Wakes up after only 30 mins, what to do?

[gte558k]

Our 7 week DS is a touchy-textbook we think and he has acid reflux.  We have been on the EASY method, but in the last 2 weeks things seemed to be heading off course. 

What typically happens is that we will put him down and he wakes up after only 30 minutes and doesn't go back down.  When it is less than 2.5 to 3 hours, what do you do?  We have tried the shh-pat and get him to nap a little longer, but most of the time he cries - which starts down the path of no sleep even after his next feeding when he gets to at least around 2.5 hours.   Between 5-8 pm each day, he is almost always fussing and crying, not matter how good a day of naps he had.  Does acid reflux worsen as the day goes on?     

We are having a hard time learning him, which is probably isn't helping discern what is going on.  Things have gotten much worse as he has gotten older.  We try not to overstimuate him, read his cues for tired and get him down, but that only works some of the times.   

I am sure this might not be enough info to give good advice, so let me know.   

[*Liz*]

It sounds as though the first short nap is leading to OT which builds up during the day and eventually causes the fussy evenings.

Do you want to post a typical day in EAS format and we will have a little look?

If the nap is cut short you often end up with a EASASE pattern to avoid OT, especially in such a young baby 

Acid reflux can be worse duing the day or at night - depends on the lo! My ds used to be awful at night and awake in my arms for most of it - but as he has got older his nights have improved and he is worse during the day. Reflux can certainly cause short naps though. Are you on any medication.

((Hugs)) 7 weeks is when things started to get really tough for me too!

[TDR'smom]

30 minute naps is a sign of OT.  At 7 weeks we pretty much fed dd, changed her diaper and put her right back down.  So very, very short A time.

If you'd like, post your current routine in terms of

Eat
Awake
Sleep

Note, how long naps are, how much feeding etc.

We'll take a look!

xxx
judy

[gte558k]

Thanks for the reply.  Our DS just doesn't want to sleep... or rather we can't get him to sleep.  My wife and I are at such a loss.  Shh-pat helps, but it won't always get him back down.  His room is warm, cozy with minimal distractions.  He has been "sleeping" in his crib for the last week after transitioning out of the bassinet in room.

Here is a look at yesterday and today - with today being pretty typical of how he is.  Our feeling is there is something we are doing to cause his sleeplessness, but we can't figure it out.  We try to get him down awake after seeing signs of tired or over stimulated, stay with him shh-shh-shh while he drifts off, and 15-20 minutes later he awakes.  At first we thought it was the acid reflux, but now... we haven't a clue.  When he starts to whail, nothing calms him.  

3/22/09
7:18 AM   E   15 m
      A   25 mins
      S   Down 8:30 to 9:20 am - 50 mins total - woke up sounding hungry
9:45 AM   E   Bottle fed - 20 mins (4 oz)
      A   meds, changed clothes - alert in chair
      S   in car seat for tip to hospital - 11:00 to 12:30 pm - 1hr, 30 min
12:30 PM   E   20 min
      A   held in arms, diaper change
      S   1:00 to 2:00 pm, up for 30 mins, back to sleep in car 2:30 to 4:15 pm - 1 hr 45 min total
      
4:15 PM   E   20 m
      A   read to him, alert in chair
      S   Down at 5:30 - 6:10 pm - 40 min, awoke and shh-pat down at 7:00 - 7:35 pm, 1 hr 15 m tot

7:35 PM   E   15 m
      A   wound down for bed, gave meds
      S   8:30 up at 11:20 pm - 3 hrs
11:25 PM   E   15 m
      A   none, burped
      S   laid awake 12:00 to 1:15 - cried, shh-pat down at 2:00 - 3:00
3:00 AM   E   15 m
      A   none
      S   shh-pat, Down at 3:45 to 6:22, 2 hr, 38 mins

3/23/2009         
6:22 AM   E   15 m   
      A   burped   
      S   slept 30-40 mins, up awake thrashing in crib till 9:00AM   
9:15 AM   E   Bottle fed - 20 mins (4 oz)   
      A   meds, changed clothes - alert in chair   
      S   down at 10:40, up at 11:40 - shh-pat slept 12:00-12:15   
12:15 PM   E   13 min   
      A   burped, started to fall asleep in arms   
      S   put down, slept 15-20 mins up till 3:00 pm   
         
3:05 PM   E   20 m   
      A   meds, did nails, changed diaper
                         S   trying to go down as we speak

Thank you for your help, we feel we have gotten much worse in 7 weeks at this and life is out of control.
Jon

   

[TDR'smom]

Are you swaddling your lo?  What is your current Wind Down routine?

