Anyone try these successfully for fussing? Cocyntal, Rescue Remedy, Tum-Ease

[TreeRose]

We don't know if any of these will work or if we're just dealing with a "high needs" baby so I wondered if anyone had success?
We have Rescue Remedy, Cocyntal (which incidentally says to use in 1 month old or older??), and Eclectic Babies Tum-Ease. She is 2 weeks old. She cries going to sleep (she fights it!) and sometimes she cries while she's finishing nursing. I don't have many of those moments where she falls asleep at the breast. She usually pulls of the breast and is happy for a few minutes before she has another meltdown but the meltdowns are killing us!
Any help would be gratefully appreciated!

[Knitting Mama]

Before I did any of those, I would RUN, not walk, to get a copy of "The Happiest Baby on the Block." The advice in that book is worth the book's weight in gold, seriously.

[momto4plus4]

Originally Posted by Cecilia's Mama

Before I did any of those, I would RUN, not walk, to get a copy of "The Happiest Baby on the Block." The advice in that book is worth the book's weight in gold, seriously.

Must say DITTO. I've had both high-needs and colicky babies but this book is one of the most valuable baby books on the market. It works, for the most part. I never could get my kids to take a paci, they never really stopped the screaming but the calming methods did help calm and my boys NEED the tight tight swaddle.

For ds1, Baby's Bliss Gripe Water was the only thing that helped. I haven't found anything to help ds2 and he's 5 mths.

Big It's hard.

[texasfarmom]

I have not used any of the above mentioned products, but we have used Colic Calm on occasion. I was really hesitant to give an EBF baby anything, but the Colic Calm is homeopathic and is the only gripe water regulated by the FDA. It works most of the time.

[momto4plus4]

Originally Posted by texasfarmom

I have not used any of the above mentioned products, but we have used Colic Calm on occasion. I was really hesitant to give an EBF baby anything, but the Colic Calm is homeopathic and is the only gripe water regulated by the FDA. It works most of the time.

Ooooooooooooooooooooohhhhhhh, I've been wondering about this. Thanks for posting! I think I'm going to try it. Nothing else has worked.

[P.J.]

We also use Baby's Bliss gripe water, and it has seemingly helped at times. But we also do the Happiest Baby tricks ~ and you don't even need the book, just look it up on the internet, I think it's 4 or 5 different things you can do to calm a newborn. I have also given DS a squirt of Rescue Remedy in the middle of a screaming fit, and it only made him scream more (it does taste nasty), and other times he had no reaction to it and other times it seemed to help. I still try it sometimes because it can't hurt.
And BTW if you do in fact have a high needs or colicky baby then . I have one too and it's quite an intense adventure. If you need further support come on over to the spirited babies thread; you're not alone.

[PatioGardener]

my doula said to put rescue remegy on my hands - just 1-2 drops - and then to hold baby. never did remember to try it during a meltdown! nak

[akind1]

I didn't use them when DS was that young, but around 5-6 months I startes using teething tablets when he was fussy, they work wonders! and they are homeopathic.

[TreeRose]

Thank you so much for all of your replies and encouragement!

I do have the book and have watched the video; I can calm her but it's hard to find anything lasting or helpful to get her to sleep. Yesterday, I used Tum-Ease twice, once before her evening meltdown and we had a great night of sleep though it took 2 hours and screaming before she initially went to sleep.

So hard to say what works!

She may be colicky or spirited or both! Just hard to know at 2 weeks. Everything is so new!

[PatioGardener]

nak

this may not be applicable, but don't hesitate to re-offer the breast for the fussies. at that age they may not nurse until satiation and may still be hungry, even though they just ate. feed - meltdown 5 min - refuse breast - meltdown 10 min - nurse like there was no tomorrow - sleep 20 min - repeat was a common theme with mine.

[TreeRose]

I really appreciate that! I have found that she will often take the breast again when I think she "must" be full already! However, I think she overeats sometimes because she'll vomit afterwards (not just spit up). So I'm scared to offer the breast so soon after she's already eaten! I think I feel so bad because I think that feeding her should make her calm, even happy, and when she cries afterward I wonder what's wrong with me, or her?

