Chronic OT 5.5 month old. Help!

[ZacsMumme]

Just pd if you think she needs it. I guess you have 3 options of which you may have to just stick with 1 and let be what it will be, ie ride it out.

- give her UT short naps in the hope she will catch up. Keep A times low but not too low that she fights you, and the day no longer than 13 hrs. The naps may start to extend on their own eventually
- try fixed naps. IMO this doesn't work with a touchy baby
- push through the OT. Stick with A times and hope her body adjusts. Try to resettle at short naps and NW.

Hugs. I don't know what other options there are really.

[jcsmom]

I don't know what options there are either. We have tried everything. She never really does UT naps. She just fights sleep until OT. Or won't nap at all. Fixed naps never worked for my ds he just got into a ut/ot loop.
I am unsure what I am going to do at this point. She has had 2- naps of less than 30 mins today she is a sleep force to be reckoned with. She won't resettle today either. Nothing is working.
Have you ever come across a baby who just won't fall into a routine?

[ZacsMumme]

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Have you ever come across a baby who just won't fall into a routine?

Yes. A baby in discomfort this is why I really wonder if the is something going on YK? - I know this sounds silly but are you sure she isn't hungry? - some babies won't settle well if they are hungry, then snack feed at S time and still stir with wind etc YK?

[jessmum46]

I have to agree with Sara honey, those super duper short naps really sound like discomfort of some kind to me . (((Hugs))), wish I could make this better for you.  Have you considered allergies/intolerances?

[JennŠ]

I third the idea that there is some sort of discomfort going on.  Have you ever brought up her sleep issues with the doc? 

[Joy-filled]

Has your LO ever been on anti-biotics?  If so, I highly recommend BioGaia, probiotic drops to help replace the good bacteria in the intestinal tract.  My DS had to have anti-biotics after he was born as they were concerned he had an infection.  He had horrible gas for several weeks and would cry and cry when I tried to get him to sleep. My Dr finally suggested BioGaia and his gas cleared up within days and his sleep improved a lot (relatively speaking....as you know we're still struggling to this day, but the drops did help).  Your LO may not have gas but if she's had anti-biotics and the good bacteria that were killed haven't been replaced through probiotics then she would certainly be experiencing some discomfort in her digestive tract.  Just a thought.  You can get it without a prescription from a pharmacy (they keep it behind their counter in the fridge). 

I really feel so bad for you and this was one idea that came to mind so I thought I'd mention it.  I'm sure you're tired of ideas and trying things that don't work but eventually something has to help.  Things just have to get better for you and your LO .  Hang in there and know that you're supported!

[ZacsMumme]

Probiotics are great! I agree, you have nothing to loose and probiotics can only be a good thing

[ZacsMumme]

Oh and while Im here. I think you should book a dr appointment - if your dr doesn't listen try anther one. I'm not saying you or yourLO need meds, but I do know lots of mums who babies have been awful sleepers and later on found out their LO had pain or other issues. It can't hurt to be on their radar, ask about their thoughts and if the are ideas they have to help her sleep. Is not like she sleeps the day away and up all night, or wants the breast to sleep. Something is up YK? and more hugs. We're here holding your hand Hun. I know sleep deprivation is a killer

[jcsmom]

Thanks for the support everyone. I live in a dream most days and can't believe I am here. She was up for the day at 4:45 bt 7:30. She was just hyper and wild at 4:45. She'd drift off and wake 10 mins later. Drift off and wake 10 mins later. Then we got up at 6:30.
 
We have explored everything. She is on probiotics (biogaia), I have done a pure elim diet from soy and milk. Dr and paed say nothing is wrong. Nothing. She doesn't act in pain, she just acts OT.  Hyper giggly at night, weird cooing noises, back arching, scratching. She has met all her milestones so I know she is ok that way. She is ahead in lots. Interacts well, smiley, relatively happy.
When she cries at night she rubs her eyes and pulls her ears (had checked for infection many times, this is a new thing). She pulls her ears a lot in the day and has jerky limbs (again,major OT)

I have lots of milk and she has lots of wet and dirty diapers. Her poops are mucousy and green.

We started a bit of cereal, have her sleep on her tummy, everything there is to try, we've tried.

The only thing left to try is a SEBT of 5 pm. But then my fear is she will wake after her usual 9 hours and be wide awake. But SEBT doesn't work if her A times are not suited to her. Neither does ST.

I have wondered maybe 9 hours is enough for her at night. But then she wouldn't wake 30-45 mins after bedtime crying OT or 2-3 hours after bedtime and consistently 9 hours after bedtime, like today and everyday. Every single day she wakes 8-9 hours after BT and is tough to get back to sleep. That screams OT to me.
 
I dunno what else to do. I have literally tried it all. She has no routine, no bedtime, no consistent wake time, no consistent naps. Nothing and she will be 6 months on the 21st.

It takes everything I have to get out of bed everyday.

[Joy-filled]

Sorry, one last idea.  Did you try to eliminate wheat?  My DS had mucousy green poops for weeks and even though my doctor wasn't concerned about it, I didn't think it seemed healthy.  I decided to try to cut out wheat and his poop instantly changed to a less mucousy consistency and a nice yellow brown within 2 days and has stayed that way since.  I told my doctor and she maintains that it is unrelated but I am certain it is related. Might be worth a try?  (Not that you have free time to go out of our way to eliminate such a staple ingredient in our diet, though ). 

[ZacsMumme]

Her poops been mucusy and green is a huge red flag for intolerances Hun. I know you have done an ED but as char says wheat is also a common one. (Btw char good on you - totally related!)  If it isn't an intol to something your eating she could either just be allergic to your milk, or you could have a fore/hind milk inbalance ... I can ask bec to pop over to explain it if you like? Also what about the possibility of a lactose intolerance. I know it's very unlikely but it is possible.

Also, maybe if you can't eliminate wheat it's worth trialling neocate.

[jcsmom]

Would that really cause such awful sleep though? I mean I can't even get better naps AP-ing sometimes. She is so OT right now. She is a mess today.

I can eliminate wheat if I thought it would work I would do it. But everything I have tried hasn't worked. How would wheat in my diet make her OT?
She has been this way since week 2. So inconsistent. She did the 10-20 min nap thing too when she was a newborn and was kept up too long.

[ZacsMumme]

Yes, it would. It would cause discomfort so LO wakes frequently. When T was bf and I was dairy free and he was still bad but not terrible he slept in 20 min bursts frequent NW etc.

Also T would get adrenalin bursts - it is one way the body copes with pain. Another is excessive sweating .. Does she sweat a lot?

[jcsmom]

No she is not sweaty. She just wakes a lot, has long NWs, short naps and weird EWs. We have a run of a few good weeks and then it all goes to pot. To me she is just classically OT.

[anna*]

Her poops are mucousy and green

This isn't normal hun. I would definitely look into food intolerances, maybe seek the help of a naturopathic practitioner?