[*Liz*]

((Hugs)) I could almost have written this when my lo was 7 weeks old. Almost exactly what we went through. I can remember spending 60 mins in the nursery trying to settle, trying to be consistent.

Your lo is OT - and that in part is why he won't settle for his naps without a fight. But I think the reflux is contributing.

What meds is your lo on for acid reflux? It really stands out to me that he had 2 good sleeps in the car seat rather than the crib. If this is the case it would imply he is more comfortable upright - in which case the reflux may not be under control yet. Have you elevated the head of the crib? I used to have 2 large textbooks under the head end so the crib was on a slope. Do you try and keep unright after a meal for a little while? At night you may need to hold up for a little while after the feed. Yes, they do fall asleep in your arms, but sometimes its a case of picking your battles. As long as it isn't for all the sleeps - and in the day you can seperate with a teeny tiny bit of A time.

We ended up in a terrible OT loop - and it was the swaddle that got us out of it. When they are OT the 'jerks' they experience when falling asleep become more pronounced and tend to wake them up. A swaddle helps prevent them doing this. It can also help reflux as it stops them moving around and making it worse. I swaddled from 7 - 14 weeks. Lots of people do it much longer - but my ds wasn't really a fan so we stopped once he had control of his arms.

When he is crying and you think that it is just OT then be very careful what you do as all the rocking, jigging, bouncing etc can make it so much worse. Sitting still with you lo on your shoulder gently shhhing can help calm them quicker. I often used to just walk and say nothing as well. I know we don't want to walk them to sleep but it helped to calm ds.

A consistent wind down is really important - in the next few weeks it will start to signal 'its time for my nap now'. Seems to make no difference at first, but it will, I promise. On day you will be doing your wind down, placing your ds in the crib awake, walking away and returning 2 hours later!! It just takes time  .

You are not doing anything to cause his sleeplessness - it just happens - and now it is a matter of working out how to help him learn how to sleep sensibly  .

[gte558k]

Thank you so much for your thoughts. 

We have him on Zantac 0.8 ml, 3 times daily.  Has anyone heard of coliccalm or some other gripe water and whether it works?

The crib ma tress is elevated with a phone book.  He squirms and thrashes all over the place.  Swaddling (in a lazy man's swaddle - his active arms bust right out of a blanket), him is the only way he sleeps .   

At wind down we darken the room, swaddle, hold and shh-shh till he is good and calm and drifting off - then put down and continue shh-shh until he stays asleep most times a good 10 min.  Occasionally he falls asleep in arms, we try to get him down before hand and continue the shh-shh.  He hates the pat. 

He falls asleep in the car seat, only when in motion.  We tried to use in the house, doesn't care for it that we found.  He likes a gently sway to help calm and the sound of a hairdryer - mom's a hair stylist.   

He used to go right down.  Then at like 3 weeks he has become so resistant to sleep.  Do we not get him swaddled fast enough?  He hardly shows signs of tired when we kick into gear to get him down.  We are trying to be good about that.  How do we break the OT cycle at this point?   

THANK YOU for the help.

[TDR'smom]

How do we break the OT cycle at this point?   

At 7 weeks your lo is still very, very young.  It might take a little APOP (Accidental Parenting on Purpose) to get him out of his OT state.  Can you carry him in a sling for some naps until he gets caught up?  Or even in a swing/bouncy?  When he gets caught up you can try again.   

[*Liz*]

I agree I would APOP to make sure I got one or 2 good naps in as this should help the night time.

I don't know your los weight - but I'm guessing its quite a high dose already (as my lo was on that dose a few weeks ago at 5 mths - but he is a small baby). I'd try and get the mattress on a higher slope really. The squirming and thrashing could very well be discomfort. Have you tired swaddling the arms in more tightly? My lo hated it - he wanted to throw his arms above his head - but when he was OT we used to make sure they couldn't get free. I used to swaddle when he was not far off falling asleep as he was less likely to fight me.

I used to use infacol for wind - its got a different name in the US though. Some people swear by gripe water. Never worked for us. Its worth a try though.

Have you seem this on the reflux pages? Its got some helpful advice.
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=654.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=137836.0
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65742.0

These are also helpful about the early days of EASY as it often takes a while for los to get the hang of it
http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=65842.0

[gte558k]

Thank you for the thoughts and help!!  My wife is struggling to get by and this advice from people who have been through this is much better than the "hang in there, your baby will outgrow this." 

[*Liz*]

You are welcome  ((Hugs)) to your wife.

I hate the 'he'll grow out of it' thing too. It is true, but not helpful!