I could use some advice on my 6 month old. He started sleeping through the night in his bassinet at 4 weeks old and that lasted until he was about 4.5 months old. Then he started waking up several times during the night. It seems like it got worse each night until around 5.5 months he won't even lay flat anymore. The only way I can get him to sleep is in his swing while it is on. He still wakes up 3-4 times each night. I am not sure what to do and am worried he is relying on the motion to sleep. He is in daycare during the day, so this past weekend I put him in his crib for naps. He slept around 20 minutes and then woke up crying. Last night, he feel asleep in my arms and as soon as I tried to put him in the crib he started crying. He has had a cold, cough and on and off again fever for the last week or so, so I have been allowing him to continue to sleep in the swing.
I have tried to do some research on this issue and have found similiar stories where babies have had GERD/reflux. My son did spit up between 2-5 months, but he never spits up anymore. I know it could be silent reflux, but I really am not sure and would like to avoid unnecessary meds. My son gets breastmilk from a bottle and he never really drinks a lot at once, he is more of a grazer. He has just recently started purees and did okay with them at first, but hasn't really been eating much this week (maybe its the cold).
So I know this is a ton of background information, but I am hoping someone can give advice on the sleep situation. I am willing to try a modified CIO, but I want to wait until he is over his cold and I am not sure what age is appropriate. With my older son we didn't do CIO until he was 15 months old and we were at our wits end.
Thanks.
Without reading the advice of the others, I would rec you bring him in to see if he has an ear infection. Sleeping upright eases the pain and that might be why he's only able to sleep well upright right now. I don't think it's GERD as he seems to have been a good sleeper up to this point.
I had a few thoughts as I was reading this. Could it be an ear infection? My kids are super prone to those, especially when they are teething, which was my second thought. Third, it very well could be a cold. Have you tried a humidifier? Those work wonders on my kids, the one with warm mist being the most successful. With the warm mist ones, you can put Vicks in the little tray in front of where the steam comes out and that helps clear things up.
Anyway, I would have the doctor check him out if you haven't already done that. Something is not right and they may be able to help narrow it down.
Please try the CHIROPRACTOR! It made a world of difference for BOTH of our kids when they were babies. I used to do daycare and lots of parents noticed a HUGE difference after bringing their kids in to get adjusted.
And as a bonus, it will probably help him get over his cold faster or ear infection if he has one! (We bring out kids in to the chiropractor for colds, ear infections, pretty much any time they get sick-which is not very often..... They have never been on an antibiotic for ear infections. We get them adjusted and it clears right up because then the fluid can drain.)
Even now (at 4 1/2 and 2) if they start having trouble sleeping, we get them adjusted and they sleep MUCH BETTER. If your baby is out of allignment it may be uncomfortable or even painful to be laid in certain positions.
I personally do not believe in crying it out when they are babies under 1 either. I think it's great that you made it to 15 months before having to try it! LOL. We co-slept with our kids once they started having trouble sleeping in the crib. Now they are both in their own beds and sleep fine.
Good luck! I hope the chiropractor helps you~~
My son suffered greatly from silent acid reflux. it is no fun! The best thing you could do for him is get him into a good chiropractor that practices the diversified treatment. We tried the meds they just helped a little the adjustments where what did it he was so tight in his upper body that it was causing issues with his digestion. Even if you do not believe in chiropractic care I would give this a serious, serious look into. By 8 months and after three adjustments our son was off the medicine and sleeping over 15 hours a night. We thought he had died the first night after he didn't wake us up till 9 in the morning. Yea! It was awesome!
Does he startle? You can get a swaddle blanket with velcro to hold it closed at Wal Mart or Target, and wrap his arms in with his upper body, leaving his legs out. It may help him feel more secure, and to sleep better. My son startled a lot so this worked for him.
My daughter would only sleep in her swing...swinging, with the music on and a fan on! My doctor said it was fine as long as she is in safe and we are getting some sleep. She did have a cold and some GERD. When she got older and was healthy (I think it was 8 months), I did CIO with her and she was sleeping in her crib and within a week sleeping through the night. She is now 22 months and loves her crib and sleeps through the night all the time.
