The Happiest Baby in Our Apartment

A few weeks ago, I wrote about how Timmy was so fussy sometimes and how we thought it might be colic or reflux, but we weren't really sure. Well, he was pretty good for a week, and then he had another horrible 36 hours... it seemed like he was in terrible pain for most of his awake hours. This was Sunday and Monday of this week. My mom was staying with me that night and she seemed really worried, so I felt justified taking him to the pediatrician. (After all, she's an experienced pro). I was hoping for some sort of answer as to what was causing it or at least confirmation that, while terrible, it was not life-threatening.

I described to the doctor how he was acting that day, screaming off and on, (even during nursing, which he never does). He wasn't pooping regularly, etc.... The symptoms that sound like reflux are not at all common with him, but I just left it out there so she would at least examine him without assuming I was just a paranoid first-time mom. She said that it was definitely possible he has reflux, but before putting him on medication, she wanted to try some other remedies for two weeks. (I really do not want to give him medication unless he absolutely needs it, so I was glad that she took this approach). Among other things, this includes:

Elimination diet - no dairy, tomatoes or citrus (basically everything I eat)
Holding him upright for 10-15 min. after eating and giving him gripe water/mylicon
Elevating the head of his mattress
Giving him an ounce of chamomile tea with a teaspoon of sugar once a day

Lo and behold, he's a perfectly happy baby now. I have no idea if any of this is what helped him. And to be fair, it's not like he was constantly fussy before. To be honest, I think what has helped is Harvey Karp's book, The Happiest Baby on the Block. I read it, and something clicked. His basic theory is that colic is just the result of babies being born before they're really ready for the outside world (3 months early). Some can handle it and don't really fuss, but others are overwhelmed and show it by being fussy.
He lists "ten universal facts about colic" and a few of them describe what Timmy was doing exactly...
1. Colicky crying usually starts at two weeks, peaks at six weeks, and ends by three to four months of age.
3. Colicky babies have twisted faces and piercing wails, like a person in pain. Often, their cries come in waves (like cramps) and stop abruptly.
4. Their screams frequently being during or just after a feeding.
5. They often double up, grunt, strain and seem relieved by passing gas or pooping.
8. Colicky crying often improves with rocking, holding, shhhhing and gentle abdominal pressure.
9. Babies are healthy and happy between crying bouts.

We automatically assumed it was gas pain, but as Karp points out, this doesn't really make sense because most of the time, the gas and/or pooping doesn't bother him at all.

Karp's solution to calming fussy or colicky babies is "the Cuddle Cure" which is the combination of the 5 Ss... Swaddling, Side/Stomach, Shhhing, Swinging and Sucking. He claims that when done correctly, all of this will trigger the calming reflex because it basically recreates the womb environment.
It's totally possible that his whole theory is crap, but it really made sense to me, and when I do what the book says to do, he calms down quickly. The past two nights, he has had a 7 hour stretch between feedings, sleeping five hours straight. I really recommend the book, for entertainment if nothing else.

Here's our healthy, THIRTEEN POUND, 6 week old: