EASY from birth now 4 weeks and going wrong!

[Adaias mom]

Hi Paula,

Well giving more A time failed miserably! I brought her downstairs for 20 mins, then did bath bed routine, and i have just shhh/patted for about 10 mins to get her to sleep but i can guarantee she will wake again very shortly.

I don't know if this helps, but she has a nightmare with wind! Today 3 hours after eating she got the hiccups, and it seems to wake her up quite often after about 45 mins. Thats why sometimes she wakes from naps. Tonight wind has disturbed her alot, i know this as when i picked her up earlier, as soon as she was vertical she brought up an almighty burp! But i wind her LOADS and make sure she brings up a good 3 or 4 burps after each feed! I even tried gripe water earlier to see if i could get any more wind up and got a burp.

These evenings are really starting to get to me now as its just such a drain when she is constantly waking or upstairs crying. I am refusing to bring her down, so last night resorted to giving her a paci and just kept going up and replugging.

Its not hunger as she had a massive feed at 4 off me, then took 3 oz at 6, then at 7.30ish i put her on me to make sure it wasn't hunger, she fed but not a great deal, so its not that she is hungry.

I don't know if the bath is too stimulating, as its all done pretty low key, all changing is done in her quite dim nursery, and i'm the only one bathing her, and its only a 10 min max in and out. And even though she seems mad eyed at the start of the feed she was really chilled by the end today, i actually thought she would go down, as she was quiet on her own for about 10 mins, but then she didn't.

I really don't know what else to do. I think i am going to try Gripe water straight away tomorrow night and see if i can get rid of all her wind before putting her down and see if that helps. If that doesn't, then i'll try moving the bath.

Do you think i should try, get up from catnap, bath and then chill down here for 20 mins, then take her up for her feed and bed?

[* Paula *]

When she has hiccups, do they sound wet at all, or just normal?  Can you watch her to see when she hiccups to see if she actually does bring any milk up and swallow it?

Have you tried infacol for her wind?  You give it to her before a feed, and what it does is gather all the tiny burbs together and help bring them out in huge ones.  It was a life saver for us with both my DS and DD. 

It might be worth a try to have cat nap, bath, quiet A time with you either downstairs, or a story etc, then feed in dark room and then bed to see if that works.

I do know that in the late afternoon / early evening, a lot of lo's are fussy at this time and a lot of mums call it the witching hour.

[Adaias mom]

She has been on infacol since she was born to try and avoid colic! I had reduced the amount of feeds i gave it to her, but i am going to go back to using it all the time.

I will try the bath and chill time, and will listen to her hiccups and let you know.

Thanks for your help xx

[* Paula *]

I would definitely try and give the infacol at all feeds to help eliminate the wind problem and see how it goes.

You could also try Colief, it breaks down the lactose in their milk and makes it easier to digest.  It is very expensive though £9.99 the last time I bought it over a year ago, but if it does work you can get it on prescription so could get it for free.

Good luck, keep us posted 

[Adaias mom]

Hi Paula,

Well as these evenings are getting worse days seem to be falling apart too! 

This morning she only managed 30 mins A time then slept for over 3 hours! I had to wake her in the end, and then she has just gone down again now, and has only been up 55 mins! She is absolutely knackered, so i don't want to make her stay up, but i also don't want to end up with us having our days and night mixed up!

What do i do? She went down like this yesterday, but then only slept 45 mins, so guessed UT but was falling asleep on me!

Its becoming a mess fast and i need to get a grip before it all falls apart. Help!!!

[* Paula *]

How was your night last night?  Was she up quite a lot, or did she feed and go back to sleep?

Is she 8 weeks old?  Could it possibly be a growth spurt?  My DD always sleeps a lot when she is going through a growth spurt.

With regards to letting her sleep, ideally you don't want her to go past her feed times as you want her to take the majority of her calories during the day rather than at night, so would be waking her for her feeds 3 hourly.

Do you think she could be coming down with something?  How is she acting otherwise?

[Adaias mom]

Hi Paula,

She is only doing the 3 hours in the morning, then after 55 mins going to sleep again but this nap is not lasting more than 45 mins. She is then having short naps ro normal naps and is fine to stay up normal A time. I have been extending the 3rd nap with a walk or drive in the car.