Hi J.,
Sounds like he is not his usual little self! :) I would take him into the MD just to make sure he doesn't have an ear infection or reflux problem or something else. After that, I would wait until the cold symptoms are gone and try, like you said, a modified CIO. We had good luck doing that with our kids at that younger age. If he is a grazer, maybe try to get him a to eat a little more at once to space out out his feedings might help him have a good day time routine. That may help his night time sleeping as well.
But with congestion, fever and not wanting to lie down, I'd check the ears first.
L.
Have you had him to a chiropractor? There might be something twisted with his spine, particularly up near the skull, the oxciput is a problem with lots of infants. Be sure to ask if they are certified to practice on children. I've got a GREAT one in Burnsville, if you want I can give you her name/ number.
Otherwise, if he's got a cold or something, maybe just loving on him and doting until it's ove - help him be secure in knowing that you are there for him always. I understand that he's just a baby, but they need to learn that early. I'm a bit sleep deprived as well, so not forming clear sentences! Good luck!
I too would wait until he was feeling better. I agree with one of the posts that you might want to get his ears looked at to confirm it isn't an ear infection (my son had horrible recurring ear infections and would have all the symptoms you describe).
My son was 5 months old when we decided he needed to CIO, so in my opinion he is not to little. After 3 nights our son was sleeping through the night. It is hard but teaching him to sooth himself and sleep in a bed is ultimately good for him & you.
Good luck!
When my son was a newborn, he would only sleep in a swing, his car seat, or my arms....all inclined positions. It was his way of helping reduce his pain from the reflux since I had no clue what was going on with him. He has been on Zantac since then and he still has some issues with sleep, but it is a whole lot better than it was back then!!!
I agree with the previous posters who suggested it could be an ongoing ear infection, too. My son had an ear infection for literally 2 months straight before his tubes were put in. Having fluid in the ear for a long time can cause damage, so it's worth having the doctor check.
And also to put something under his crib mattress to create an incline is a good idea. At least that way his spine will be straight even if he is at a slant.
I would agree with the other posts--there is likely something making him uncomfortable. I hope you are able to try some of the suggestions and find some relief for both of you. In the meantime, I wouldn't worry about him sleeping in the swing. He will lay flat to sleep when he feels comfortable enough to do so. Also, I will mention that what worked with our baby was cranial sacral therapy. But she had never slept comfortably from the time she was brand new. It was absolutely amazing what a difference these adjustments made.
I understand not wanting to be too aggressive when he is sick.
When he is feeling better and has had a couple of good night sleeps (as much as possible) and on a night where you don't have too much going on the next day, try putting him in his crib after feeding him a decent meal and giving him a nice warm bath.
If you haven't tried, prop the mattress up a little with blankets (under the mattress) to create a slight incline. This might help with any reflux.
We have also used very soothing music and a night light to help create a nice environment to help our daughter self-soothe and fall back asleep.
We've also recognized that the temperature in her room plays a role.
It is always a guessing game and then once you get it, they change the rules.
Talk to you doctor, it can't hurt.
Good luck to you!!!
Being that you seem to have had this problem with your other child, this seems to be a hereditary medical condition. If you have had this problem longer than your child has had this cold, then I would consult a pediatrician and allow to make some suggestions and possibly a refferal to a gastroentologist. My son also has had reflux problems and for a long time went undiagnosed. now because of getting too late on the treatment, he now has long term effects on his his stomach lining. I would not over worry, but i would also not take this too litely. Consult a child's physician.
My now 6 yr old girl and 4 yr old boy both had reflux. They both spent alot of time sleeping in the swing. I got to the end where I didn't care where they slept as long as they slept. My son had pyloris stenosis (tube right above his belly opened up), that's what was causing him to upchuck when he layed down. My daughter grew out of the reflux. But I'd say as long as he's sleeping let him that way you get to sleep also. Once they were too big for swing they did a little bouncy chair thing that you could put the vibration on. Slowly they got back to crib.
