Hi Helen... My comments below in [  ]. Kathleen



Date: Wed, 13 Dec 2000 08:14:51 -0500
From: Helen Vermilya <[log in to unmask]>
Subject: Crying Baby
Dear Lactnetters,
Suggestions or ideas please.
Baby at 2 weeks of age begins crying at least hours a day, mostly in
evening and nights.

[First thing I would think about is growth spurt. Is baby gaining weight
well? Is mother limiting time at the breast for some odd reason?]

We discussed foods, ad nauseaum. Mother does not eat
much and states foods she does eat are not eaten frequently. Does not eat
or drink cow's protein.

I[s the mother eating well? I am not sure from what you say.]

  When nursing baby does not gulp a lot so T don't
think the baby is getting excessive air, except maybe by continuous crying.

[How often is the baby breastfeeding? Has anyone checked the baby's latch
and feeding techniques to make sure that the baby is doing well at breast
with latch? THe latch is the initial thing to check, always. ]

BMs are yellow when she has BMs. Baby stopped having BMs without
stimulation at 2 weeks. Mom stimulates with thermometer every couple days.

[I would tell her to QUIT doing this. I for one would be outraged, and
crying, if someone stuck a thermometer up my butt every few days, to be
VERY frank. She should NOT do this. ..explain to her that babies sometimes
space out bms after a while.  Make sure baby is getting enough to
eat.....I'd give her Jack Newman's "How to Tell if a Baby is Getting
Enough," available at www.breastfeedingonline.com.  ]  Perhaps the baby is
not getting enough milk. Or maybe he is. But the thermometer thing has to go. ]


When baby does have BM very large. Baby wants to nurse all the time and
is gaining weight well. I don't believe it is hindmilk-foremilk imbalance
because of BM color and good weight gain.

[If the baby is gaining weight well, and fussy/crying in the evenings, then
this is like most babies I know...they get tired, kvetchy, and want to be
held and nursed a lot in the late afternoon evening. There is nothing
wrong. This may be normal behavior..and she just may not be aware of it. A
LLL meeting may really help her. ]

Doc says colic.

[Hmmmm. I wonder what that means?]

  Gave Mom a list
to help nothing helps. Suggestions may help initially but then back to
crying. What am I missing? How can I help this mother and baby?

[If the baby calms with bf, then I would bf a lot during those times that
he is fussy.  Make sure the gain is good.  If it is, then take out dairy
proteins for 2-3 weeks.,..but the most important thing would be support,
and getting her to a LLL meeting, I believe, so that she can learn more
about normal bf and infant behavior from other mothers who have been
there...or are there. ]

Sigh. Good luck with it!  Kathleen



Kathleen B. Bruce, BSN, IBCLC co-owner Lactnet, Indep. Consultant
mailto:[log in to unmask]
http://homepages.together.net/~kbruce/kbblact.html
LACTNET Archives http://peach.ease.lsoft.com/archives/lactnet.html

             ***********************************************
The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html