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Behaviour/development

Jesus Christ

32 replies

plannedshock · 24/05/2013 04:08

I've had 2 nights of 3 hrs sleep, tonight I came to bed at 9pm and my 7wk old screamed until 1am. It's ridiculous and has driven my dp to actual tears! There's absolutely nothing wrong, she breastfeeds for ages, good supply, is dry and winded and in a deep sleep...until you put her down, then she goes ape! When she finally does Its through sheer exhaustion and for 1.5hrs only. It's driving me nuts she will just not go down, day or night. does/did anyone else's baby do this? Please tell me it gets better!!

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Isthiscorrect · 24/05/2013 04:16

Hand holding with you. Ds was like this for years (sorry). It's why we took up co sleeping, had no idea it was called that then. But it let me sleep and he was happy so it was a win win for us. No real advice but we had a traumatic birth and eventually saw a cranial osteopath as ds never stopped crying, turns out his head was squashed a little causing permanent headaches. He never wanted to be put down so I had a sling for a few years. He also enjoyed nesting, having blankets ether side of him, but he hated swaddling. It took us a long time to get settled, sorry. But I will agree babies do pick up on stress so you might find that as you lay her down you are already worrying about what's going to happen. Good luck and big hugs.

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seriouslysleepdeprived · 24/05/2013 04:17

I have a 13 month old that does this...sorry probably not what you wanted to hear!

Do you co-sleep? Is she unsettled in the day? How are naps? She us still tiny and may just want you. It's tough though...

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catsdogsandbabies · 24/05/2013 04:42

The pos ters above may have had long experiences I thus but most babies do get easier to settle as they get older. Often 12 weeks or do and easier to put down. Hang in there, you will get sleep again! Xxx

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surroundedbyblondes · 24/05/2013 04:44

Sorry to say but DD2 was like this and still is somewhat at 2,5!! She likes to snuggle up to someone. We were obliged to reconsider our views on co-sleeping take her into our bed. After being utterly exhausted, we just go with what gets us all a good sleep. It's up to you of course and I don't want to freak you out by sounding like a lentil-weaving hippy who co-sleeps till her kids are in their teens (god, I hope not!) but as a previous poster says, maybe she just needs you/her dad while she is so little. Give her a cuddle Smile You'll feel better for it too.

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ThreeBeeOneGee · 24/05/2013 04:46

It did get easier for us. I would say from when they were about 12-14 weeks. Certainly easier from 6 months.

I'm up because 13 year old DS1 had to be dropped off for a school trip at 4am, but luckily that doesn't happen very often.

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Fairylea · 24/05/2013 05:53

Ds and dd were like this till about 12-13 weeks and then they did seem to settle more easily. Hang in there !

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Fairylea · 24/05/2013 05:54

As an aside have you tried swaddling with a large muslin ? And a dummy ? Both things really helped with ds.

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Jinty64 · 24/05/2013 06:36

What fairylea says and a hot water bottle in the Moses basket or cot. Remove it just before putting her in.

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FeelingHorse · 24/05/2013 06:36

Swaddle,Swaddle,Swaddle! And white noise! This combination is a life saver with my 8wo. As well as co sleeping. "Happiest baby on the block" album from iTunes has great white noise tracks.

7wo is still very young, google the "fourth trimester"- it makes for an interesting read.

HTH

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plannedshock · 24/05/2013 06:55

Thanks for the replies! She hates swaddling-turns into super angry baby! I co-sleep already, used to have her sleep literally on me but she's such a fidget I have her next to me but even laying her down next to me sends her into wide awake screaming. I carry her around in a sling all day pretty much, even when I take her out in her pram she screams as soon as I stop pushing-as soon as I arrive back at the doorstep! Sometimes I can laugh it off other days I'm almost telling her to shut the f**k up which is awful. Other things that turn her frenzied include waiting for me to undo my bra to feed and getting her un/dressed inc nappy changing!! Other than all these issues shes perfect!! Hahaha!

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munchkinmaster · 24/05/2013 07:02

Swaggle, white noise, dummy if you dare.

Saved our sanity, slept better from about 6 weeks. Even better at 6 months. Slept through from 9. Honestly I used to scare myself silly reading the sleep boards on here but (no offence intended) they tend to be full of people whose babies and children don't sleep so give a skewed picture.

You will get there!

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HandMini · 24/05/2013 07:48

Swaddle and dummy. IT WILL GET BETTER. Around 12 weeks, then again around 6 months.

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piggybank · 24/05/2013 11:48

Could it be silent reflux?

I hope things improve for you. you have my sympathy. Sleep deprivation is so hard. Even more so when you have to endure the crying.

