pospartum issues; severe colic in my baby

Kadwa, thank you for your advice.

Joe, thank you, too. Let me reply to all more extensively.

Like I said earlier, Nat Phos did a little bit but did not seem to offer improvement as far as the colic goes beyond a certain point.

I have used homeopathy for many years and have been reading extensively on it out of my curiosity. I was also under a care of excellent homeopath in New York for a few years a while back. I generally follow classic homeopathy and don't mix remedies, and this last one was an exception as I was desperate and the condition of my baby and my low milk supply problem were acute states.

About the colic: while waiting for a reply on this forum, I came across an issue of Homeopathy Today from 2004 that specifically focused on babies. Following advice there, I gave my baby Pulsatilla 30c, 1 dose (2 pellets dissolved in water; 1/2 dropperful given to the baby) because I felt that he matched the Pulsatilla personality very well. He is a sweet, very sensitive baby who likes to be carried and comforted. He did not show any of the angry behavior described with chamomilla and nux vomica. Well, I am almost afraid to say it out loud but the remedy worked instantly. There is a major, major improvement. The only remaining symptoms (maybe some aggravation that I hope will pass soon) are crying easily for no reason it seems sometimes, gassiness, and straining very frequently when passing gas or pooping. He also gets exhausted faster it seems than other babies by crowds, artificial lights, noise, or otherwise a lot of stimulation. But there is no more pain or suffering. I don't plan to repeat the remedy unless there is a relapse.

About me: while waiting for the reply, I decided to try repeating Sepia 200c, since it worked for me well during my difficult pregnancy (although I also used Nat Mur at some point). Last time I took it was when I was in labor. I generally fit the Sepia profile very closely: I am sluggish, especially in the mornings, unless I exercise vigorously every day. I am a dancer and yoga instructor, crave coffee and sour foods, etc. Sepia cured me of many longstanding ailments when I took it during pregnancy.

I am going to give the Sepia a few more days, up to two weeks, to see what it does. There seems to be a minor improvement so far.

Per your suggestion, I cut out the 1 coffee I used to have a day, so I am having withdrawal symptoms (half-asleep all day, brain fog, mental sluggishness, headaches). It is very hard for me to function without coffee because of the sluggishness and some depression, particularly in the morning.

I have been reading on Kali Carb and am willing to try it if you still feel it is the right remedy, and if the Sepia does not work well enough. I fit the remedy profile in some areas right now: quarrels with family, sensitive to noise and drafts, 1 leg shorter, doesn't like to be left alone, craving sweets and coffee, having fears regarding one's children, weeps when telling symptoms, and a few others.

But I have none of the physical symptoms. I don't use the word control really. I don't control my emotions normally, but indeed I have been controlling them in the last several weeks by force of will not to explode at my house guests. My nature is vivacious, very direct, and extroverted, not closed, although I can be rigid (periodically) in some areas.

The cause in my case was not a difficult childbirth (mine was a 4-hour, intense labor and fast recovery) but a stressful environment in my home after the birth (in-laws staying over for 2 months in a small home and impinging on my freedom and privacy; feel deserted and betrayed by my husband). I also crave a lot of exercise and have had difficulty getting this need met in my crowded home, physically exhausted and somewhat depressed state, and needing to be with the baby most of the time. So some of these issues are emotional adjustment to a new situation. Still, I love and adore my baby, unlike many Sepia patients.

Here is where I read on kali carb and found several of the symptoms matching my current state:

http://www.ianwatsonseminars.com/articles/articles_files/hom....

I will report back in a week or two, after I ascertain whether the Sepia has worked. In the meantime, please let me know if you still feel Kali carb is a good idea. Best regards.

Dear Kadwa, are you still helping in my case? Or anyone else?

Both my baby boy and I took the remedies as Kadwa advised. The baby is doing very well! I will report in detail after 15 days pass since taking the remedy.

About me: I took Kali carb a week and a half ago as you suggested. My mood has since improved greatly (but my house guests left, too). There are no traces of anger or resentment. I only get stressed out sometimes or overhwelmed by the prospect of returning to work.

My breast milk supply has also been very good consistently.

