopathy. I need to know I’ve done everything possible.

Oh OP, it feels absolutely endless when you’re going through it but it will pass. I know that doesn’t help you now, but it will get better. When you feel that you’re at breaking point with the crying remember that if you need to put baby down safely and shut yourself in a quieter room for a few minutes then this is absolutely fine. Earplugs or earphones can also help. Take any offers of help from family or friends that you can just to give yourself a small break.

I would ask to see another GP. I was initially told by a doctor that they couldn’t prescribe omeprazole with it being a tablet but another doctor sorted it for me and we gave it to DS in a liquid form through a syringe. It can take about two weeks for it to start working properly. I agree with PPs about asking them to reconsider CMPA too as the symptoms vary so much, baby won’t necessarily have a rash but may still have it. Any constipation/diarrhoea? Gaia probiotics helped us, give these a try. Infacol etc didn’t help us but gripe water did a little. We never saw an osteopath but I’ve read so many success stories.

Hang on in there. You’re doing a brilliant job.

@bunnymum96 as I was writing my reply it looks like you’re already sorting all the things that I was going to suggest, good luck OP! It will get better

You have to push for Omeprazole. As soon as my baby went on that for 2 weeks it stopped!

Also try turning the hoover on, it was the ONLY thing that stopped our baby crying. Obviously might not be in your neighbours best books if it's at 3am. So exercise with caution 😜

Oh what an idea!! I will be trying this and adding it to my plan

I’m absolutely going to call the GP tomorrow and ‘ask’ again.

We did infacol and all the other baby medicines you can buy over the counter and it only made our bag constipated (which it can do). Your doctor should have allowed Omeprazole once you'd exhausted everything. I think my baby was about 3-4 month's old when they went on it. I think they advise 2 weeks on and then 2 weeks off to see if it has an effect and that was all we needed. Completely different baby afterwards.

I've been where you are and it is really tough. Especially when you're surrounded by other "easy-going" babies. But my baby is now an absolute joy since coming out of that period.

Hi OP . I really feel for you. 19 years ago we went through exactly this . (Although my pregnancy was really straight forward) . She screamed all day , even in the pram and in her car seat . They only way to get her to sleep was in the sling . I was exhausted . She was breastfed and would scream as soon as she came off. It was horrendously embarrassing. My parents were my life savers . I gave up with cranial osteopathy , it made zero difference , also me cutting out dairy changed nothing . We hit 3 months and suddenly her legs dangled straight . It was like a moment of magic . SInce no one could offer any actual help we stuck by our theory that their little intestines have been curled up for 9 months and have kinks in like hosepipes and by around 3 months they have grown and it can stretch out . I don’t think we will ever forget that first 3 months of absolute hell. I used to think about this in lockdown, if she,d been born then god help us all. I think we would have just broken all the rules . I can’t believe she is now at uni and is such a beautiful mini adult !!
please just try to hold it together for a little longer, there really is light at the end of the tunnel. Xx

I was going to suggest it could be this. Because DD didn’t have a rash I was told it couldn’t be, and it ended up taking 14 months to see a dietician and get her diagnosed, and she didn’t sleep for more than 45 mins at a time until we’d removed cows milk from her diet, and screamed almost constantly. It was brutal and I don’t think my health has ever recovered. Do get things like allergies and intolerances checked out.

The other thing that helped as someone else has said is keeping them upright as much as possible. So the baby bjorn bouncer was great for us and was the only place my youngest would take a bottle.
Try one thing at a time though either Omeprazole or allergy milk and wait 2 weeks to see if it’s working. Then add in the other. Now that Omeprazole suspension is available off the shelf it’s not as expensive as it was. The non dissolvable tablets are a nightmare to get in a baby and to get the dose right, plus lots of babies just spit it out. The suspension is much easier. Anyway the cost isn’t your problem. It will help your case if you speak to a pharmacist first and can say to the GP that the pharmacist said the Rosemont Omeprazole Suspension is licensed for babies and available off the shelf.

I'm sending you absolutely all of my love and good thoughts. I was you 18 months ago, my daughter was never happy, she screamed all the time and I avoided going to any baby classes until she was at least 3 months old and even then I left a few halfway. I was jealous of friends who's babies just seemed to be content somehow. I never got to the bottom of why, there seemed to be no reason at all.

My daughter just didn't seem to like being a baby. She has become marginally happier with every milestone she meets. She was a bit better once she could roll at 3 months and life changed at 6 months when she could sit. She was happy when she could crawl at 8 months and delighted when she walked at 14 months, now she's a pretty happy and easy going toddler as toddlers go.

Hang in there, I felt absolutely broken whilst it was happening and every day felt like I was sinking but we did get through it.

Omeprazole oral suspension was the only thing that worked for my wee one when he was suffering. I had to push for it because it's extremely expensive. We were given it in tablet form at first which had to be crushed with a little water and given via a syringe. If was basically impossible for a baby who was only weeks old to swallow, absolutely ridiculous! I then found out from the pharmacist how much it actually cost for the liquid suspension very sad but understandable how it's the last resort. I hope you get something to ease the pain for your wee one and give you some relief too. It's very hard x

Adding to a pp hoover suggestion...the hairdryer was the only thing that stopped my first screaming 🙊

OP, I am so sorry for you. We have been there and are just coming into better times now DD is 7 months.

