10 weeks old - No naps / Bad nights

[cefandll]

Hi everyone, I am desperate for advice. Our little one has never been a good sleeper. I keep waiting for a week to come where maybe he'll get the hang of it, but it's yet to happen and we are all just completely exhausted.

He's 10.5 weeks old. He does have reflux but is on Prilosec. He wakes up around 7 am. I start to get him ready for a nap 45 minutes after being awake (dark, cool room, swaddled tight, white noise). He takes a few minutes to fall asleep but once he's asleep he wakes up around the 10/15 minute mark. If I try to extend the nap in any sort of way, he loses it. Totally freaks out. We've tried the rocker, the swing, I've worn him in the sling and the Ergo and the Solly. I've rocked him in my arms, lay next to him. Nothing. I give it a good half hour of trying before having to move on. Then I'll try again half an hour later, with zero success through the entire day. I wish I was exaggerating when I say that yesterday he clocked in EIGHT minutes of day time sleep. How is that even possible? Sometimes at the end of the day around 5:30, he finally is so exhausted he passes out for about half an hour.

Night time isn't very smooth either. He gets his bath and we do our routine, he nurses, and then he goes down relatively easily for bed. His longest stretch is two hours. That's it. After two hours he's up ever 45 minutes to an hour all night long, never really fully settling.

Is he an insomniac? I don't know what to do. This is our third baby and sleep with the other two was a breeze compared to this. I have no idea how to solve this problem but I'm an actual walking zombie. I don't see an end in sight as it just has seemed to be like this for such a long time. I hope someone can offer me any sort of advice, I will take it all!

[creations]

Hi there
I'm so sorry to hear you are having such a difficult time.
Those first few months with a new baby are seriously hard work (well they were for me!) and I think most parents are totally exhausted through that time. But it sounds to me like you have it worse than most.

If your LO is really not sleeping more than a few mins no matter where you put him to sleep and you are not even able to keep him asleep in arms then I would say there is something bothering him.  Even babies who are tricky to get to sleep or stay asleep will generally end up getting a better sleep at some point in the day but it sounds like yours just isn't.

I know you've said he has meds for the reflux - if he has only just started the meds you might need to give it a bit of time to take effect. If he's had the meds for a little while you might need to get the dose checked.  I would take him to the docs/paedi as soon as possible and explain how he is unable to settle at all as to me it sounds like pain/discomfort and some further investigation is needed.

As you are nursing you might consider eliminating certain foods from your diet to see if that helps him at all. You could talk about this with the paedi. There are also lots of experienced mums on BW who have used elimination diets to help their LOs. I'm afraid it's not something I am very knowledgeable of but you could start a new thread (maybe on the colic reflux and crying board or maybe on the breast feeding board) with a clear thread title to attract those who have experience in this.

When you work out what his discomfort is and can reduce it, it is likely you will see a 'different' baby and he will sleep better.
lots of hugs

[cefandll]

Thank you. We've hit the one week mark with taking the Prilosec. Doctor says to give it another week so I will try that. I have eliminated all dairy and have been off of that for a month now. The only thing that helped with was some of his poo issues. I just attempted his first nap an hour after he'd been up and he's up 13 minutes later. It's just so exhausting. The thing is, when he wakes up he's fussing and crying until we get him and then he's happy as a clam. So if something were bothering him, wouldn't he just generally be fussy. As long as he's with everyone he's content and smiling. It's such a mystery! I really hope the next week may bring some relief to the reflux as well as some much needed sleep for all.

[creations]

Sometimes pain or discomfort is dramatically improved with company and cuddles.  I know when i am in pain having someone near me with offering a hand to hold means a great deal, and I also know that it is hard to sleep and the pain seems worse then.

Only having the meds for one week it might take longer for things to settle.
You could also try a cot-safe wedge and cot blocks to raise the head end of the cot which could help.
Staying by him with a hand on may help (although I think you tried this).
There is a thickener that babies can have which helps to keep milk down, my LO had it mixed in his milk but it can also be given before during and after BFs for BF babies. Maybe ask your doc about it?  The one we had was called carobel.

I know how tiring a refluxer is. Hang in there.
Hopefully some other members may have some additional ideas for you too.

[Buntybear]

I have eliminated all dairy and have been off of that for a month now.

Hi - how are things now? Have you eliminated ALL dairy and also soy? Dairy and soy intolerances can go hand in hand so is worth getting rid of all traces of both of those x

[ginger428]

Yes, how are things going?

Also, can you talk to the Ped about possibly adding Ranitidine? I know prilosec is an general acid reducer, but can't there be flares even with that?

I have a son who slept like yours did, and it was mostly reflux but also time.  He is 3yo and still needs much less sleep than the average amount.  I know it seems counter intuitive, but for a day or two, can you not time his awake time but watch him like a hawk to see how long before he shows sleepy signs.. or have you done that already? I found out my son needed more awake time than the average as well.

And lastly, echoing what creations said, we definitely raised our DS crib mattress. TBH, he slept in a rocker that had an incline that helped him sleep for *slightly longer.

[cefandll]

Thank you for checking in. Nights are better with stretches, but day time sleep is still nonexistent. His prilosec seems to work some days, less others. We do have him sleeping at an incline in the rock n' play, but whether he is in that, or flat on his back, it hasn't made much of a change in sleep.

I have not eliminated soy. I'm underweight and removing dairy has not been good for that. I'm afraid to continue to eliminate everything from the diet if it's unnecessary. But I have been off dairy for over 2 months now, it really hasn't seemed to improve anything.

I took him to a naturopath today and she felt his tongue and said his posterior tongue tie seems to have retightened (we had it released when he was a few weeks old). Between that tie, a very overactive letdown and his uncoordinated latch causing him to take in a ton of air / gas while nursing, all of these things could make the reflux worse. I've tried different positions for the overactive letdown, but if it's the same as with my other two boys it doesn't normally mellow out until around 6-7 months. His latch right now really is struggling - it's almost as if he's confused.

Some days, like yesterday, are easy. He was a giggling smiling sweet angel baby. Today, he seems very uncomfortable, demanding to be held constantly or else he will cry and fuss. So it goes.

Also, with the prilosec, I feel as though it loses potency around this 2 week mark. Does anyone find this to be the case? If so did you find a way around it? Our pharmacy will not fill but once a month and it's already so expensive as it's one of the only medications our insurance won't cover.

[Buntybear]

I know it is so hard to be on an elimination diet but it may be worth to try taking soy out for a couple of weeks.

https://babywhispererforums.com/index.php?topic=119689.0

Alternatively have you tired re-introducing dairy and seeing what happens? As you say, if it unnecessary to remove  food the why do it - if you don't feel it has helped then have a glass of milk and watch for any reactions in him?

Olly had dairy, wheat and egg allergies and nights for us were horrendous however he was a very happy and smiling boy in the day time despite being covered in awful eczema and surely being in pain. Some babies can just cope with it better than others!