Author Topic: Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep  (Read 29945 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Offline ElleD

  • New & Learning The Ropes!
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Posts: 1
  • Location:
Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep
« on: January 27, 2010, 10:25:34 am »
Hi.  I am trying to implement EASY with my 15 wk old, and in particular to use sh/pat to try and calm her and get her to settle to sleep on her own.  At the moment I hold her and walk the floor while sh/patting to get her to sleep - she falls asleep on my shoulder and then will sometimes stay asleep when I put her in her cot, but more often not.

I know that I have to be consistent with using sh/pat and that it won't be a miracle fix, but I do have one specific question.  She quite often really struggles when I am holding her and sh/patting - arching back, pedalling feet against my stomach.  This can happen even if I've starting winding down as soon as she makes any signs of fussing.  Tracey's book says never to struggle with a baby who is physically struggling against you, and to put them down.  However,  it also says to pick a baby up when sh/patting if they are crying.  So which part of this should I follow when she is crying and struggling?

Help much appreciated!

Offline anna*

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 900
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 28751
  • My two
  • Location: London, UK
Re: Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep
« Reply #1 on: January 27, 2010, 10:31:13 am »
Hi, welcome to the boards! ;D

When you're doing shush-pat, remember not to s-p her all the way to sleep on your shoulder. She needs to fall asleep in her crib, so you lay her down when she is drowsy but not yet asleep and continue to s-p until she is asleep. I'm sure you know this, just reiterating!

If she's struggling against you, lay her down and try to settle her in her crib for a minute or two, then pick up again if she's not settling at all.





Offline jess, lukeys_mom

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 223
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 5818
  • Location: Netherlands
Re: Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep
« Reply #2 on: January 28, 2010, 10:06:39 am »
Just adding to Anna's advice: With both of my kids I came to recognize that back arching as a sign of being really tired and ready for bed, and NOT want my cuddles or to be held. Sometimes it means I am a little too late with starting the bedtime routine. More often than not, putting them into bed is really the trick.
With ds2 when we first started sleep training, I would put him right into bed when the back arching started. Often I could leave the room and he would stat trying to settle himself. I usually had to go back there a couple times to shush but then he'd drift off.

I think the advice to not fight a struggling baby is what Tracy was trying to say. Also, the advice to pick up and shh/pat when they are really crying - to me that means pick your baby up and comfort them in your arms, then start again. If your baby is not being comforted in your arms, then you can ignore that part! (And btw babies who tend to be touchy and/or spirited often are not comforted by shushing and patting on the shoulder) x
Mom to Luke (2007) and Dylan (2009)

Offline LovelyLilyandJack

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 44
  • Posts: 2269
  • Formerly lovelylily
  • Location: UK
Re: Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep
« Reply #3 on: February 11, 2010, 20:41:12 pm »
Just to add to Jess's post, my little girl does that too and it normally means I need to get her into her bed as soon as possible.  She'll cry and bend double during wind down and is worse the later I start it.  She normally settles within a minute or so of being put down (I shush/pat her in her crib to help calm her) but will cry more and more if I keep holding her.

HTH :)



Offline TobiasMum

  • New & Learning The Ropes
  • *
  • Showing Appreciation 0
  • Posts: 20
  • Location:
Re: Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep
« Reply #4 on: February 12, 2010, 13:26:23 pm »
Hi there,
I'm so glad this is a common thing... I kept thinking it was wind since my DS struggles like this when I lay him in the cot and he has trapped wind. Sometimes I'll pick him up and he'll burp and fall straight asleep other times he's just being fussy and trying to get to sleep. Does this happen to anyone else? Is there a difference between the two (ie trying to self soothe and wriggling because of wind?) because it seems the same to me?
B

Offline jess, lukeys_mom

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 223
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 5818
  • Location: Netherlands
Re: Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep
« Reply #5 on: February 12, 2010, 13:36:57 pm »
Hi TobiasMum,

That sometimes happened with my 2 as well, both were gassy babies. With Dylan he will writhe and fuss and same as you, on occasion I can just pick him up and burp him and then he'll go to sleep.
I don't know what the answer is though - crying can also trap wind and cause a lo to need to burp so it always felt like a chicken and egg scenario trying to figure it out for us! They do grow out of wind issues for the most part, but we still have back arching when he's tired.

Hope that answers your question at least a little :)
Mom to Luke (2007) and Dylan (2009)

Offline clazzat

  • Resident BW Chatterbox!
  • *****
  • Showing Appreciation 286
  • Posts: 12883
  • Location: Kent, UK
Re: Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep
« Reply #6 on: February 12, 2010, 19:41:04 pm »
Just wanted to add that the back arching with my lo was a sign of reflux - I think it is more commonly that they are very tired, but it is worth ruling reflux out just in case.

Offline Alexa's mummy

  • BW Aficionado
  • ***
  • Showing Appreciation 4
  • Gender: Female
  • Posts: 217
  • Location: Leeds, UK
Re: Baby arching back/struggling when settling to sleep
« Reply #7 on: February 13, 2010, 12:12:01 pm »
hi there,

i posted similar question on the naps board. have chnged now (as of yesterday) and swaddle my DD at least 20mins before due to go asleep, hold and walk round room quietly with her for 5mins, then lay in cot when calm and keep hands on her while she falls asleep. i think S-P was too stimulating for her.

HTH : )
Anna x

<img src="http://lb1f.lilypie.com/EGd8.png" width="400" height="80" border="0" alt="Lilypie First Birthday tickers" />