However, the exhaustion is only getting worse and is debilitating (I have had recurring bouts of extreme fatigue since I was 21 years old though; I also have bouts of anemia even though I look very healthy and vibrant), similarly to the way it was during my pregnancy. I nap when I can but always need more sleep. I feel physically weak and often the prospects of pushing a stroller, lifting my boy, or giving him a bath seem beyond my capacity. I am a yoga teacher and normally a very athletic person yet I have no energy to exercise in the smallest degree.

Other symptoms: I have wild cravings for creamy chocolate desserts, coffee, black tea, and beer--all of which I cannot eat because of my baby's sensitivity to these foods. I have not had these foods in months and the cravings are not going away. I am also very thirsty and crave lemons and berries. I dislike bread and other hard, dry foods, such as almonds.

While we corresponded earlier, I developed a new symptom, which I never had before I had my baby: my knees are very painful and feel as if there was not enough liquid in them to lubricate. I can hear bones scraping against one another, and my knees crack extremely loudly when I squat (sometimes this wakes the baby up).

Some days, I also feel my uterus prolapsing. The tear I had during labor has reopened, perhaps from my frequent squating with the baby. Right now, I also have sore throat, some kind of mouth infection, and a cold sore on my upper lip (in the center) returned. My bowels are quite loose and I easily get gassy.

I have been having very unpleasant dreams, even during my short naps. Last night, I dreamed about a baby girl about my baby's age who suffered an impact and a pool of liquid poured out of her eye. I could not bear this dream and had a hard time shaking it off.

I am looking forward to new input from the talented homeopaths on this forum. Warm regards.

Ok, thank you! I will report back in a while.

Dear Kadwa,

Here is an update on my baby's condition: After I administered the Pulsatilla, the colic was gone for 3 weeks and then returned. I gave my baby Nux Vomica as you suggested--that was 14 days ago.

The Nux Vomica helped the colic in 100% in the first 2 days, then a slight decline began, at night again. I withdrew all wheat from my diet and now the colic is truly gone (let's hope permanently)! The acid reflux has not recurred in at least 7 weeks either.

However, a new condition developed about 8 days ago. My baby is very constipated and has had no bowel movement in over 4 days. He was very cranky with the constipation. I gave him Lycopodium 200c following your schedule (my own prescription based on my pediatric homeopathy reference books and reading).

The Lycopodium took care of the crankiness, but all other symptoms are still present. The baby is constipated. Several times a day he strains trying to have a bowel movement. He has a lot of gas but it is not trapped and does not cause him pain. He continues not to be able to sleep flat on his back--he wakes up after about 5 minutes since put down. He also often wrinkles his forehead by bringing his eyebrows closer together.

During the day, he wants to be carried all the time (when he was well, he was quite an independent, smiley baby; he overall loves exploring in his stroller or in our arms)--it has been going on for at least 5 days. When I put him down, he gets anxious after about 3-4 minutes and calls me. The second he is picked up, he calms down.

The strange thing is that he does smile at us when in his seat, but sometimes the smiles are interspersed with the anxiety bouts, changing from one minute to the next.

The only carrying position he now tolerates is upright, on my shoulder or on my chest. He cries in the cradle position. Often he falls asleep when he is carried but wakes up shortly or immediately when put down.

He is a very light sleeper and gets easily awakened by a change of position or even slight noise. Since the constipation started, he has been snacking mostly, not eating (he used to have a very hearty appetite and looks chubby, robust) and he barely naps during the day.

His naps are very short and he seems tired because of it, yet he can't go to sleep early in the evening either.

At night, he thankfully sleeps quite well, although he sometimes wakes up when not hungry and tosses and turns and I need to pick him up to calm him down. He wakes up more often during the second part of the night, often once every hour.

He does not seem angry or fearful, only anxious (there is a lot of anxiety in both of the parents' families). When he starts getting anxious a few minutes since being put down, he breathes shallowly and tosses anxiously, kicking and waving his arms. If I don't pick him up then, he begins to shout to call for me and eventually cries if I don't come to get him.

He also often wrinkles his forehead by bringing his eyebrows closer together. He prefers cooler temperatures. He sneezes serially at a temperature changes (like his father).

