4 week old started on EASY last week, colicky with no sleep

[chesterella]

Please help.
My 4 week old was started on EASY last week and he is very uncomfortable. He swallows obscene amounts of air when he feeds and even when he is not eating. He just sits there and gulps down air all day and night, making himself very uncomfortable. I am very familiar with EASY since using it with my first LO and have tried to have my new LO on a good routine but I can not get him comfortable and therefore he cannot fall asleep. He is better during the day then at night but I am worried about the lack of sleep and the large time gaps between any sleep at night. Not to mention that we are all overwhelmed and exhausted. Here is his routine.

E 7
A 7-8
S 8-9:25 (cried from gas from 9:25-10)
E 10
A 10:30-11:20
S 11:20-12:30 (cries from gas from 12:30-1)
E 1
A 1:20-2
S 2-4
E 4
A 4:30-5:30
S 5:30-6:30 (cries from gas 6:30-7)
E 7
Now from here on he is terribly fussy and uncomfortable, sometimes only really getting to sleep at 11
S 11-2
E 2
A 2-4 (crying and very uncomfortable)
S 4-5
E 5
A 5-6:30 crying and very uncomfortable

He is getting 4oz every three hours on the dot. I never miss a feeding. I have tried to adapt the dream feed but he swallows so much air that I have to burp him.What do I do!?

[*Ali*]

Are you sure it is just due to the gas that he is crying? I notice during the day it always seems to be for the half an hour before he eats so I'm wondering if it could be that he is hungry and wants to eat sooner than 3hrs? That is not unusual for a 4wo if they are not sleeping up until the next feed time.
I actually think even if it is wind as you suspect this could be a feeding issue and perhaps some advice on different feeding positions, bottles, teats etc could help you so I am going to move this to bottle feeding for you where you will get some more relevant eyes on it. Then hopefully if you can get the feeds and winds sorted he will be more amenable to sleep.

[chesterella]

Hi
I have found out that he is allergic to his formula. Which has cause him to poop nonstop. Which in turn has given him a terrible blistery diaper rash! He was miserable because of the feeding but now he is miserable because of his bum. We are on our way to recovery, changed the formula (fingers crossed) and treating his poor backside. Thank you!

[*Ali*]

Glad you found the cause of his discomfort. Poor little mite. Hopefully the new formula will solve this. For his bum have you tried Metanium? Or could your doctor prescribe something stronger if need be? Lots of of nappy free time might help as well. Hopefully your sleep will improve too. If not please do post on the sleep board again.

[chesterella]

So. Although we thought we figured out the problem, solving it is a different issue and still NO SLEEP FOR ANYONE! LO is a little over 6 weeks now and is so uncomfortable with his gas issues that he can not fall asleep or stay asleep which in turn leads to OT. Took him to the gastro and the doc just said "it's gas" and sent me on my way. He swallows WAY too much air with each feeding (bottle problem? switched to Dr.Browns, seems to be the best) then he is uncomfortable and squirming and grunting until next feeding. I am trying to implement EASY but it is impossible with a baby that is constantly miserable and does not sleep. I am losing it. We have tried ColicCalm, Gripe Water, Mylicon, you name it. Today he has been awake since 5:00am and it is 2:00pm now. He just can't fall asleep with this pain, help!

[Lolly]

How is your feeding routine now? Is he lasting the 3 hours or is he hungry before? Whaich formula do you have him on now? Have you had him checked for reflux at all? Which teat is he on - does a faster teat make a difference, they can sometimes take in too much air because the have to suck too hard.

Laura

[chesterella]

He basically eats every 3 hours, give or take 15 minutes depending on if and when he falls asleep. We try to keep him on as strict of an EASY routine as possible. So even though he may wake up way before his next feeding, we try to keep things quiet and dark until the bottle. He is now on goats milk but I felt it was coming out too fast because it was so thin so I have been putting a tiny bit of rice cereal in his bottles, which in turn has led to hard and painful poops! Ahhhh!!!He certainly has a reflux problem but he is on meds for that. He has been better at night lately but naps are always cut so short by his uncomfortable gassiness. How do I keep a routine if it is ruled by his gas issues? Do I just wait it out until he gets older and his digestive tract matures?

