Best ways to stop your baby's crying or colic!

Can I just share with you how much I love facebook for quick advice on all types of things?  We even got Tatem's name from our friend's suggestions on facebook!  Last night we were at our wit's end and posted this:

Help us please! Tatem is fussy every night from dinnertime to about 1am! Last night it lasted until 4:30am. We never had this with Landrie. (Mark says he never remembers her crying! haha!) Any advice on stuff that worked for you? She's an angel baby all day long...it's just the evenings that are wearing us out!

WOW!  Did we ever get a response!!  When Landrie was a baby, I remember one night she wouldn't stop crying.  We actually grabbed a baby book and tried to look up "crying" in the index.  We were desperate!  I've never seen such a complete list of FABULOUS suggestions, so I thought I'd share in case any of you are looking for the best way to treat a colicky baby or ways to calm a just plain fussy baby.  :)  I put them into categories to help a bit.

Things to give her

-gas drops

-gripe water

-special formula (Similac soy or Parents' Choice Gentle Tummy)

-add a pinch of rice cereal to her bottle

-a pacifier

Make her comfy

-swaddle

-rub her tummy

-warm bath

-infant massage with lotion (there are books and training on this!)

-If all else fails, talk to your doctor about tummy sleeping and buy an Angel Alarm. 

Get moving

-sleep in the swing

-go for a car ride

-hold her and bounce on an exercise ball

-pat her back and sway

-Go outside or look outside for a change in scenery

Check yourself! (for those breast feeding)

-don't eat broccoli, beans, corn

-don't eat spicy things

-don't eat dairy

-no caffeine or chocolate :(

-Are you making enough milk?  DRINK water and make sure you're resting as much as possible and eating to help.  Feeding more will help your supply!

-Don't eat things from the cabbage family

-Might be a growth spurt that's making her cluster feed for a few days.

Mom and Dad

-know that it's just a season

-PRAY!!

-make sure she's having enough "awake time" during the day...but not too much or she'll be overstimulated!

-Get family help

-have patience!

-Read Happiest Baby on the Block

-Read On Becoming Babywise

Surround her with sleepiness

-run the vacuum 

-Run the dishwasher

-put her seat on the dryer and turn it on (stand right there so she doesn't fall off!)

-Put her in the bathroom and run the bathtub full blast (she's not in the tub)

Mamma called the doctor and the doctor said...

-could it be reflux? (possible even without spit up) There are meds for this.

-talk to your doctor about visiting an infant chiropractor

I think we tried most all of these things last night.  I wasn't kidding!  THANK YOU so much for your sweet words, calls and texts!  It means so much to know that we aren't alone. :)

The AMAZING news is that Tatem stopped her fussiness around 10pm last night and had a normal night!  She woke up at 10, 2:30 and 5:30 to eat and went right back to sleep each time.  Thank you, Jesus!  I think the main two things were sleeping in the swing (motion and being upright) and the fact that I drank 1 gallon of water yesterday.  I realized I started slacking on this around the time her fussiness started.  I had much more milk last night and today!

I'm off to bed now!  I'm praying for a good night's sleep for our family and yours!  :)

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