questions.....

should i be trying to get a routine already??
i am using bottled water for formula... should i be using something else?
what is gripe water? does it really work??
DD is up from 10-2 screaming 4 nothing.. im going nuts.. ds doesnt anymore.. and now they both have colds and diarreah.. poor babies...

 

The only routine we had at the beginning(until 4-5 months) was a 3 hour feeding schedule.
I used Nursery Water for their bottles.
Never had any luck with Gripe Water, although some swear by it for tummy discomfort.
I hope they feel better soon! :hug99:

 

should i be trying to get a routine already??
- 3 weeks is a little early, but it's never too early to TRY. Just don't get too mad if it doesn't always work.

i am using bottled water for formula... should i be using something else?
- nope, bottled water is fine.

what is gripe water? does it really work??
- an herbal supplement said to help with colic. That's what we used it for. We gave the boys half the dosage for about 5 weeks. Did it help? After about 2 weeks we did notice a difference but only time cured colic entirely. If you search for "gripe" there are MANY previous threads on the subject, including one re: a recent recall on one kind of gripe water.

DD is up from 10-2 screaming 4 nothing.. im going nuts.. ds doesnt anymore.. and now they both have colds and diarreah.. poor babies...
- that completely sucks. Have you talked to your pedi? When our boys seem inconsolable, and aren't hungry/wet/tired, a bath will usually quiet them down. It's almost like they start crying then can't remember why but they keep at it. The baths make them think of something else. They love baths, though.

 

QUOTE(SilvrHeart @ Sep 21 2007, 09:34 AM) [snapback]417594[/snapback]
DD is up from 10-2 screaming 4 nothing.. im going nuts.. ds doesnt anymore.. and now they both have colds and diarreah.. poor babies...
- that completely sucks. Have you talked to your pedi? When our boys seem inconsolable, and aren't hungry/wet/tired, a bath will usually quiet them down. It's almost like they start crying then can't remember why but they keep at it. The baths make them think of something else. They love baths, though.


Yes i have. He said that they have Colic. They both also have colds right now. I feel so bad for them they are way too little..

 

QUOTE(AshleyLD @ Sep 21 2007, 12:38 PM) [snapback]417607[/snapback]
Yes i have. He said that they have Colic. They both also have colds right now. I feel so bad for them they are way too little..



Try a steam bath -- it didn't help our boys with their congestion, but it does help some babies. When they are in there, take a warm washcloth (as warm as they can handle) and place it on their bellies - that is also supposed to be a natural colic reliever.

When they sleep, try to keep them a bit propped up; that way the congestion doesn't irritate them more. A humidifier while they sleep may also help.

i am all for herbal remedies but I would hesitate to start gripe water on such young babies. Ours didn't show signs of colic til about 2 months, and I felt a little better trying the half dose at that point, but I don't know if I would've done so at 3 weeks. But others on here may have had different experiences. You'll just have to decide on that for yourself.

For your DD, who cries 10-2 inconsolably, have you tried holding her so her belly is on your lap? That's a "colic hold" said to help as well.

 

QUOTE(SilvrHeart @ Sep 21 2007, 09:50 AM) [snapback]417637[/snapback]
For your DD, who cries 10-2 inconsolably, have you tried holding her so her belly is on your lap? That's a "colic hold" said to help as well.


I have tried everything.. She basicly just passes out when she is exhasted..
She also doesnt like her arms to be swaddled.. I just have 2 fussy babies!! :crazy:

 

Both my DS and DD were EXTREMELY fussy newborns. They are almost 4 months now and it really got better gradually. There were entire days where they would not nap and the cried constantly no matter what we did.

My ped said no to the gripe water until 6mos.

We use nursery water for bottles

Good luck with the 10-2 thing, unfortunately we just had to kind of wait it out. The good news is it does get better.

Also, my son gets really congested and standing in a small bathroom with really hot water running and the door shut knocks him out everytime. I did it four times in the middle of one night but did get him back to sleep each time.

