Terrible gas

For the last 5 days, our poor little boy has been screaming (on and off, in pain). On Saturday, we put it down to colic- that maybe he was just having a bad day. But Sunday, the crying got worse and it changed to a pained cry, instead of uncomfortable. We tried everything- making sure he wasn't hungry, or dirty, or cold, or hot, or bored or tired. He didn't have a fever, or any strange rashes. Walking seemed to settle him somewhat, but only for a time, and by Sunday afternoon we had no idea what to do.

We researched so much info on the internet, and found things that helped colic. We tried it all, including going to babies R us at 8pm at night in order to buy a vibrating bouncer chair. By 10pm, he wasn't improving so we googled the nearest hospital and rushed off.

The hospital itself was dead quiet- so different from Triage in Australia. We had a bit of problem because Pi hasn't been added to our insurance yet, but after a bit of explanation in my bad Japanese, they let us go through anyway. I has also bought his birth registration from the city office, just in case they needed proof of who he was.

Nurses came over to look at him and take his temperature, while I tried to explain that he won't stop crying. After a little bit, the doctor called us through and after we took off his onesie, his belly was super bloated. Crazy bloated- to the point that when the doctor put his hand on Pi's stomach, 3 minutes later there was still a hand print. He wanted Pi to have an extra (which I was super worried about and asked about radiation), but the doctor said it was okay (and afterwards, talking to Mum she said it was probably necessary to rule out other problems). It was just horrible gas in the little tyke's belly.

They gave him an enema to help things move down there (even though he poos and pees like crazy- we go through about 16 nappies a day). and it did help a bit. After that they gave us an expensive bill (37000yen), but they were good enough to give us until the end of the month to get Pi's health insurance and come back, and there will be a 30% discount off of that. Thank goodness!

The next day, Pi was slightly better, but as the day wore on he got worse again. We had been looking up every trick in the book for gas- different holds, special leg moves, baths, rubs, massages- you name it. It was so heartbreaking to see him red in the face, clawing at himself, back arching in pain. The next morning I had had enough and thought that there has to be something that I can do. We went to the paediatrician and he gave us some medicine call Biofermin (which is a probiotic apparently).

It is slightly helping. I have since been speaking to a lactation consultant and doing a lot of research on the internet and it looks like he has a lactose overload. To cut a long story short, here is what we are doing:

• Lots of rubs/burps/leg moves
• Pumping in the morning to get rid of lactose rich foremilk and he gets more fat rich hind milk.
• Feeding him from only one breast per feeding
• not feeding him so much 
• no more dairy for me to rule out a milk protein allergy
• lots of walks and moves to get the gas moving through his system
• I've ordered gripe water and colic medicine from Iherb
• Mum will bring over 'infants friend' medicine from Australia.
• I will order more probiotics from Iherb when they come back in stock.
• I will drink fennel tea (for his gas) and miso (for natural probiotics)
• Me eating less sugar, and a lot more fatty foods. 

Lets hope it all helps.