Thank you in advance for your help.

best wishes.

Dear Kadwa,

Just a quick note that I am following your suggestions and will report 15 days from taking the remedy for both me and my boy.

Hello, Kadwa,

Here is an update: my son (now 3 months old) is a picture of health. The new dose of Nux Vomica took care of the constipation and anxiety. Soon after, I started putting my son on his back to sleep and he now sleeps through the night this way. He no longer has chronic gas, hiccough, or cramps. The colic returns in a mild form if I eat cow diary, wheat, or, especially, onion and garlic family vegetables, so I keep avoiding these.

Update on the postpartum weakness: the Carbo Veg 200 C started working several days after I took it. I was thrilled with the progress even though it was slow and gradual. I recovered some physical strength, stopped being gassy, and the exhaustion decreased quite a bit. My sleep quality improved and all cravings went away (a new craving for sour foods appeared). I started carrying my baby in a carrier again, and I got back to my yoga classes and had good endurance and energy. The pain in the knees and loud clanking decreased in about 50%. Even my libido started returning! Eye redness went away. Uterine prolapse went away as well as strong preoccupation with health. I suddenly tolerated humid monsoon weather much better, and my geographic orientation improved substantially.

But then last Sunday I got violent food poisoning in a restaurant (so did my husband, but he recovered after 1 day). I decided to take one booster dose of the remedy (10 days since the original dose), but I don't think it helped any.

Since the food poisoning, my digestion and strength deteriorated. It is now the fourth day, and my digestion is still sensitive (I can only tolerate well cooked foods), I have no appetite at all, no thirst, no motivation to do anything. The only thing that makes me feel temporarily better are rehydrating drinks with lots of honey and salt.

My mood went down and I worry a lot and feel guilty about not being productive and other things. I feel very weak, but in a different way than previously. (I do have the physical strength to carry my baby and push the stroller.) The weakness seems related to not eating enough or not absorbing nutrients from food well.

Other current symptoms: sore throat and mouth at night, waves of heat and sweating, depressed about feeling weak and unwell again, herpes cold sore inside my left nostril, very light sleep and irritation if someone wakes me up. All I want to do is sleep. I feel lethargic, passive, and overall dejected about the physical weakness and ongoing health issues. Lack of motivation to exercise, study, or work professionally makes me depresses further.

I feel much better in company, especially at parties and anywhere when I can be in a limelight.

The knee pain and clanking in both knees is still there but not very bothersome. My joints are overall stiff, especially in my hands, and I have some lower back pain. No libido again...

My main concerns are the weakness and ongoing tiredness, and the low libido. I hope you will have some new advice for me. Thank you so much.

Dear Kadwa,

I am writing again about the colic in my now 3.5 month boy. Things have been worse in the last week and a half--but thankfully not as bad as they used to be. I am wondering if you would have an idea for a remedy or a strategy that would bring about a more permanent improvement of the remaining symptoms and would perhaps allow me (and hence my breasfed baby) to have a more varied diet. Symptoms now:

-still very sensitive to various foods I eat, especially any traces of cow diary, onions, scallions, and unsoaked nuts, probably chocolate, and other things I often cannot figure out which.

-gets regularly constipated and very uncomfortable with the constipation. He strains and stains to have a bowel movement 2-3 days later. Extra 1/2 teaspoon doses of infant probiotics help acutely (plus he gets 1/2 teaspoon a day regularly). He gets a little gassy when constipated.

-now the symptoms are more around the clock

-he gets nausea, especially when just getting into the hot car or when otherwise uncomfortable in his stomach. He vomits mucus when sick and has very little appetite and sleeps a lot.

--now (3rd day today) it seems he might be sensitive to some supplements I have started taking, such as for two days only white willow (=aspirine). His digestion upsets him heavily as soon as he starts eating (whether he eats pumped breast milk or eats at the breast). He seems to have some kind of stomach cramps or pain in those moments, starts crying heavily, and has to stop eating to let it pass. He is again most comfortable in a vertical position carried or lying on his back.

