8 week old in lots of evening pain, help please!!

[WaitingForKiddos]

Poor Ds! He's 8 weeks old in two days. He's grown from 20.5 inches to 23.5 inches, most of it within the past 4 weeks.

Last week he was having an evening before bed nursing and was nearly asleep when he suddenly shot out his legs and screamed. He continued to scream and kick furiously for several minutes. He wouldn't nurse, a first. A tight swaddling with some Happiest Baby techniques sorta soothed him but he would still do a pouty sad mumbled cry now and then. About a half hour later he fell asleep and was still whimpering for another hour doing slight leg kicks.

Same thing happened tonight...last nursing of the night, sudden scream and strong leg kicks. Lots of screams. Refused to nurse. Eventually calmed down with swaddling, side wiggling and a paci. More whimpering after he finally fell asleep.

Before he went to his cradle I put a crocheted blanket on the matress to add some padding. I just checked on him and he's sleeping fine.

So I'm thinking these are growing pains. I remember having growing pains during puberity and they would have me in tears with my folks rubbing my legs as I went to sleep.

I'm so sad my little guy is in pain. I'm thinking of giving him baby tylenol if it happens again. I've never used it though so I don't know how long it takes to work. If it takes the 30-45 minutes to work that the swadding does maybe just staying medicine free is better??

Any ideas??

[P.J.]

I know this is what everyone says when a baby cries for unknown reasons, but perhaps it's gas. I have a book that suggests the reason gas may upset babies more in the evening is that by then they are basically finished for the day and have had enough sensory overload that even a tiny gas bubble, one that in the day wouldn't bother them, can really trigger intense screaming. Several people recommended gripe water to me saying they'd had success with it. We got the Baby's Bliss brand. I don't like that there's some sweetener in it (I think it's fruit sugar the use, can't remember but it's not sugar), and some people are wary of giving an EBF baby anything other than breastmilk, but I say if it'll help your baby feel better it's worth a try. Or, ask your pediatrician if he/she has any gas remedies.
Also, if it is gas or bellyache, the "airplane" belly hold might help, pumping his legs could also help, and a warm water bottle on the belly.
Good luck!

[pregnant@40]

Even though it's probably something benign like gas, I would definitely call your doctor just to rule out more serious possibilities.