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MrsOakenshield · 24/05/2013 11:58

I would perhaps try swaddling again. DD always got cross when we swaddled her but after some vigorous rocking, and very carefully lying her down in a warmed Moses basket, she would proceed to sleep very well indeed. She was swaddled until about 4 months, when she discovered her fingers and would suck them to settle herself, so we moved onto a sleeping bag.

I would also recommend seeing a cranial osteopath, they can be miracle workers!

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FeelingHorse · 24/05/2013 14:50

I agree with what other have said about swaddling- DS hated it at first, really angry and thrashing around, but after a minute or so with the white noise he settles down.

We are now at the point where I Swaddle him whenever he gets hysterical and it calms him down almost instantly. It's like he is almost begging to be swaddled.

Like what others have said, it WILL get better. Do what you've got to do in order to remain sane!

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Tournesol · 24/05/2013 14:59

My DD was like this and I tried lots of things but in the end just let her sleep on me as was the only way we got any sleep.

By 4mo I started training her to self settle in cot using white noise and a sort of gradual retreat method. By 7mo she was sleeping through and now sleeps amazingly (she is 16mo).

At the time I seriously thought she was just destined to be a bad sleeper as my 2 other DC had been so much easier, but ultimately like the others once she was on solids she slept through.

Good luck!

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LovelyWeatherForDucks · 24/05/2013 16:58

My 7 month old is still like this! The 5 S's (swaddle, shh, suck, swing, side - google happiest baby on the block) saved my sanity several times when DS was refusing to fall asleep. Smile

The other thing that really helped was looking at a few sample routines (eg baby whisperer, gina ford) to get an idea of max awake time / sleep needed which made life a lot easier as he didn't get super overtired so would fall asleep and stay asleep much more easily. Smile

Also, if you haven't already, perhaps try warming the cot mattress / making it smell of you / raising the end as some babies hate being flat.

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OptomisticBiscuit · 24/05/2013 20:37

You have my full sympathy too, my little one was exactly the same, hardly slept, bright red and screaming from 7pm till 11 every night, I had a real breakthrough with her about 6 months. In the early months the only thing I could do was walk with her in the pram in the daytime (exhausting, but at least she slept, there was no crying, I could eat a sandwich and choc bars as I walked, and the fresh air helped a bit) and at night I had her in a moses basket next to the bed, I would hold her on my lap on her moses mattress and feed her, cuddle her, sing, kiss and rock her all on the mattress until she eventually slept and then I would oh so gently lower her into the basket, still on her mattress and sloooowly slide my hands out from under the mattress. Like you I could not just put her down asleep, she would wake instantly and scream and scream. She would also only sleep for an hour and a half, maybe two hours, and hardly slept in the day. I remember reading about how she was supposed to sleep for 16 hours a day or something, I wished!

On a side note I'm sure she was in pain with silent reflux or similar, I got no help from the doctor who said she would grow out of it, well she did, but it was awful watching her suffer in the meantime, and listening to all the crying is so hard.

On the bright side at 1.5 yrs she sleeps 7 till 7 every night, has an hour at lunch time and is a real laugh all day long.

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cory · 25/05/2013 09:40

How is her weight gain?

My dd turned out not to be getting enough despite good latch, excellent supply and long breastfeeding sessions.

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catty1234 · 25/05/2013 10:11

I would sit him up just a little like on a flat pillow, it would relief some pain.

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catty1234 · 25/05/2013 10:12

If he had wind, you may not have winded him correctly.

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plannedshock · 25/05/2013 22:25

I think it's silent reflux by the sounds of it, any tips?:(

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piggybank · 25/05/2013 23:47

Other than propping up etc as others have suggested you should see your gp who may prescribe infant gaviscon to help the reflux until baby's digestive system matures.

Good luck! I hope the suffering can be eased soon.

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piggybank · 25/05/2013 23:51

Also, I would definitely see your gp before paying privately for a cranial osteopath. I am certain they help lots if babies but I spent quite a lot of money and did not find it the cranial osteopath helpful.

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MoelFammau · 26/05/2013 09:18

Sounds like silent reflux. DD had it, made worse by dairy intolerance. She could not lie flat so we slept with her on our chests, sitting half upright on the sofa. A sling during the day helped.

It was a horrible time and for us lasted 18mo. She's now 2 and still has the odd flare-up but it's nothing like the early days. GP wasn't sympathetic. We were told 'babies cry, dear' in a patronising tone - yes we knew that but not like this, surely? Exhausting. Remember looking at babies dozing in their prams and thinking how come they lie down and sleep? It seemed so alien.

Try cutting out cows milk from your diet if you're breast feeding. It was the biggest help for us.

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