--there is nothing remarkable in his personality. He is very sweet, adorable, independent, plays by himself for a good hour at a time, likes to be carried especially when he is sick but does not seem very clingy overall. Smiles a lot, enjoys smiling to new people, flirts, not fearful or anxious (unless I drink too much tea) begins to take great interest in various toys. He has a robust appearance, still very chubby, strong voice, perfect skin. He looks like he will stand out from a crowd-he already does among other babies.

--some frequent tearing from the left eye. Enjoys colder temperatures more. Gets sleepy and more lethargic in hot weather.

Thank you again for your help. BTW, I repeated nux vomica 2 days ago per your schedule and so far no results.

Best wishes.

Thank you again for helpful guidance.

Dear Kadwa,

An update on my baby: he is all fine and we didn't have to repeat nux vomica or use calc carb. He is also now outgrowing a lot of the food sensitivities.

An update on the postpartum issues: I waited a few weeks and the debilitating rheumatic pains, joint stiffness, and exhaustion were not going away. I had blood tests done and they confirmed a rheumatic autoimmune disease (they don't yet know what kind) and adrenal insufficiency.

I saw a naturopath locally then (we don't seem to have a homeopath in town), and she had me wait a month since the last dose from you and then prescribed nux vom 1M, 2 dropperfuls of liquid dose, to take once a day until I run out of my 8 oz bottle. She also said I can have one small coffee a day, which I continue to crave for the exhaustion.

I would love to seek your opinion on the frequent dosing of the 1M. I have now taken 5 doses for 5 days straight. My instinct would be to stop now and wait several weeks rather than take the remedy daily.

Current results from the 1M (6th day): rheumatic pains and joint stiffness decreased, but I may be experiencing some aggravation because the exhaustion, sleepiness, coffee craving, muscle soreness, and mood (weepiness, high irritability and impatience) are worse. I plan to wait out the aggravation, and I suspect it is temporary.

I will appreciate your input.
Thank you again.

What would you suggest I do now to optimize the benefits from the nux vom? Stop taking it, stop drinking coffee, and wait? Or take one more dose since I had coffee this morning?

Thank you.

Thank you, Kadwa. I have followed your advice.

Dear Kadwa,

Once again, I hope you can offer some wise advice. I have not been drinking any coffee since the last dose of Nux Vom 1 M on Aug. 19th. In the meantime, I developed a flu with sinus congestion that has now been dragging for a week and half--but it does not bother me now aside from the congestion being stuck high in my sinuses and not resolving (no change in the last several days).

When I had the flu, I took some combination flu, cold, and sinus infection remedies and Chinese herbs prescribed to me here locally.

Well, the status now is that the body aches, exhaustion, brain fog, and the rheumatic pains in my joints have improved considerably. The joints are still quite stiff though. My hair is falling less and is more shiny.

However, my breastmilk supply dropped suddenly and considerably and it is now close to a crisis situation (yet I am very hesitant to even consider baby formula, especially since my baby was so very sensitive to cow milk in my diet). The breast milk is also thinner, less yellow and less fatty, now and my baby is not as excited about eating as he used to be.

I would not want to interfere with the course of the treatment, since there is obvious improvement, but it there anything that could be done about the milk supply? Or should I wait longer? The milk supply has been low for 8 days now, and food remedies are helping to a very minor degree. I don't feel overly stressed out or underrested.

I did try repeating your Kali carb 5 days ago and so far I don't see any results as far as the milk supply goes.

Other information that might be helpful: I continue to feel sluggish, especially in the morning, and the idea of exercise is not appealing because of the stiffness and joint pain. However, when I force myself to take a yoga class, I feel better afterwards. Very hot baths help with the joint pain temporarily.

Mood: I am impatient, very often can't help but speed when driving, don't want to be touched or consoled, have been avoiding social engagements and going out even though company makes me feel better. I continue to be bothered by disorder or dirt in the house, but not as much as I used to.

I don't have much appetite or thirst. I am a little on the chilly side but with occasional hot waves. My heels started cracking more, to the point of being painful. My digestion is very good. Bread continues not to be appealing, but I moderately crave pastries, peaches, and scallions.

Thank you so much.

Thank you! I am ordering the remedy now.

best wishes.