My DD has CMPA, struggles to empty her bowels fully (even on prescription formula) so is on 1 sachet of movicol per day and omeprazole suspension. It has been a long and hard process to get to where we are.

My advice would be to pay for a private Paediatric gastroenterologist if you can - they prescribed omeprazole, we paid for the first private prescription and GP continued thereafter. Fight for this and a trial of amino acid formula. If they push a partially hydrolysed formula on you (it's cheaper) try it, but go back if no/only partial improvement. I have had to fight tooth and nail, we've been to a&e countless times, been fobbed off and left to our own devices. I can recommend a paediatric gastro if you're near London/Surrey/Kent. He saved my sanity and it didn't cost nearly as much as I thought it might. It's unacceptable that you're all being left in this situation, but I speak from bitter experience when I say you will need to gather all your strength and be prepared to go head to head with the NHS to get any kind of assistance.

Please message me if I can help in any way. I really feel for you, we've been to hell and back since April.

Colic is usually a symptom of something else - every single baby I know whose been told they're "colicky" has in fact had CMPA so I'd try that for a week or two.
Definitely cranial osteopath! Especially if you had a difficult birth.
It will get better, I promise 💐

Doesnt she have a house key? If the parents lovked the child out its defo a huge concern and I would be calling school next. Day.

Many years ago my now 18 yo DS was like this. It’s hell.
The cranial osteopath really can’t do any harm. Find one on recommendation - they are very gentle with the babies.
Yes to the hoover - it stopped DS crying. I used to sit him next to it for 5-10 minutes to get some respite.
Being driven in the car also stopped the crying. DH did many M25 trips. Up a couple of junctions and back
As did being in warm bath water .
Ear plugs for you and breaks for you. Do you have family and friends who can take her - even for a walk for an hour. You need breaks too.
If you have a DH make sure he is giving you breaks .
A dummy also helped. He would suck furiously.
It will last I promise. She has been checked for silent reflux? That’s what we thing DS had. But it wasn’t so well known then.
DS 2 was totally different. A chilled and happy baby.

Op, this was me. I can relate to every word.
Firstly, you're doing amazingly to just survive, so be gentle on yourself.
Second, gaviscon made my daughter so much worse, she was in agony from it. It essentially can "dry" them out and cause horrific pain in trying to pass wind.
After back and forth for an age, I had to sit in the GP surgery and refuse to leave until I was taken seriously- I was fobbed off as a worried mum. My daughter had CMPA, and as soon as her formula changed was a different baby all together. Have a word about prescription formula, or if BF, cut out dairy and I'm willing to bet you notice a difference.

Hang in there, it gets better I promise

It’s not dangerous! It may really help. Have you considered an allergy to dairy or something else?

Thank you so much everyone. I’ve been back to the gp this morning and, after a lot of trouble, the GP agreed to give me dissolvable omeprozole. Would not give me syrup or allergy formula and said this can only be done through paediatrician, referral could take upto 2 months with NHS.

I also have a cranial osteopath appointment tomorrow and probiotics arriving from Amazon Thursday.

I’ve decided, if this doesn’t improve anything, I will seek a private paediatric appointment (no holiday for us this year!!!), I’m just so desperate and have so many things I want to explore (oral dysfunction, allergies, intolerances, reflux).

Thank you all for showing me this doesn’t need to be normal or expected. At least my mind will be a little bit more at rest if I know I have, literally, looked for everything.

Fingers crossed for you OP that you see some improvements soon! You're doing an amazing job advocating for your DD. She won't remember this time in her life but you'll never forget it! Good luck x

Just so you know, if you really feel keen about trying a trial of formula for milk allergy, you can buy formulas such as nutramigen, aptamil pepti, etc online from pharmacies like chemist direct and chemist 4 u.

But obviously only do this after having a read about cows milk protein intolerance/allergy and if the symptoms match.

This is expensive but cheaper than getting a private paeds gastro consult to get it prescribed.

We did this for my daughter as no luck with healthcare professionals and was losing my mind trying different things.
The difference was incredible and stopping to see if a true result was awful and coincided with a bank holiday and desperate struggle to order more and then have the wait for the improvements to come again.

I would also caution about trying too many different things close together though as won't know what's working.
Sometimes it can just be colic and get better around 12 weeks but sometimes there is more to it and it sounds like this is what you're trying to address.
Good luck! And look after yourself too.

It sounds ridiculous but are they getting enough sleep in the day? My DD screamed all day until she was 11 weeks and I realised that she needed a nap after 60-90 minutes of being awake. Once I got her into a proper nap routine with wakeful spells of the appropriate time it got a lot better almost Instantly. It may well be nothing to do with this but HV said that sometimes overtiredness and colic can go hand in hand. It certainly helped us - I was going round the bend.

I hope you find a solution. It's just the worst when they won't stop crying x