I don't think its a GS as she only had one at 6 weeks, and she isn't feeding more regular. Night times are still ok as she is only getting up at 4 then again 6.30 -7, but i think she has her 7 - 10 am and 7 - 10 pm mixed up!

She just has been awake from about 5.30pm til 10.20pm of an evening. She had her injections today so have had a mega grizzly night, and with some calpol and lots of cuddling she has fell asleep and have just put her down. Hopefully she will stay and i will feed her again at 10.

I did the bath, feed and story/singing in my room tonight but didn't stand much of a chance of getting her down as she was really upset and clingy from injections.

Will try again tom. Do you think if i gradually reduce the morning nap, say 15 mins per day, she will be more inclined to sleep at those time at night? Even though as i type this i am thinking before she did the mega sleep at that time she still didn't sleep between 7 and 10.

Oh and her hiccups and burps both sound 'wet'. She has bringing up loads and loads of spittle today. She doesn't vomit vast amounts its just loads and loads of little bits and can go on for hours after feeding! I spoke to the HV today and she said if it continues i should see the doc next week, which i will. But it isn't affecting her weight as she put on 11oz since last monday!!!

Sorry its a bit long, what do you think???

[* Paula *]

The first nap of the day is generally an extension of their night time sleep, and I think she is definitely thinking it is still night time.

I would ideally try and keep her up her normal A time in the AM and keep the A time as low key as possible so as to not over stimulate her or let her get OT.  Watch her closely though and if she is really getting cranky put her down.

I would probably also not let her sleep more than 2 hours for this nap though.

Do you think that the spit up is affecting her at all, making her feel uncomfortable?

My DD is on Enfamil AR (anti reflux) which helped for her reflux, it is a thicker formula and basically becomes more solid when it hits their tummy to help eliminate the spit ups.  It works really well for us.

Have you seen this link on Reflux?  Have a look at it and see how many symptoms your lo has

http://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=654.msg3208#msg3208

[Adaias mom]

I had a look on that reflux board and she has a gurgly tummy, and spits up alot but thats about it. Also when i say spit up it is just a little bit, not alot, she does does it a lot of times and for ages after feeding!. Also her hiccups are quite 'wet' I really am thinking though that it is more wind related, and the evening sleep is a routine problem not reflux, as last night, (even though i think the calpol may have helped!) she fell asleep after a screaming fit on me, so i waited a bit and then put her down about 9. She then slept until 10, woke for her DF and went straight back to sleep until 5.40! Surely if she had reflux she would not sleep this long

I woke her at 7.30 this morning, to start the day as per some sort of routine, and low and behold she was back down within 30 mins as she was showing major tired signs. I will wake her at the 2 hour mark though and just feed her earlier. I will try and keep her up longer tomorrow morning. If i have an OT monster then so be it, will just have to deal with it.

I have had her on Aptimal formula, but i think maybe this is causing the majority of her problems, as because she was upset last night i just fed her off me for all feed, and she seemed fine. Still spitting up, but not uncomfortable at all.

I am going to try SMA Gold for the next 3 days and see if that is any better. I don't think its a lactose intolerance as surely she would suffer off me as well as i eat plenty of dairy.

I'll let you know how i get on, I suppose this is just a whole lot of trial and error, and stopping her thinking that this time is night time!

Thanks for your great supprt xxx

[* Paula *]

I do think that if it was reflux related then she would not be sleeping so well for you.  At least we know we can rule it out.

It could possibly be the formula, that is cause the uncomfortableness.  Have you looked at the easy digest formulas?  Like cow and gate comfort.  I think Aptimal may have one too.  Might be worth trying one of those as they are easier to break down.

If she is wanting to go to sleep after 30 mins in the morning that is fine, let her, you don't want an OT baby on your hands.  Just don't let her sleep longer than 2 hours.

I am thinking because she is going to sleep so late in the evenings, she is waking in the morning having a feed, and wanting to go back to sleep, as she has not had all her night sleep - does that make sense?  i.e. she is treating her first feed of the day as a Night feed.

[Adaias mom]

Hi Paula,

Well i woke her after 2 hours yesterday morning and she was alot better last night. I changed the routine so she gets up, has a bath, then i feed her and then we have a bit of A time downstairs and then when she showed Tired cues, (after about her normal A time) I put her to bed, and she slept from about 7.45 til 9, then woke up for a feed, then went back to sleep after some long cuddling. I then DF her at 11, and apart from an escape wake at 12.35, she slept til 4, then again til 7.20! So big improvement.

