Baby Keeps on Crying?

Question

Hi,
My son is two months old. He started crying two days ago and did not stop crying until we started him to breastfeed. But, I know, he was fed well before he started crying. We checked his clothes were dry, other conditions were also normal.

However, I have noticed, whenever he is being breastfed, he gets quiet, but as soon as he is taken off, he starts crying again. Condition becomes worse mostly in the evenings making us helpless.

Answer 1

This sounds like colic. When he is feeding it soothes his stomach and that is why he stops crying and of course breast milk is better than formula which is why when you put him on breast milk he stopped crying but continued while he was on formula. Like you said he was getting fed so he isnt hungry just in pain. Take him to your dr. There are meds that your dr can give him that will help him with the colic. Also you might want to think about giving him a little fruit a couple of times a day. I know he seems like he is too young but if you give him just a little it might help him. My son was 1 1/2 week old when I started him on fruit and he stopped crying. His dr said the fiber in the fruit coated his stomach and stopped the pain. Good luck to you and congrats on the new baby.

Answer 2

The baby is learning that crying gets you to respond to him. This is the toughest lesson a parent has to learn at this point...if you're certain the baby is fed well enough, and he hasn't soiled his diapers, and he's comfortable from heat or cold, and he's not physically ill (No temperature, and no colic), then you need to put him down to bed. The only reason he'll cry now, is for attention. He'll cry like crazy at first to get you to come rush in and soothe him, but you'll need to avoid doing that.

After about 20 minutes (max), he will have cried himself out and realize crying won't get your attention. He'll stop, and soon fall asleep. It's just those 20 minutes of crying that's so difficult for parents to get through.

You'll have to do this a few nights in a row before he learns, but once he realizes that he's really OK and he doesn't need you there every minute, he'll start having a full restful sleep and so will you.

Answer 3

My six week old daughter also had (they're dying down, but still there) bouts of inconsolable crying as well. For some reason, I did not think of colic again until I read an article on crying in the October issue of "Baby Talk". (Which you should be able to find at Babies "R" Us, for free.) There were times when she would get fussy and gassy and dirty diapers. However, when I'm alone caring for her (I'm a SAHM , my husband is a grad student and does work study in the school library) I don't think of things like trying to relieve her gas, though I do think, on occasion to rub her tummy. Unfortunately, I've not gotten into the habit of trying to burp her after feedings. I guess it was a subconscious thought after reading somewhere that breastfed babies get less gas. Eh, maybe not. It might be from something I eat. I eat plenty of beans and fruits and veggies. If they give me gas, I guess it stands to reason that they might give my daughter gas, too.

Obviously, since I'm vegan, I don't consume dairy, so milk allergies don't factor in.

It used to be that my daughter would be fussy during the day, but calm down at night. Now, it seems to be the opposite. She's more mellow, overall, but gets fussy in the evenings. Thankfully, my husband will take her, and let me sleep (he has even admitted that he gets more sleep than me) for a couple of hours until she gets hungry.

I almost feel worse for my husband than for me. I at least get to stay home, but there are days like today when he has an 8:30 class.

Plenty of patience and prayer is helping us get through.

Answer 4

it does sound like colic. there's two types, one is wind trapped in the stomach (just needs to burp) the other one is much more difficult. they form wind in the lower part of their intestines, and it's too much to pass through. Their stomach will be hard, they bring their knees up high and do short sharp kicks, and have a particularly distressing cry. It's hard to comfort them (usually only the breast does settle them for a bit). And it does get worse at night.

I had this with my son until he was actively crawling, and still had some probs. Try massaging his tummy, going in a clockwise direction. I used a naturopathic remedy, "oxalis" ointment, which i rubbed on his tummy and on the soles of his feet.

Lay him on his back and bicycle his legs around, and get his hips moving. do this for a few minutes every half hour when he's awake. The other thing that helps to soothe the tummy ache is a warm bath or shower. For some reason, the massage of the water on my son's tummy made him relax more than a bath, and he'd pass wind really easily.

It's difficult, frustrating and normal. I ended up seeing my naturopath who gave me some suitable medication for my son, which would help for a while. I also saw a sacro-cranial specialist chiropractor, specialising in infants. It was amazing how quickly we found relief with the manipulations!

However, just to make sure that there's nothing else going on, go and see your doctor.

If it really is just colic, it will pass. It will feel like it lasts forever, but it really passes in a couple of months.

Answer 5

He may have colic. My son had that real bad when he was a baby. I found that the only thing that soothed him was when I wrapped him in a blanket and held him close to my chest. He would calm down and go to sleep, which was when I got my sleep. It can be real hard to deal with, but it will pass. If you are really worried, take him to the doctor to get checked out. Good luck.

