April 7, 2014

When your child screams all the time and you have no idea whats wrong

This is definitely a long post about parenting/baby, so if that isn't for you, skip to the end and see a pretty picture or leave a comment about your best or worst experience with children.

James has had a hard go of it, thus we have as well.  But lets back up three months because that is when it started.  Around three months old, James stopped eating meals and started all day snacking.  We are talking 3 minute sessions here people!!!  He would pull away like he hated it.  This was not exactly easy when it came to nursing.  Not only did James hate it, but it also became difficult for me.  Millions of questions swirled around my head: why didn't he like it?  was I doing something wrong?  was I not making nutritious enough stuff?  did he not like the taste?  was I holding him wrong?  did I eat something weird?  does he need to burp again?  what is wrong?!

He also started crying screaming between the hours of 6pm and 10pm.  Everyone said it was probably colic...that his tummy hurt him.  Clearly something hurt.  Those ear-shattering screams could only point to pain because they weren't the cries of a cold/hungry/fussy/angry/emotional baby.  So we changed and rocked and walked and sang and whispered and snuggled and swaddled and loved our crying little fellow.  Bad days could include screaming/crying for 6+ hours a day.  (How can you be a stable parent when that is happening?  I have no idea because I failed...alternating between tearful compassion and sobbing overwhelmed irritation)  He is/was such a sweet boy when he wasn't crying, but how to you explain that to someone who was taken aback during the sounds that came in the evening hours.  Then came the bloody diapers.  I had previously altered my diet to exclude all gas inducing foods as well as milk, thinking it would help  Long story short, he is allergic to something (it's looking like dairy), and I've been on a restrictive diet to find out exactly what.

Five weeks into an animal product (dairy, eggs, butter, cheese etc.), nut, seafood free diet our little fella has made major changes!  He no longer screams!  Of course he cries when he is upset, but those blood-curdling screams are gone...as are the bloody diapers.  I cannot tell you how relieved we are.  It was SO sad to see James having such a rough time.  He is such a happy boy now!  I don't know if we will be dairy-free for life or what, but his happy face is enough to curb any dairy craving.  (especially now that I finally found a tasty vegan cookie recipe)

Maybe it was colic early on; maybe he was allergic.  I don't know, and I don't care now because it seems that we have found the answer!  Hooray for a "simple" (albeit sometimes hard) solution for us!  All I have to say is DIET MATTERS!!!

And because you made it through that long and somewhat pointless story about food and crying...here is a totally random, pretty picture for you and my favorite moments with James:
The best: Freshly bathed, lavender scented James sleepily cooing on my lap, as he smiles at me in recognition and slowly drifts off to sleep, completely content.

Ok, now read the best again...go do it...he's totally worth it!


  1. Did u post the wrong picture?

    1. :) No, I just loaded a random pretty picture...so you saw something pretty after a sad story about widdle James.

  2. So sorry things had been so difficult, but happy that a solution has finally come. -sarah z.

    1. Hey Sarah! Thanks for t he compassion, we are doing much better now. I hope your little Eli is doing well too!