This morning i got her to have 1 hours A time which is loads better, then she slept for 2, up for 1.5 hours and back to bed not a problem. I think what also really helps is that i have figured out exactly when to put her to bed, so she is napping great now!

I have also put her on SMA gold, which says is easier to digest and she is like a different baby. Spit ups only when winding, no discomfort, and the gulping is almost gone! Also she is getting hiccups less! Well she didn't get them at all yesterday!

I have also completely stopped BFing her now as she is just faffing at the breast and its taking ages to feed, and she is getting extremely windy causing discomfort. She is taking the bottle really well, and took 5oz this morning! In two sittings mind but took it anyway!

So all in all, i think things are looking up. I still think she treats going to sleep about 8 as a nap, but hey its an improvement, and i think with time, we will get it in her body clock as being bed time.

Thanks for your help

Hugs Helen xxx

[* Paula *]

Helen, that is fantastic news.  I am so pleased that she is doing so well.

Sounds like she has taken well to the new formula too.

I am pleased that the day has gone better with limiting her naps. 

Keep us posted.

[Adaias mom]

Hi Again!

Well still no change on the evenings. Last night she didn't go to bed until 10.20pm! But i genuinely think she is very hungry at the moment. Is there a growth spurt at 9 weeks?

I have been getting her from her nap (not waking her though) then bathing her, bringing her downstairs, feeding her about half 6 - 7 depending on when she was last fed and what time she got up, then waiting for the tired cues and putting her to bed.

Last night she went to bed, but only for about 30 - 45 mins, before waking screaming for food. She then ate, and wouldn't go back to sleep until about 9, then woke about 15 mins later wanting feeding again! I finally got her to finishe feeding, and go to sleep about 10.20pm.

I thought i would ride this out for another week just to fully get her used to the formula and also to check its not a GS, but then i really need to get this sorted.

She still did an hour and 10 mins A time this morning, and then slept for 2 hours, had 1.5hours A time next and is asleep now.

Also she hasnt had a poo for nearlly 3 days now! I am positive it is the formula and i am giving her sugared water. Is there anything else i can do to help her go? She doesn't seem to be in any discomfort, but she must be getting full now!

Oh and she also seems soo much hungrier on formula that the breast. On breast milk she never cried for food, she would wake happy, and be fine for 10 mins or so. Now she wakes, sucking her hand as if her life depends on it, and cries as soon as i put her in the cradle position, wanting food straight away. She is now taking 6oz per feed, in 2 sittings, as she won't drink it all at once, well she had 6oz of milk and 1oz of water in the last feed! Is this normal? She also woke last night at 3.30 (nearlly an hour earlier than normal) and then again at 6.15. She took 4oz both times. Could it be a GS

Any advice will be appreciated...as always Oh and sorry its long!

[* Paula *]

Hi there Helen,

It could very well be a growth spurt.  I would ride it out for a few days and see how things are going.

You say that the feed is split, how much time is there between the split feed?  Do you think she could take more than 6 oz?

Great news that the naps are still going great 

[Adaias mom]

Hi Paula,

Well last night was fab! It seems to be a bad night followed by a good night. She had 2oz before her bath, then bath, and then took another 4 oz. She was full then and wouldn't take anymore. I then managed to get her to bed about 8, she slept until just after 9, then woke up wanting food. I gave her a dummy until 9.30 and then gave her a feed. She took 3oz and then went to sleep. Stirred at 3.15 but then went back to sleep until 5!!!

I then gave her a feed at 5, she took another 3 oz, and then she woke again at 7.15 ready to start the day. She had just had a 6oz feed in 3 sittings so that was good. And i got her to have 1hr 20 A time this morning, even though she was very sleepy so probably not proper A time but she was up anyway. She has just gone down a treat for her nap!

Yes the first two naps of the day are fab, i clock watch to a degree but always follow her cues. She sleeps a good 1.5 hours on those two naps. My only problem is the 3rd nap is always short, 45 mins, even though i follow the same cues, and she goes down just as well, which i am thinking could be leading to the evenings as she may be a little bit OT. To be honest i haven't really tried hard to extend this nap, so maybe that is what i need to do.

But had a great night and can't complain. She has also reduced the amount of fighting with the bottle now. She just sits there with her mouth open waiting