Good luck and have faith in the knowledge that it just won't/can't be like that forever. I though I was the only one with TWO fussy babies ! Just big personalities, that's all.

Amy

 

bless your heart...three weeks is when it really really became hard for me. So much crying, and for no reason! The good news is: It has nothing to do with you! They are just working it out in their own time. Just do what you can to stay sane. There were definitely times when I would have to lay them in their cribs and just step outside on the front door step and cry to get away from it for a little bit. I promise it gets better. One day you'll wake up and they are five months old and you'll wonder how you did it. Big hugs.

Reyna

 

should i be trying to get a routine already?? My girls are on a routine and it works, but I didn't put them on one, they came home from the hospital on one.

i am using bottled water for formula... should i be using something else? I use tap, and think this is bad. (just realizing this)

what is gripe water? does it really work?? It's a homopathic remedy that has worked wonders for my kids. Usually contains fennel, ginger, camomile, and soda bicorbonate. It's pretty pricey but for me it was well worth it.

DD is up from 10-2 screaming 4 nothing.. im going nuts.. ds doesnt anymore.. and now they both have colds and diarreah.. poor babies... Sorry you have having such a rough time, I hope they feel better soon.

 

I find that my twins do much better on a schedule or they get too hungry or too tired and then they cry becasue they don't know what else to do. THey can't eat becasue they are too hungry. Even at 3 or 4 weeks it made a difference. One of my twins has colic as well. I find laying her on her belly over my arm or on my lap helps to have pressure on her tummy. You might want to try that.

 

QUOTE
So much crying, and for no reason! The good news is: It has nothing to do with you! They are just working it out in their own time. Just do what you can to stay sane. There were definitely times when I would have to lay them in their cribs and just step outside on the front door step and cry to get away from it for a little bit. I promise it gets better. One day you'll wake up and they are five months old and you'll wonder how you did it. Big hugs.


Yes yes yes! Everything she said.

Don't worry about a routine yet. Just try to give your babies what they need when they need it. Feed when they're hungry, try to help them sleep when they're tired. In time, as their systems mature, they will create their own routine that suits them perfectly. Eat - play - sleep works great for some, play - eat - sleep works better for others...

And try to give yourself what you need too! See if you can get anyone to help you take some breaks to just do things you enjoy. Even if it's just an hour lying on the couch flipping through a magazine.

It gets better! I swear! Big hugs. :hug99:

 

I wouldn't worry about a routine right now except maybe a 3 hour feeding schedule during the day (more often if they need it). You are in the middle of the hardest part, it will get sooooo much easier. I hope everyone gets well soon! :hug99:

 

I wouldn't try to force a routine, but it can help you to make one up for yourself, so you're not always trying to figure out what's next. (i.e. babies wake, change diapers, feed, put back to sleep). You're probably doing this already 'cause I'd imagine you're going on autopilot from lack of sleep!

Hang in there with the colic. My oldest had extreme colic and would scream all day long, konk out around 2-3 a.m., then be up at 7 to start it all over again. Colic babies don't go through terrible two's (keep repeating to yourself over and over). It was true for all my mom's children, true for my first, and I'm sticking to it!

Just like PP said, don't feel bad about putting the babies in the crib and walking away for a spell. I used to play freecell in the basement for 10 minutes occasionally. Or I'd walk S-L-O-W-L-Y to the mailbox (sweet silence!). They'll grow out of the colic into smart, beautiful babies that you enjoy spending time with.

Try to find some people IRL who have experienced real colic and can relate to you. It really makes you feel much better! When we were going through our struggle, we noticed that many people didn't really understand colic.

P.S. Gripe water is a British thing now sold here in the U.S. for colic. It is an herbal water. Some people swear by it, but it doesn't work overall. If it did, there would be no colic anymore and all pediatricians would recommend it.