5 month old silent refluxer nap battles, I'm lost! Long post sorry!

[Iris_baby13]

Long time lurker on this forum before joining, have a silent reflux little girly, so we've been terrible at getting routine down through the day for naps with her constant flare ups. She's 5 months just turned still suffering with reflux pain even though she's on meds which OT and teething makes worse. We never get naps of longer than 30 minutes usually unless I'm holding her and she isn't easy to get to sleep and never just self settles or naps in her cot. In the car or pram she goes to sleep easily. And the odd nighttime she's fell asleep after being put down with some pat shh. She's never accepted a dummy either.

I'll post our routine from the last 2 days and today. She dropped her night feed a few weeks ago, but still stirs a couple of times which I can resettle with pat shh or just holding her arms.

7:00 E 8oz
A tried to put her down at 10, but she was hysterical
10:30 5oz
10:45 Sleep, but in my arms woke and resettled half way through
12:45 Awake
1:00 E + A 8oz
4:00 asleep after fighting it.
Awake 4:35
Bath at  5:45
Bottle 6:20 8 oz
Asleep 18:45

She then wakes 3/4 times in the first 3 hours of her night sleep. Never burps, needs changed or fed.

7:30 9oz
A
10:50 asleep on her beanbag
11:30 awake 7oz
2-3:30 S on her v-pillow with pat shh if stirred.
4:00 6oz
5:30 bath
6:00 8oz
6:35 bed

Again woke 2/3 times crying in first 3 hours of her night sleep and again at 3am moaning resettled.

Woke at 5:00 took 40 mins to settle her with tucking in and she slept until 7:10.
E- 8oz @ 7:30
S- 10:20-11.00
E-8oz ,11:30
A-
S- 1:00-1:40 self settled on the floor mat with me lying there after quiet lullabies.
E 2:30 5oz
S- 3pm and that's where she still is on the sofa with me in her V-pillow

I don't know where to start or what to do, its hard knowing what's reflux or OT she screams for both, family are reluctant to have her so I can have a break because she has a meltdown when she's not napped and I end up bringing her home. I'm lucky I get a good few hours night time or I'd be demented. She always wakes happy even from the catnaps and she's lovely when happy. Odd occasion she wakes crying and she'll not be re-settled. Help! I'm a bit lost and need a guiding hand to get me through this. Xx

[lauradj]

Oh hon, no one really gets a reflux baby unless she's had one herself.  Welcome to the club!   
Ok, the first thing I noticed is her A time is REALLY long for a baby so young.  Most 5 month olds are only awake for 2-2.5hrs maximum but it seems like she's awake for at least 3 hrs each A time.  That is the first thing I would suggest you change.  Pull her right back to 2hrs for a few days and see if that helps.  30 min naps are typically a strong indicator of an over-tired baby.  She should also still have three naps during the day.  Most babies don't make the 3-2 transition until at least 6 months.
Regarding her meds, are you sure they're the right dose?  My guy threw up and though he continued to throw up, the raniditine eased his pain.  Maybe the meds need to be upped due to a weight gain?  Check with your doctor. 
Is her mattress on an incline?  We used our two copies of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince because they were the thickest we could find.  Is she lying on her left side?  I made a towel roll and placed it under the sheet to ensure my little guy was secure and my midwives and doctor both recommended the position. 
The rule of thumb for reflux babies is; you do whatever you have to, to get those babies some sleep.  You may have to wear her for her naps, or walk her in her stroller.  Whatever.  Until the pain is under control, no one can expect her to be happy and peaceful.
I'm sorry your family is being so unsupportive, they clearly don't understand the whole situation.  That must be incredibly hard on you. 

[Iris_baby13]

Thank you for getting back to me. She's on ranitidine and is on her maximum dose for her weight it usually works very well, but she had a flare up last week as the health visitor told me to try some banana to start weaning she said it wasn't acidic. Turns out its not a good fruit for reflux. She's not a sicky refluxer so she doesn't vomit a lot. Her cot has been on an incline since she came home and the sling is my best friend ha. She sleeps so soundly nighttime after those couple of wakings, last night she woke at 8 very mucousy and I put her on her side and she slept all night until 5:30 I could hear her running her hands down her cot, but she settled back to sleep until 7:30.  Her nighttime routine is great and she's done well with bath bottle quiet time then bed.

I tried two weeks ago to do a 2hr awake time and I actually managed to get her in her cot for all three naps was amazing she did fight a little bit and didn't sleep long still, but then her grandma had her the Saturday and she didn't nap at all for her after the morning nap I got her to take and she was awful for her and hasn't had her since. My mum is the only person who understands and can persevere with her.

So do I start to wind down with quiet play at about 9 since she woke at 7:30 then try and take her for a nap upstairs? I feel if I can get her sleeping better daytime she'll be such a happier baby. 

[Iris_baby13]

Well managed to get her down really easily at 9:45 she then woke up just now wide awake and full of smiles wouldn't be settled back to sleep. Surely couldn't be overtired so not sure why she woke so early.

[lauradj]

Hi there!  So how long was her nap? 30 mins again?  I find the clocks here all wonky and I don't know what time they're set to    It may take a day or two for her to straighten out, I'd rather give it at least two days so you can say "Yup, 2 hrs is not working" or "Thank god that's the magic number!"
With both my LO's, they really only needed about 10 mins of serious, in the bedroom, wind down.  However, I did start to calm things down in terms of play etc. about 30 mins beforehand.  Building blocks but no epic crashes, quiet 'drawing' etc.  You'll know you're kid best on this one.
Honestly, from reading here I have found many home health nurses haven't a clue regarding reflux and what can set it off versus make it better.  I didn't know much about it before I had a reflux baby (read ZERO!) but my midwives and doctor were very knowledgable.