Any advice: 6wk Touchy DD as 2nd child with update: questionable reflux?!?

[RLW2227]

We have been following Baby Whisperer for two weeks and overall I'm happy with our progress. However,  DD is touchy and easily becomes overtired. Her sleepy cues are subtle and I have a two year old running around that creates a lot of distractions for me and noise/unsettledness/delays for her.  We have to get him to and from school most days so this can become a problem for DD's EASY routine as well. When I catch all her cues in time, she does great! But when brother is being too rambunctious or I miss one yawn, she gets so off it feels impossible to recover.

Any general advice on touchy babies?  Do they "grow out" of some touchiness or at least adapt to their surroundings?? I try to keep it calm and meet all her needs as quickly as possible but I can only expect so much out of my son. My other big concerns are how will we ever go "off routine?"  How will anyone else watch her?  How will she fare at Daycare when I go back to work (she will be 12 weeks)?

Would love to hear thoughts...help...advice...commiserate?  Haha...   

[jessmum46]

Just a quick thought to begin with but do you use a wrap/sling?  For a touchy baby it can help keep her close and block out stimulation if needed - may be something to consider? 

[RLW2227]

Yes, sorry. For naps and before bed we always start with her swaddle. She fights it so I often have to re-swaddle as her arms and legs become more mobile just to settle her. She also loves a pacifier...

Update: yesterday and today's naps have been horrible!! Complete backslide  from progress made: in the mornings it was starting  to be setting her down and waking away with a shush-pat once or twice to now taking an hour+ to get her down even when I felt like I got every sleepy cue.  Then of course she's over tired so the naps become shorter  and the cycle worse.

With other symptoms I've  been noticing combined with always fighting the swaddl/laying down for naps, I've begun to think she has silent reflux?!? She does not spit up  but makes lots of faces, sometimes grimacing and arching when eating. She's very windy and always gets the hiccups. Then I'm trying to get her down at her first sleepy cues, i.e. Sometimes only 5 minutes after  she's finished eating, I think she's uncomfortable from reflux.  I am hoping to get her in with the pediatrician tomorrow.  I'm seriously going crazy and almost hoping it's reflux so we can "fix it"...because if not I feel so lost!

[creations]

How will anyone else watch her?  How will she fare at Daycare when I go back to work (she will be 12 weeks)?

As it's only 6 weeks away I would speak with the day care now and ask about their routines. Find out if they will follow a routine YOU set out or if they have a set routine they put all babies this age on.  Ask if they keep records (such as EAS times) throughout the day as standard or if that is something they would consider doing for you so you know each day how the day has gone.  If there is any aspect of "set" times in their routine you have 6 weeks to move towards something that will prepare your LO for daycare rather than trying to put in a routine now which then changes again.

I hope you managed to see the paedi, any update on that?

[jessmum46]

Yes, sorry. For naps and before bed we always start with her swaddle.

Ah sorry, I didn't mean swaddling for crib naps - I meant using a carrier/babywearing.  Can be great for very touchy or fussy babies   And also for refluxy babies too who tend to prefer more of an upright position.

I hope the trip to the doctors was useful.  Some of what you are experiencing though I would say is not out of the ordinary for a 6 week old - there are growth spurts galore in the early weeks, and many babies come out of the very sleepy newborn phase where they went down easily for sleep and appeared to self-settle, and really need time to mature and properly learn those settling skills now they are more aware of their surroundings.  I'd say as best you can take it easy on yourself and try not to set your expectations too high right now.  She is still super-tiny - what she is like right now may bear no resemblance at all to how she is in the future, even in 6 weeks.  Concentrate on enjoying her   Even more so if you are soon back to work xx

[RLW2227]

We went to the Pediatrician, reviewed all her signs and symptoms and were given a prescription for Zantac (Ranitidine)!! Whoahoo, I'm very hopeful this will improve her symptoms and am feeling so bad for missing so many signs along the way...I'm trying not to be too hard on myself but I feel awful she may have been uncomfortable for so long.  We threw sleeping in the crib out today and snuggled instead; a nice break from the routine.  With improved symptoms I am planning on a gentle restart into things.  I have also been using the baby carrier this evening to get dinner and bath time for DS done.  She did have a rough go of it this evening but became very sleepy while swaddled in my arms then laid down in her crib with the mattress at an incline to sleep! 

creations - thank you for your response! DD will go to the same "school" as DS did (and is still at!)  They will follow the our schedule and keep track of all eating, activities, and sleeping times.  They also send pictures throughout the day which I loved!  I was more worried because if she was so touchy and wasn't going to be the only child being cared for, she might get thrown off.  But I am actually thinking she is less touchy then I thought...what I was misinterpreting as a missed sleepy cue and over tiredness was really the reflux.  She doesn't fit touchy through and through so we shall see.   

Jessmum 46 - thank you so much for your response and kind words.  It is helpful to hear.  I do think I have been putting tremendous pressure on myself (and DD). Going back to work is not easy for most Moms and Dads and I am the primary bread-winner as my DH completes his very demanding surgical residency.  He is not available often so I am also going to be doing most the childcare myself as well as working full time...this is the source for so much of my pressure but I will have to take it day by day.   

[creations]

I'm glad to hear your appointment went well.
Wow - dont' be so hard on yourself about missing symptoms though!  My DS didn't get meds for silent reflux until he was 5 months old, I had felt something was wrong but when he was as young as yours everyone told me babies just do cry and time went on... and even when I was more concerned all the health visitors and doctors said he was fine and when it got the point where I damn well knew he was not fine I had to battle to get him assessed properly.  6wks is young, I think you have done brilliantly to catch this so early! Well done!

Your day care sounds wonderful   It must be reassuring to know they will follow your advice on routine etc. Lovely that they send you pictures!