Answer 6

Here is one suggestion you may consider... Your child maybe lactose intolerant, I had a friend who's baby kept crying all the time after feeding her and come to find out the poor little thing was allergic to milk, the doc changed her to a soy based formula for babies (isomil) and the baby no longer cried after her feedings.

Answer 7

Most cases of colic have been shown to be due to transient lactose intolerance. The digestive system is too young to deal with the sugar (lactose) in milk. By adding lactase (enzyme) drops most of the sugar is predigested before the baby starts to digest the milk.

You can add lactase drops to the bottle or give it via a spoon before breastfeeding.

www.colief.com

You can buy colief drops from most chemists.

Answer 8

Infant colic (also known as baby colic and three month colic) is a condition in which an otherwise healthy baby cries or screams frequently and for extended periods, without any discernible reason.

The condition typically appears within the first two weeks of life and almost invariably disappears, often very suddenly, before the baby is three to four months old [1]. It is more common in bottle-fed babies, but also occurs in breast-fed infants. The crying frequently occurs during a specific period of the day, often in the early evening.

Since the cause is not conclusively established (see below) and the amount of crying differs between babies, there is no general consensus on the definition of "colic". Having ruled out other causes of crying, a common rule of thumb is to consider a baby "colicky" if it cries intensely more than three days a week, for more than three hours, for more than three weeks in a month.

Causes
There is no commonly accepted explanation for colic. Traditionally, colic was ascribed to abdominal pain resulting from trapped gas in the digestive tract. This theory is not yet discredited, and some recent scientific evidence seems to support it, yet it is no longer universally accepted as the general cause.

There is solid and mounting evidence that the causes are related to gut flora, from multiple studies which have shown that colicky babies have different gut flora patterns, which includes a lack of Lactobacillus acidophilus.[2][3][4] Some of these studies suggest the administering of a probiotic, such as Lactobacillus acidophilus, will improve the condition. Probiotics have been shown to improve other conditions associated with colic, such as lactose intolerance[5], necrotizing enterocolitis[6], and gastric inflammation.[7] In addition to that probiotics have been shown to generally improve the health of children who take them.[8]

Some doctors claim that it is a combination of a baby's sensitive temperament, the environment, and its immature nervous system which makes it cry easily and without control. Others believe that it originates in problems in the baby's digestive system, specifically because of the buildup of gas which cannot be released. New studies at the Colic Clinic at Brown University demonstrate that nearly half of babies with colic have mild gastroesophageal reflux. Some cases may be the result of lactose intolerance.[9]

Recent research raises a number of hypotheses including the onset of melatonin production by the pineal gland (which does not begin until 12 weeks of age, about the time colic seems to disappear),[10] circadian rhythms,[11] and smoking and stress of the mother in the third trimester.[12]

Because of the links between prenatal stress, birth trauma, maternal stress etc, and colic, it has also been suggested that some 'colic', or excessive crying may actually be a healthy stress release requiring support and facilitation rather than suppression or 'cure'.[13]


[edit] Treatment
There is currently no generally-accepted medical treatment for colic, and the approach taken by medical professionals varies substantially from country to country and indeed from doctor to doctor. Many believe that the condition is currently untreatable, and is best left to run its course. Other doctors prescribe simethicone, which treats trapped gas; some parents report that this is effective, but for many others it is not, and research suggests that it is not useful.[14]

One study showed a moderate success when infants with colic were treated with dicyclomine, an anti-spasmotic drug commonly found in some anti-diarrheal medications.[15]

Other studies have found success with probiotics such as Lactobacillus reuteri, which were intended to reduce gas.[16]

Gripe water is believed by some to relieve the symptoms associated with baby colic, teething and baby's gas[citation needed].

In addition to herbal teas it is believed that the organoleptic effects of certain herbs can help calm and relieve colic symptoms.

Scientists warn that further studies are necessary before any specific cure should be recommended.[16]

There is general agreement that soothing measures, such as pacifiers, listening to white noise and rocking, are often effective in calming the baby during crying periods. Also known as the "cuddle cure",[17] the five S's are known as Swaddling, placing the baby on their Side or Stomach, Swinging the baby, making a Shhh sound in the baby's ear, and giving the baby something to Suck on. Some parents take turns holding the baby upright (which may reduce the pain and crying) to enable the other parent to catch up on sleep. Babies with lactose intolerance or reflux cry harder and longer when left to lie on their backs, but parents are not advised to put the baby to sleep on their front as it is considered a risk factor for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.

Answer 9

could be colic my daughter suffered terrible with it and it would be worse in the evenings as the wind builds up through out the day, try infacol before feds it helps bring up wind it is suitable from birth and you can get it in chemist and supermarkets he is a bit young for gripe water yet

Answer 10

probably got lower bowel ache from wind.
Give him some infants friends sirup.