6 week old colic and early wakings

[AllyW2015]

Hi there! I'm a first time momma  and am having a bit of trouble with my little girl, 6 weeks old. She is colicky, her most difficult time is in the afternoon/evenings. I have been trying to get her on the easy routine  but have had a difficult time with the night time since that is when she is most fussy/uncomfortable. I exclusively breastfeed her and she does well nursing, good strong latch. I have tried colic drops recommended by pediatrician, gas drops, massages, etc. she doesn't really cluster feed (I've tried multiple times but she won't take it! )Here is what a typical day looks like:

7- E
7:45- A
8:15- S
Y

10- E
10:45- A
11:15- S
Y

1- E
1:45- A
2:15- S
Y

2:15-4 she is fussy and does not nap well

4- E (fussy)
4:45- A (fussy and only want to be held, even then she still fusses)
5:15- S (sometimes she sleeps and sometimes she does not)
6:10- A (inconsolable)
6:30- bath time (loves bath time, I think he warm water helps soothe her)
6:45- Quiet time
7- E
7:3- S

1/12- E
2/3- E
4-7: fussy and wakes just about every hour and sometimes more 

Any advise on routine or how to help a colicky baby is most welcome!!!! 

[FPT23]

Hi Ally! Congratulations on your new baby!!!

I have a 10 week old (and 4yo) and so having sort of passed this phase, I'm happy to offer a little advice in hopes to help ease your mind or maybe help with your baby!!

First off, your days look awesome! Wish mine had looked like that (or still for that matter ha!) ....it looks like a good routine! one thing, she has a 1 hr 15 min A time? You can try decreasing her second A time a bit as baby might be getting a little OT and that's why wont nap as well between 2-4? Just a thought all babies are different but mine can only handle 1hr 15 in the mornings and shorter A times as the day progresses into the afternoons. My Lo is also almost 3 months so A times are a biiiit longer. I think at 1 month old (or 1.5 mths in your case) require a bit less A time. Something to consider?

Tbh, early afternoons/nights are fussy periods for most babies. It's referred to as "witching hour" ...it's common and with time it'll pass. As for the EWs, for some reason gas occurs here often as it did for us too! Just do anything you can to get baby back to sleep is my best advice in those awful early hours I've resorted to a swing sometimes!

As far as colic.. My first was colicky! Hugs! It's rouuuuugh!!!! Best suggestions for that, that helped us was def a good swaddle, burping often too, shh and rocking... Just so baby is comfortable! It's the best you can do to help them feel better, IMO!!

Hugs!!! Hope this of some help and you'll find great support here from other moms too! Xox

[AllyW2015]

Thank you! She is definitely doing well with the routine. It is such a blessing! I'll have to try shorter awake times. She just doesn't seem tired and fights sleep but I'll try anything! She has been swaddled since the first day she no longer had any tubes and we could swaddle her. I'll try the swing in the early hours as well. Again, anything to help her. Thank you so much! 

[FPT23]

gooe luck! Yessss the swaddle is heavenly until they fight it

Your welcome! Hope it helps!!

[lily_layne]

My first was colicky and she was very unsettled in the late afternoon/early evening. As FPT said all babies have a fussy time and I found that with my second LO expecting there to a be a fussy period every day (and a fussy day every week and a fussy week every month ) really helped me to accept it and be less frazzled/frustrated by it.

In the late afternoons, I would use a sling or a swing for nap times or just to calm her. Both of mine responded really well to the sling. I remember the first evening I used it with DD - it was the first time in 4 weeks we hadn't had hours of on/off screaming! A tight swaddle and loud white noise (it has to be louder than the crying - think hair dryer loud!) also really helped.

It's also pretty common for babies to be unsettled from 4 am til morning. I often popped mine in the swing after a feed and it did help. It didn't ever become a prop issue. They just got more settled at that time and didn't needed it anymore.

I also recommend Dr. Karp's 5s technique from the Happiest Baby on the Block. I can't say enough good things about it. It was a real life-changer when we began using it with my colicky DD. The book and DVD are great but you can find many videos of the 5s technique online. The 5 s's are side, sucking, shushing, swinging, and swaddling and are a nice transitional step to the BW 4s's.

[FPT23]

I second dr karps book! that's exactly what I was getting at with the swaddle!

That book saved my first colicky child. It's all that worked!!

Hope everything works out! We are in this together

[AllyW2015]

It is so very nice to hear success stories. Tha fully we do have a swing, I'll give that a try! And the swaddling is great! Sometimes it comes her immediately so I keep it up nice and snug ☺️

Lily-lay next, did you keep your LO in a sling for the whole nap or eventually lay them down after they were sound asleep? My LO is still young but as she gets older I fear it will lead to her not being able to sleep on her own 

[lily_layne]

I did usually keep them in the sling for the whole nap. I found it virtually impossible to transfer them without waking them up. I usually aimed for at least one nap a day in the crib (but sometimes even that didn't happen) and the rest were sling/swing if they had trouble settling. Lots of mamas on here do the same and find that it helps keep LO from only being able to nap in the sling or swing.

I worried a lot about LO1 not learning to sleep on her own given how much I used the swing but my fears were unfounded. When she was ready, she easily transitioned to having all of her naps in the crib. At first, some of the naps were short but they lengthened fairly quickly. With LO2, I was much more relaxed (I even often nursed and rocked him to sleep) and it was the same - when he was ready, he easily transitioned into going to sleep on his own in the crib. You can certainly start sleep training (sh/pat) quite young (but it's really difficult with colicky babes and takes quite a bit of time with all LOs) and they will start sleeping independently at a younger age or you can wait until they're older and the sleep training is usually quicker.

If you do use the swing, I found that the highest speed works best.

[AllyW2015]

She doesn't seem to be s fan of the swing. I'll keep trying it but she doesn't nap long in there. It's truly a guessing game with her. What works one day she hates the next! Lol. So far carrying her seems to be the only consistent thing she likes. I guess I'll have to learn to go with the flow! Definitely not easy for someone like me who likes routines  haha!

[FPT23]

I love routines too so I have had a hard time myself but in time it will happen!

Maybe the sling if she likes to be held! As lily suggested

It's def work in progress w them! I'm in my own messiness too w/ mine but somehow we survive it all

[lily_layne]

What works one day she hates the next!

I know what you mean! My DD was the same until I discovered the 5s's. It took a bit to master, but worked like a charm every time after.