AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!
I never experienced "colic" until I had you, Camden. Wow, God, grant me patience.
It all started last week sometime. Crying, crying, crying. With the first three, they did have their fussy time. Every baby does. You learn when it is and you can prepare yourself for that time. It's somewhat shortlived. With Camden, he just cries what seems like all the time but definitely after eating, which is every three hours.
I've done A LOT of research on what's causing this and why. Years ago when babies acted like this, doctors just labeled it as "colicky," deal with it, it will eventually go away--in three to four months! Nowadays, doctors have realized that colicky babies are related to a couple different things. One is GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), another can be mother's diet (gassy foods, dairy, etc.) or sensory overload. Babies just can't handle certain things due to their small systems.
Camden is spitting up a lot, hiccuping all the time, very discontent, extremely fussy after eating. A very dear friend (whom I am soooo thankful for) suggested I eliminate dairy and see if that helps Camden. Food allergies do run in the family. Logan started showing these symptoms to dairy at four months of age. He outgrew it somewhat but still can't handle cow's milk straightup. Even in reading things the doctor gave me, it says that some babies just cannot handle the protein in cow's milk. Their bodies can't break it down. And eliminating dairy can also help with GERD so that your little one doesn't have to be on a prescribed medication at such a young age.
So....I have eliminated ALL dairy from my diet. ALL dairy. This is very hard for me. I did this for a time with Logan and it wasn't fun. Today marks the fourth day of being dairy-free and Camden does seem less fussy. I am also using Gripe Water, which is a natural remedy for babies with upset tummies, hiccups and gas. It is basically just fennel, chamomile and ginger. I think the combo of both of these two things is making a difference. We actually had a morning with no nonstop screaming. He is sleeping peacefully now.
God says He doesn't give us more than we can handle, but I have really questioned Him this past week. I've been in tears every day not knowing how I'm going to handle another minute . I want to "fix" Camden and make it all better. I see his distress and it makes me feel so helpless. If eliminating dairy is going to help him, I'm willing to try it. If not, then I'm back to my cheeses, sour cream, cream cheese, Oreos and ice cream!!!!
I tell ya, the things us mothers do for our kids!
If anyone has any other "tips" or "pointers," please do share in the comments.
No comments:
Post a Comment