help help, need some suggestions

It's amazing how much you forget those first few months. I guess I was going on complete sleep deprivation at that time. So my girlfriend gave birth to twin fraternal girls on Mother's Day they will be 3 weeks old on Sunday.

Her one dd has been crying non-stop for about 4 hours now (and has been crying pretty much off and on all day). I have been suggesting everything I can think of but thought maybe there is more they could try. Here's what they have tried:

swaddling her
swing
bouncy chair with vibration
they just started her on a soy formula today (both babies actually)
she was constipated so they just did the thermometer trick and it worked but she is still crying
They have been holding her all day and she just cries and cries
I told them to try rocking her in the dark that perhaps she is just overtired and over stimulated
The ped told them earlier to try camomile tea but they can't get her to drink it
She is drinking her bottles fine
She won't take a pacifier
They have given her mylicon
they did the the bycicle thing with the legs but that didn't work either

If the dark thing doesn't work I told her to go ahead and call the ped. She doesn't have a fever but she seems to be in some discomfort. I suggested that it could be reflux but she is not showing many of the symptoms (although I can't remember when my dd started really showing her reflux symptoms). Any other suggestions? And where can you get gripe water? did any of you ever give it to a baby this young???

 

Sounds like you have given her some great advice! Our fussies kicked in right around 2 weeks. I bought Gripe Water at a health food store. Good luck to her, tell her to come and visit us when she gets a second!

 

great advice - how about a ride in the car...I know gas prices suck and all but it may help...

 

Mine liked my hairdryer. i also hear vacuum/clothes dryer work well too. (and a little cheaper and convenient than the car! )
i have never heard of giving a baby chamomile tea, i must say!???!!
i hope they get some relief soon. that must be terrible.

 

QUOTE(AmynTony @ May 31 2007, 08:41 PM) [snapback]275135[/snapback]
great advice - how about a ride in the car...I know gas prices suck and all but it may help...



That is what I was going to say. Or how about swinging her in her car seat? It is hard to do for a long period of time but it worked. Maybe she and her husband can take turns.

 

She could also try putting her in her carseat (strapped in) and put her on top of or next to a running dryer. That will sometimes do the trick, as will the bathroom fan. Otherwise she can try putting her in the "colic carry". Basically you lay them tummy down on your forearm, their head resting near your elbow, the heel of your palm in their tummy (creating pressure) and limbs dangling. You can then rock or swing them easily.

 

I used to lay blankets and things on top of the dryer and then put the babies on top of it with the dryer running with towels and shoes in it. Wierd but it works. Also, playing the stereo super loud on a static channel helped too. This didn't really help my guys but a receiving blanket warmed in the microwave and placed on their tummies is supposed to help too. Gas drops did nothing for us.

 

Sounds like classic colic to me. My DD had it. So hard to deal with. The magic trick for us was Harvey Karp's "Happiest Baby on the Block." I recommend the DVD over the book (it is pretty simple and you don't need to read the whole thing). You want to do 5 things at once that mimic the uterus (trying just one might not work, the trick is combining them).
1. Motion (jiggling works better than rocking).
2. Get them off their back, onto their side is best.
3. Sucking (pacifier). If they keep spitting the pacifier out, put it in and out of their mouth really fast, this triggers the sucking reflex.
4. Noise like loud shushing right in their ear (vacuum, blow dryer works well too). We bought a white noise machine (by Homedics, should be able to find it at Bed Bath and Beyond).
5. Swaddle.

To do all these together we would swaddle DD real tight, put her on her side in our lap, head on our knees, feet by our tummy, then jiggle her by bouncing our knees. You can bend over easily and shush in this position and use your hands to support the head and hold the paci in.

This worked like a charm for us b/c we were going crazy with the crying for a few weeks up until this time. It would work instantaneously, we only needed to keep at it for maybe 10-15 minutes until she was sound asleep an then we could just hold her and gently rock her to keep her asleep.

GOOD LUCK

 

I found out by accident mine like the vaccum..DD was crying nonstop so I put her in her crib thinking that that would do the trick..But it didnt..The vaccum was in their room, so I took that time to do some "quick cleaning" Well I turned it on she stop crying and feel asleep..I was so suprised..I'm thinking to myself that it really didnt work.So I turned it off and she woke up screaming..I turned it back on real fast and out she went again..I had to call DH in the room to show him..We couldnt believe it..

 

one of my boys likes the sound of running water to calm him down, and they both like the rhythmic sound of the washer or dryer, and vacuume. the car ride idea is a good one too. we always use that as a last resort, but after 4 hrs of crying I'd try anything! I hopw she calms down soon. poor baby, and poor mommy.
:hug99: for them both.

 

Read Dr Brazleton's book Touchpoints... good advice about real cause of colic. Ie the nervous systm resetting at the end of the day. This soulnds like more to me. We've had "colic" by his definition but never for 4 hrs.

I totally second the giggling and walkiing and paci. Also rocking in darkened room maybe even with a light banket tossed loosely over the babies head. It works for us. Also, put the babe in a sling and vacuum the house! Hopefully will calm baby and your house will be clean.

Good luck - my two are currently passed out in my arms and grandma's after a little evening crazies.
Mj

 

Oh my gosh it sounds like my Evan! He finally cheered up (at about 11 weeks, but maybe you shouldn't tell your friend it took this long) and now his personality has been transferred to your friend's baby!! The only thing that would really help Evan was being strapped to me in the Moby Wrap. It has to be tight. It seemed to make him feel as though he was back in utero, which, I'm convinced, was his problem - he wanted a 4th trimester. I also REALLY recommend the book/DVD "The Happiest Baby on The Block". (she likely doesn't have time to read the book but she can squeeze in 40 minutes to see the DVD).

DVD: http://www.amazon.com/Happiest-Baby-Block-H...7081&sr=8-2

The Moby Wrap: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000X4WORU/?tag=mytwins02-20

 

What about just getting a sling and wearing the baby?

 

Hi- I just registered with the site. Lots of useful information here and I just had to respond to this question. I definitely feel for anyone that has to go through that.

Her situation sounds all too familiar- my boys were like that until they were around 4 months old. The sling worked pretty well. But my life saver was the
vent hood above the stove. We spent many many hours in front of the vent with the fan on high. I couldnt have made it through that phase without it (turns out they had reflux and once we gave them meds it helped tremendously). Hope this helps.

Good luck.

 

thank you all for your suggestions. I have been passing them on to her but I would like very much to get her on to this site (I've been trying!! I know once she is here she'll really appreciate all the support and help!). I will ask her tomorrow if she can just get on for a second and read all of your posts. Thank you thank you. I feel so bad for her cause I know (we all know) EXACTLY what she is going through (and her dh too!).