[TreeRose]

Originally Posted by PatioGardener

nak

this may not be applicable, but don't hesitate to re-offer the breast for the fussies. at that age they may not nurse until satiation and may still be hungry, even though they just ate. feed - meltdown 5 min - refuse breast - meltdown 10 min - nurse like there was no tomorrow - sleep 20 min - repeat was a common theme with mine.

This makes me feel better - did yours cry WHILE eating? I am bewildered by this. She cries. Wants the breast. Eats for a good 10 minutes or more and then starts crying, shaking her head, pushing the breast away, taking it back, crying, crying, crying...

[julie80]

I've used gripe water, colic calm, and rescue remedy in the past with limited success. I too would try to give my son rescue remedy by mouth it only made things worse. Then I read that it's better to either use the lotion or to rub it into the bottom of their feet since they tend to absorb it better that way.

[akind1]

If she is spitting up or vomitting, perhaps she needs a good burp or three before eating again? (or needs to pass gas through the other end?) I know my LO, especially if he was upset before or during a feeding, took in more air and was way gassier after, and sometimes need a good burp or more before he could settle to eat again.

eta: I add this because I really thought BF babies would need to burp less, if at all, than bottle-fed babies. (maybe it is true for some babies) but not mine. He is a gassy guy.

[carmel23]

Doesn't rescue remedy have a lot of alcohol in it?!

[KellyandBean]

I just wanted to post and give you all of my love and support and encouragement. My DD (now 7 months) had the worst colic from 4 weeks to about 13-14 weeks and it was so terrible so i know what you are going through. She would also scream and fuss while BFing and it was very very discouraging. We tried EVERYTHING for the colic. Remedies like colic calm, rescue remedy and gas drops. I even did an elimination diet to see if she was allergic to things i was eating. In retrospect i see now that a lot of things are marketed for "colic" but what they really are for is colic caused by tummy trouble. Which in the end, for my DD wasn't the problem. I'm one for the theory that colicky behavior isn't cause by pain but by an underdeveloped nervous system or possibly hormone fluctuations. The best remedy for fussy newborns is just time. As AWFUL as it is to hear it it is true! At 3 months you will notice a drastic difference in the crying if not even sooner. So although you can try different things you are most likely just wasting money. :/ The best thing for my girl was the happiest baby on the block DVD, a white noise generator, a paci and bouncing on an exercise ball. HANG IN THERE! I had so much trouble even bonding in those early months because pretty much every time she was awake she was screaming. Now she is a goofy smiling ball of happy baby. *HUG!!!*

Oh and one way to know for sure that it isn't tummy pain/discomfort is if the majority of the unhappy behavior is happening at a particular time of day. For Sabine it was 4pm and the screaming started. Every once and a while it was at random times of the day but usually i was from 4-10pm.

Hang in there!!:

[neonalee]

Originally Posted by TreeRose

This makes me feel better - did yours cry WHILE eating? I am bewildered by this. She cries. Wants the breast. Eats for a good 10 minutes or more and then starts crying, shaking her head, pushing the breast away, taking it back, crying, crying, crying...

Not sure if this will be useful or not, but here is my 6 weeks worth of experience. Usually he stops eating after the first few minutes. I carefully but quickly move him to my shoulder and pat his back and he gives me a loud burp or 3 which may or may not include spitting up what seems like everything he just ate. If he needs to poop or spit up he stops eating and may or may not cry.

If my letdown was too much he'll try to keep up but if he can't he stops eating and cries. I didn't actually know I had overactive letdown until I saw a very thin stream hitting him in the face one time. Now I know what to look for and I'm sorry but every time I spray him I have to laugh. Other times he's crying because he's frustrated because it's not coming down fast enough! Honestly, if it's not one thing it's another. He definitely has strong reflux and will cry when he's going to spit up. Sometimes he just wants comfort and doesn't actually want to eat.

It's hard, gosh I know it's hard. I constantly asked myself at first WHY did I do this??? I too had/am having trouble bonding because of this. I'm not going to say it's good now, but it's better. Hang in there. Oh yeah - also discovered my boy is sensitive to milk protein. Eliminating dairy from my diet has helped too, though it's really hard. Dairy is the most common one, soy is second most common.

[TreeRose]

Thanks again for all the replies.

As for alcohol, I wouldn't say it's "a lot" depending on how much is being given to a baby, but everything I read says it's harmless and potentially helpful.

