April 2007 Expecting Club

My husband and I are literally running on 3 hours sleep. Our little guy (he was a preemie, 6 weeks early) has major major gas issues. He's so incredibly fussy, and he's got all this gas inside him. It doesn't matter if it's breastmilk or formula, it all yields the same response. We've tried Ventaires, Avent, soothies bottles, and he still gets tons of gas. I use mylicon at every feeding, and it just doesn't seem to do much. It's getting worse and worse as each day progresses. I don't know what to do. My first son was the same way, but the gas wasn't this bad.

1. Any suggestions on bottles? I'm going to the store soon and am willing to try ANYTHING to cut back on this problem. Are there any moms that have experience with the lined bottles, do those help with gas problems?

2. Do you have any other suggestions on solving this problem?

3. For those moms with babies with reflux/gas problems (my baby has both), what formula do you suggest?

Please help me, I can't do this no sleep thing anymore. Plus, I can't even nap because he wants to be held all day long, if I put him down he goes into screaming fits. Last night in the middle of the night I was able to catch an hour sleep, only because he was laying on my chest. I hate doing that, I feel it's dangerous, but sometimes I just don't feel I have a choice.

I'm going out of my mind.

I went through this same thing with my DS (he's 9 weeks old now). He has been breastfed since the beginning and I supplement with formula. Originally, we tried the Mylicon drops and those never worked. The first formula we started him out on was Similac which made him gassy and constipated. So we switched him to Enfamil w/ lipil. BAD CHOICE! He became horribly gassy, never slept (only in my arms - which means no sleep for mommy) and seemed to cry/scream ALL THE TIME. I didn't realize it was the formula until someone suggested I switch. I ended up switching the Nestle Good Start and it is as if I have a brand new baby. He's sleeping more, crying A LOT LESS, I can actually put him down without him screaming and he is a lot less gassy. I don't know which formula you have your baby on but maybe try switching it. I use the Avent bottles which to me are great.

HTH!

Jessica
Ryan - 03/27/07

My first dd had reflux but not colic.  IMO, the best bottles for these problems are the Dr. Browns.  I have one now that I use with Emmalise and I can't even get her to burp after we use that bottle! 

Also, at the advice of our ped. we put a small amount of rice cereal in each bottle to help with her reflux.  So maybe talk to the dr. about that.  We did this from about 2 months until 1 year and it helped with the reflux.  Of course nothing completely took it away, but it was nice to be to comfort her a little more.

 

Jacki 
Mommy to Emmalise Nicole 4/21/07  
London 7/24/01
Claudia 8/21/99
 

         

        

Aww, I definately know what you're going through!!

They have special bottles out there for babies with colic and they work really well for gas too... Not sure on the type, but I'd ask your ped.

Also, I haven't had any luck with the mylicon drops either. Try gripe water! You can get it at Basic's or any natural living store... It works miracles, even with hiccups and other problems like that!

As for the formula -- I'm not a whole lot of help there, I'm just starting to give him formula and I use good start and haven't had a problem with it...

Good luck!!

Oh, I'm so sorry for you. As a couple of PP suggested, I also recommend the Dr. Brown's bottles. They are specially designed to eliminate air bubbles in the bottle & therefor less gas for the baby.

I've also been using gripe water. It has not been a miracle worker for me, but I would hate to see how my son would be if I did not use it!

I've switched formula 3x (all at the suggestion of my ped). Went from Enfamil to Good Start & am now on Similac Isomil Advance Soy (SOY being the key word). This had been working well for us.

HTH!!!

Lori
Dillon - 4/2