[hermommy]

I have a 2 month old that has the colic. She is also a Methadone addicted baby. I have had her since she was released from the hospital. She is a beauty!! But the trouble is she dont sleep so therefore I do not sleep. I get about 1-2 hours a night. My husband does all he can but he works 12 hours a day 5-6 days a week. Does anyone know somthing that I can try. I have read up on colic and methadone but nothing is working. Baby A crys ALL THE TIME.

[sergekel]

My son's Chiro said that Cranio-Sacral therapy works wonders for colic. I have no experience with that, but he swears by it.

Hang in there! ((hugs))CranioSacral Therapy for Infants: Treating Infant Colic and other conditions. http://www.duramater.info/pdf/Cranio...pyforColic.pdf

I'm sure there are others but I just did a quick google search.

[twinflana]

Some of the things you can do is 1st and most important request a new formula for colicky babies. Mylicon drops help (same thing as "little tummies") elevate the head end of the crib, if old enough give a little bit of baby cereal before bedtime, swaddling tightly sometimes helps. Are you sure it is colic and not reflux? If it is reflux the baby might need medication.

[hermommy]

Originally Posted by twinflana

Some of the things you can do is 1st and most important request a new formula for colicky babies. Mylicon drops help (same thing as "little tummies") elevate the head end of the crib, if old enough give a little bit of baby cereal before bedtime, swaddling tightly sometimes helps. Are you sure it is colic and not reflux? If it is reflux the baby might need medication.

I changed her formula which does seem to be working a little. She tightens up and just screams for hours on end. I try to keep her swadled and held close but that dont seem to be helping at all. Her ped said that it was colic. At first I thought that it was the methadone, but was told that it was not. Poor thing looks like she is in pain all the time. When she does go to sleep she usually only sleeps for about 20 min. I want so much to be able to take the pain away from her I just dont know how. Thanks. I will be trying the elevated crib and have her doctor check her for reflux also.

[greenrobin]

A few weeks back, someone was on here posting/asking about Gripe Water. It's a homeopathic remedy I think. Anyway, you can find it in health food stores. It's been used for a very long time. I never knew about it when my kids had colic, so I can't swear by it. It's supposed to be safe for even the smallest babies.

Definitely swaddle. You can try a swing. Rides in the car help, but eventually you have to stop. And call your ped. They may be able to help you.

[JessicaBaker]

Yes, here's something to try... respite! I've done just a couple of nights for other foster moms with infants here and there so they could get some much needed uninterrupted sleep. Babies don't mind who cares for them at that age, and it's a great option that comes with fostering.

[Crissy011]

My daughter was colicky for months. Her pediatrician gave me a prescription for Levsin which made a HUGH difference! Without it, I would have lost my mind! It helped her soooo much!

[EZ2Luv]

I second the Gripe water. However it sounds as though baby is going through some residual methatdone withdrawals. Defiately address whatever refulx issue you suspect but tyhere are things to help with the methadone withdrawral.

White noise, swaddling, darkened rooms and very little stimulation are all things that can minimize baby's discomfort. Of course it is all trial and error. Some methadone babies, love swaddling and others don't, some like sleeping in a swing and some don't. Gentle swinging can help settle and ease the discomfort.
Once you come up with the right combination of things that work baby will be a lot more settled amd Momma will get more sleep.
The good news is that methadone babies do outgrow this. In the mean time it can be quite frustrating. As I said, try some of the suggestions and good luck.

EZ

[hermommy]

Thank you all for you posts. I will be trying a lot of them out lol. I have the swing that goes side to side or front to back and she seems to love the side to side motion. I sent my hubby out for the gripe water so we will see if this works. And I will be talking to the ped. Monday morning. Thanks again it was appreciated.

[Withay]

Another thing you might try, especially if it is reflux is a device called a Tucker Sling. They can be a bit spendy, but are well worth it.

My son has extreme reflux and until he was a year old slept in a tucker sling. You attach it to the crib mattress and fasten the baby in when they lay down. This way you can elevate the head of the crib (use a mattress wedge) and they won't slide to the bottom.

I am sending you a pm with the website info.

[sgtfirstwife]

I once had a little foster daughter who had severe colic. I tried everything. They finally changed her formula and the gripe water was a real big help. If she won't take it straight, put a little in formula and give it to her that way.
I feel for you.

[Mummy_Big_Bird]

Do babywearing!!!!

All my methadone babies thrived on it. Our personal favorite is to use a Moby wrap. It is very soothing to be cuddled up to a warm body and a heartbeat. I usually wear low neck shirts when babywearing, so we can get some skin to skin contact.

[Mkap]

We had a very colicy baby. This is what worked for us. First and foremost, formula adjustments. We have our fd on alimentum, it has been a god send. I would definitely NOT recommend cerial at bedtime b/c with the colic and the fragile tummies the cereal could really upset the baby. I know at 5 months our fd still does not tolerate cereal well. Also, swaddling. We use Baby's Bliss Gripe water sold at Walgreens. We still give it to her at bedtime. It has helped much more than the gas drops. Baby girl also seems to sleep much better in her swing than in the crib. The motion helps her. We also use white noise in her room at night. Best of luck, I know how frustrating and exhausting it is.

[waitingtobemommy]

Hermommy,
What are her symtoms?
- Does she stiffen up her body?

[devildogwife]

My "colicky" son really had severe MSPI and he has reflux. It was awful and I barely slept. Hypoallergenic RTF formula saved us. Simethicone and grip water helped too.

I have been through addiction/withdrawal hell (what would knock out an adult for days barely makes a dent with him) with my son. One of the hardest experiences of my life. For him, methadone withdrawal is much worse ativan withrawal. Did they do a wean on the baby? Even with my son's very slow wean, it was still a nightmare. Give tylenol when you can. We walked laps around my son's med-surge floor for many days while he went through withdrawal. I'd just hold him and walk and walk and walk.

I also second the respite suggestion. Nothing is as good as a full nights sleep.

Hang in there. Methadone withdrawal is SO hard to go through!