[Lolly]

I would really think about putting him on a hypoallergenic formula like neocate. If cow's milk formula was giving him problems then goat's milk is very likely to be doing the same as the protiens in both are very similar. Is the Dr giving you guidance for the goats milk (is it formula or just goat's milk?) because in the Europe it can't be sold as an infant food because it's not nutritionally complete enough for babies and in higher in sodium.

I would think the rice cereal isn't helping either as it's very hard to digesrt as well as being constipating. Thickening can helps but you can use a non-food thickener like carobel or simply thick.

Laura

[chesterella]

I have switched to Neocate and no difference, in fact, its worse! The formula is so thin that he coughs and gags his way through feedings. I am losing my mind. I cry every time I feed him. Its such a horrid cycles. I feed him, he swallows massive amounts of air, he cries until next feeding. The doctor doesn't believe me that it is the air swallowing that is making him so uncomfortable. He says its an allergy to the formula but I am watching the whole thing happen. I cannot understand why I am the only family in the universe with this problem. Please help!

[LarasMama]

After you feed your little man do you try to keep him upright for his reflux? My DD sleeps fitfully if she's anything but. I purchased a sling to keep Lara T2T as much as possible. She's going to be practically living in it once I'm much more comfortable using it. Her gassiness is a problem for her too, and she grunts and groans for 30 mins at a time. Right now I just laid her on her back and curled her knees towards her chest and she let loose wind numerous times. She's much more settled now, asleep on my chest. Personally, I'm not going to worry about a routine until Lara's problem (whatever it may be, gassiness or reflux) is resolved. It's just easier for me mentally to go with the flow and follow her cues

Do you find the Dr Browns helping? I found a vast improvement when I switched to the Playtex bottles, although DD still is a touch gassy when we use them. No where near as bad as when we use the Avent. Do the Dr Browns have different sized bottles? Like wide or standard? I do notice a marginal difference between my standard Ventaire and my wide Ventaire... the standard doesn't bother as

(((((((Hugs))))))))
I hope it gets better for you. I know how rough it is to watch your LO be so uncomfortable-- it hurts me too.

[chesterella]

Hi LarasMama
It has gotten better now but he is about 10 weeks and I believe, I hope, getting over this colicky stage. He is still very uncomfortable at certain times during the day, around 2pm, 2am, and 6am. I'm not really sure when to start his routine or if I am AP during nap and bedtime as I rock him or let him sleep on me. The Dr. Brown bottles are the best for him but still do give him gas.
Hugs to you too. Has it gotten any better?

[LarasMama]

I'm happy it's getting better for you!
Seems to be getting a bit worse for my munchkin, but my DH just reminded me most babies go through stages like this--their digestive systems aren't fully developed yet. It's still tough seeing her so obviously uncomfortable. Slinging her is helping, it's just rough because I'm exclusively pumping and that always seems to be when she needs me the most and I can't hold her and pump at the tummies.

[JenniferBergsma]

*hugs!* I feel for you. I'm having the same experience with my LO (5wo) My midwife suggested a probiotic drop for her immature digestive system. I understand your LO is growing out of it, however I have done some research on the product suggested (BioGaia drops) and it seems that it reduces gas/colics by great measures! Takes 3-4 days to notice any change but my DD is about to take her 3rd dosage (5 drops per day) and her crying and gas has already reduced! She's napping better and happier. Doesn't sit in her chair squirming or wake in pain 10 minutes after falling asleep.
Some readings I found helpful regarding this product....
Here's to hoping for our LO's sake that they over come this sooner then later!
http://www.biogaia.com/consumer/facts-about-infant-colic

http://www.colichelp.com/shop/biogaia-probiotic-drops.html