Stephanie, yes, the peanut shell is how you describe it.. I’ll give it a shot, though I had a hard time with just getting him into the basic position, so not so sure how much luck I’ll have. I have definitely noticed he likes to have his little legs under his belly to relieve the pressure.. too bad babies can’t sleep on their tummies, we’d be much happier!

Amanda, I’ll post a video of Jasper’s nighttime habits -it’s crazy, you won’t believe he’s sleeping! I’ve thought of earplugs, but headphones are an even better idea. Jeff has taken to sleeping on the couch downstairs!

Kathy, I’ve considered letting down into cloth, but it’s so hard to get him off at first- he’s got a death grip on me at that point! Alot of times he pulls off himself at let down because he’s choking and then I do let down into the burp cloth. I’ve thought about collecting it, but then wouldn’t you have a bottle with all foremilk (which has more lactose and creates more gas?) That was my concern with doing that.

Jamie, I’m glad to hear the zantac worked for you, that gives me some hope! I’ve also heard what you said about the blood in the stool.. I’m going to ask pedi tomorrow at our appointment about that. I’m not taking DHA, but thanks for the head’s up. However did you figure out that was what it was? that’s the problem with gas and fussiness, it’s so hard to pinpoint what is causing it.

Secondly, on Dr. Sears’ web site, he describes something called the “colic curl” as a method for soothing a colicky baby. We had a doula come to help out a few weeks after Ginger was born and she showed me how to do roughly the same thing with my ring sling. It’s sort of a modified version of the “kangaroo hold.” I’m guessing your peanut shell is kind of like the ring sling, without the the ring. Is that right? Is it sort of the same hammock shaped pouch, but the pouch part is permanent and the only part you can adjust is the shoulder strap? Or am I thinking of a different sling?

Well, I don’t know if this will work for Jasper, but it worked really for Ginger (the screaming stopped and she was finally able to get some sleep!) She always hated laying down in the sling, which in retrospect – duh! How awful would it feel if you constantly had to throw up and you were laying down and couldn’t raise your head? She only ever seemed happy upright, facing me. It was horrible for me though because she was forever throwing up on and in (!) my shirt. Ugh.

So, to do the “colic curl” you make sort of a hammock out of your sling like you would do if the baby was going to lay down. But instead, you face the baby outward with his back against your chest. Then you put the baby’s bottom smack in the center of the hammock, so the back and front “rails” of the hammock are the same height. Criss-cross the baby’s legs at the ankles and press his knees up against his belly/chest (pretty much the same position he would have been in in the womb, but sitting upright instead of pointing head down.) Then snug up the front of the sling until the baby is secure. At his age/size, probably only his little head will be visible peeking out out or maybe his head and shoulders.

It’s a little different from the kangaroo hold because the baby is slightly reclined and can rest his head on your chest. He’s not fully upright, so he doesn’t need his neck muscles to hold up his head. It feels a little like being pregnant again, because the baby feels like it protrudes a lot more than it does when it’s facing you.

The upright position is supposed to help with the reflux and the knees pressed up against the belly/chest are supposed to help with gas. The basic position and snugness of the sling are supposed to remind the baby of the womb. (Who knows if that’s true though?!) And if the baby spits up, you don’t get soaked down to your underwire, which is a major plus!

Apparently, some little babies don’t like this hold out in public because it can be information-overload for them – too much to look at (where as facing you, they can just tune out the world.) I never had that problem with Ginger though. She was always happy to look around and when she got tired, she’d just nod off. But the doula did say that some people found it worked better to carry the baby facing them when they were out and about, and just do the colic hold at home.