I need settling advice for my Reflux bub

[Lil07]

Ok, so I've had a reflux baby before, but this time it's all different.

With number one, she wouldn't sleep in her cot during the day. To ensure she got a decent amount of sleep during the day, which meant she wasn't overtired and impossible to put down at night, I'd literally have to walk with her in my Baby Bjorn for hours and hours until she woke up. Some days if I thought she needed extra sleep, I'd walk for up to 3 hours straight.

That was fine back then because I didn't have another baby who needed me.

She's now 16 months old (still very much a baby herself) but number two has arrived...with his own reflux issues. I no longer have the luxury of being able to walk for hours on end to ensure he gets sufficient blocks of sleep. I've resorted to having him fall asleep in my baby sling after his feed and play, then pulling him out and trying to wrap and tuck him in his cot without him stirring. It's just about impossible.

I'm also doing all of the things that the sleep/settling experts tell you NOT to do. Making sure he's absolutely out like a light before attempting to put him in his cot. As soon as he makes a sound, I run into his room to pick him up. I have to get that inevitable 100th burp out of his poor little chest so I can't just stand at his cot and just 'pat pat pat' him back to sleep like they suggest.

My daughter was also a huge dummy fan so that ended up being her comfort method when putting her to sleep. My little guy will not take a dummy at all so I end up being the comfort method and he substitutes a dummy for my nippple!!! He comfort feeds from me until he dozes off then we start from scratch again with all of wind and vomit that comes from any form of feeding. It's like a vicious circle.

How do you guys approach settling your reflux babies for sleeping?

Apart from the 'half an hour upright after feeds' routine and the propping up of their mattress, what else is there???

How do you get all that damn wind up before they go down? I've been in to my little fella 6 times since 7.30pm and each time I pick him up, out pops another burp and the never ending up chuck!

[elleandsam]

In the early days I used infants friend and dd would bring up so much wind. We also coslept and she would sleep quite well in other her bouncer or swing during the day. These days (she's almost 15 weeks) she goes down quite easily during the day, I give her a bottle in two parts and then swaddle, cuddle and put her into bed. Her paed suggested sleeping her on her side but now that she rolls from her back to her belly she always ends up on her tummy any way. Dh and I have spent hours walking the floor. We also have some white noise going for her, at home it's her sounds bear, at my parents it as been a fan nearby but not pointing at her, that comforts her and takes away the distraction of the noise of the rest of the house while she's trying to sleep. :hugs: hang in there :)

[Lil07]

Thanks elleandmum!

I actually popped a fan in his room last night and after the initial grizzly period till about 9pm, he slept quite well. Maybe he's so used to the crazy commotion of my household, when his sister is in bed and it's quiet, he can't settle. White noise could be the key!

Will also have to ask my gp about using the infants friend in conjunction with his Losec.

Thanks! :thumbsup:

[delirium]

Glad you found something that helps a little bit. Both my kids love white noise too. My reflux bub also stayed in my arms all day and I would lay him down ever so gently. The thing that saved me was the dummy. TBH he wasn't a fan, but I encouraged him. I don't care what anyone says about dummies, anyone that's had a reflux bub knows the pain they are in and the need to alleviate it.

I ended up trying him with the cherry, those peristaltic ones, finally he liked the orthodonic ones. It definately helped with his settling and comfort. So maybe try her with a few different ones?

[kiwichuck]

Like you, I have big problems getting Chubster to sleep in bed during the day or any where else nearly horizontal for that matter. I've resorted to using the stroller with some adjusting so that he lies in a flat head to toe position, but quite his head is quite elevated at the same time.

I have put towels under the padded seat liner area where his bum goes, so that when in the seat, he doesnt bend in the middle at all. (he gets bad bad pain when in a sitting position, with legs bent forward at the hips). The harness stops him from slipping right out of it.

Going for a little walk puts him to sleep easily, and I can keep him close to me while sleeping to watch over him - seen as this is not a recommended way to sleep a baby.

I hope my description of how I've set up the seat makes sense!! (I know what I mean, lol)
And good luck with whatever you try...

[Lil07]

Thanks delirium & kiwichuck (yep totally understood your stroller set up :yes:)

We'll keep trying until we find something that's fail safe (if there is such a thing in baby land???).

My MIL has come to the rescue and bought us a Baby Bjorn bouncer which keep bub's whole body in a flat position even when it's at an incline so hopefully that'll bring some joy too.