Yesterday before the anticipated 6 p.m. meltdown, I gave her a massage with extremely diluted Tranquility EO. Her meltdown didn't happen til 6:40 and it only lasted 10 minutes. 2 hours later, it started again, but it wasn't as bad as it's been... I can't say for sure if it was the EO but I'm going to try again - whatever might make her feel better.

I, too, believe in the underdeveloped nervous system, growth spurts, discomfort at being outside the womb, and frustration of all sorts. These are the things I talk to her about while she's screaming. I tell her I'll love her more every day and I know how hard this moment must be for her... it hurts might heart to see her scream. I am comforted by everyone's stories - those who've gotten to the other side and those still struggling, because my DH wants a solution and I'm trying to give him one, but more than anything, I think this is just a lesson in patience and acceptance and not, as my in-laws suggest, a reason to rush her off to a pediatrician for tests.

I am also a holistic nutritionist and already eat dairy- and gluten-free, but removed soy for the pregnancy and pretty much BF time too (though some soy milk here and there if I can't find almond). I've heard horrible stories about food causing problems in babies and it must be so upsetting to have to struggle with that. I also believe that if the upset is more at one time than another, it probably isn't food or tummy troubles (unless it's a specific food eaten at a specific time that then reaches baby's tummy through the milk hours later - ie, coffee or tea or chocolate or something). Since she's content all day - eating and sleeping without fuss - I think I adopt the colic title and surrender.

I don't feel it's hurting our bonding but I definitely notice my husband I getting tense as 6 p.m. approaches because we know "it" is coming and we don't know how long it will take to stop it.

Big HUGS to all of you.

[neonalee]

Originally Posted by TreeRose

... but more than anything, I think this is just a lesson in patience and acceptance ...

I think you are right about this, in regards to many parenting struggles. I'll try to remember it in the thick of things Thanks!

[P.J.]

Originally Posted by KellyandBean

I just wanted to post and give you all of my love and support and encouragement. My DD (now 7 months) had the worst colic from 4 weeks to about 13-14 weeks and it was so terrible so i know what you are going through. She would also scream and fuss while BFing and it was very very discouraging. We tried EVERYTHING for the colic. Remedies like colic calm, rescue remedy and gas drops. I even did an elimination diet to see if she was allergic to things i was eating. In retrospect i see now that a lot of things are marketed for "colic" but what they really are for is colic caused by tummy trouble. Which in the end, for my DD wasn't the problem. I'm one for the theory that colicky behavior isn't cause by pain but by an underdeveloped nervous system or possibly hormone fluctuations. The best remedy for fussy newborns is just time. As AWFUL as it is to hear it it is true! At 3 months you will notice a drastic difference in the crying if not even sooner. So although you can try different things you are most likely just wasting money. :/ The best thing for my girl was the happiest baby on the block DVD, a white noise generator, a paci and bouncing on an exercise ball. HANG IN THERE! I had so much trouble even bonding in those early months because pretty much every time she was awake she was screaming. Now she is a goofy smiling ball of happy baby. *HUG!!!*

Oh and one way to know for sure that it isn't tummy pain/discomfort is if the majority of the unhappy behavior is happening at a particular time of day. For Sabine it was 4pm and the screaming started. Every once and a while it was at random times of the day but usually i was from 4-10pm.

Hang in there!!:

^^^^This^^^^

I just want to chime in again and say: and hang in there! I know it seems like forever, but colic really does go away by 3-4 months. My baby is still fussy and high needs, but the colicky screaming went down gradually starting around 8 weeks and by 12 weeks there was a dramatic drop-off , and it's now only occasional (at 3.5 mo). I am *hoping* that in the next month in will disappear completely. But it's already gotten so much better! My DH was also more affected by it than I was and some days insisted there must be something wrong with our baby. What helped with that was going to a colic advisor. Don't know if there's such a person where you are (some midwives may be that for you), but she really helped us, especially DH, see that some babies are just like this and it will pass! She also gave us lots of tips how to manage overstimulation and help him learn to regulate his nervous system (which is partly responsible for colic in many cases). The book Baby Sense was also useful in understanding how a baby perceives the world and what can trigger meltdowns. But ultimately, the best you can do is be there for your baby and ride it out and remember it will pass! GL!