Unbelieveable Sleep Issues

Have you tried propping up one end of the bed? I have heard that children with GERD have a hard time sleeping because of the reflux, and that shoving towels or something under one end of the crib mattress can help them not be so uncomfortable.

You really need to get Dr. Ferber's book, "Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems". I know that let cry sleep methods are somwhat controversial, but my son didn't sleep for more than a 3 hour stretch until he was 9 months old. I read dozens of books on the subject and tried what seemed like every no cry solution. And they did help set up a schedule, but he was still waking and would ONLY sleep in a swing, for which he was getting much too big. I was afraid he would fall out and hurt himself. Something had to give. Dr. Ferber's method seemed the most humane, and I researched them all. The first night he cried for 20 minutes and then slept all the way through until 4 AM. I could hardly believe it. I do recommend getting a timer, because when you hear them cry it seems a lot longer than it actually is, and we had a video monitor that made it sooo much easier. Just that we could see him and knew that he wasn't stuck with his head on a string or something made it so much easier for us. I wish you the best!

Unfortunatly my son although older now was very similar, maybe to extend your sleep some if you have a willing partner to help so you could get some sleep that should be addressed first-I didn't. Second if possible he is old enough if you can calm your nerves enough to try the crib that may take some time for you both but may help him w/the "flip thing" also if he in anyway likes being swaddled that would keep him still feeling cozy and safe in a blanket-although he may be to old for that but its worth a try unless he kicks out. Best of luck and I'll be keeping you in my thoughts...A. H.

This sounds like my daughter and it took us forever to solve the sleep problems that we most likely created for her. We used to get her up at 10 for her "dream time" feed until she was well over a year. I swear she never slept through the night consistently until she was over 2. Now for my son, thanks to a new pediatrician and the Healthy Sleep book, I have done things differently. We were reluctant to move him to his crib until his doc convinced us that at 4 months he would be more comfortable in his own crib. She also said that for a reflux baby, feeding him at 10 and in the night was a no-no. Not only did he wake up wet in the middle of the night, but they can't sleep well with food in their bellies. It took a while to break the habit. I would give him less and less in the bottle until he was getting only water. Then I would put the bottle of water in the crib. No light (get a nightlight), no talking to him in the night. So that is my advise, get him out of the room to his crib, cut the night time feed, throw a bunch of binkies in the crib (both my kids were addicted to binkies and still are to some extent) and then, as hard as it is, you may have to let him cry a bit. Good luck to you. Trust me, it is easier to break the cycle and fix the problems now than it is to break them 6 months to a year from now...

My 8.5 month old still wakes up every 4-5 hours. He usually falls right back asleep when I pick him up. We're going to try the Ferber method this weekend. I've tried before but I always give in after a minute or two. Needless to say, I feel like a zombie almost every day! My son also had TERRIBLE acid reflux. Fortunately, once he started eating solids at 6 mo. (and with the help of Zantac) his acid reflux is almost gone, miraculously! So hang in there... the reflux should get better soon!

A.,
My daughter has GERD too, and she was a disaster to try to sleep with. When she was in my room, she would fuss in her sleep and of course it would wake me and I would have a hard time going back to sleep, she would hear me up and she would then wake up and want to play or eat or just cry until I paid attention to her. The best thing that I could have done for her (and myself and other children) was to put her in another room. I kept a monitor on at all times but was able to position it so that only her true cries would wake me. I could still hear her breathing and moving too. Her doctor also had me use oatmeal instead of rice in her bottles (we went through several different meds to find the right one too). I think it is heavier and helps keep things down a little better.

Another thing that I did to keep her from rolling and to help keep her GERD from bothering her was to lie her in her Boppy pillow on her back. Hers had straps that I could put around her to keep her from sliding out and getting under it. I think that was my saving grace when she was little.

Also if you think that the Previcid is not working very well, talk to the doctor. I am sure that they can find something that will work. We went through like 5 different meds to find the right one.

I hope this helps! Good luck!

Helping your baby develop a sleep routine is what I have found the most challenging and the greatest parent reward with kids! I would definitely suggest moving the baby to the crib for safety reasons but also for your own sanity. Our pedi urged us to turn off the monitor and let our baby learn to self-soothe. It was agony for me to hear him crying but after the first week or so he started sleeping great. He is a big guy and has reflux too. It is a gradual process but doing things like not waking him up for a 10pm bottle, putting him in his crib drowsy (not asleep) and letting him cry lightly for up to 20-30 minutes can really do wonders. We dealt with the pacifier thing too...just let it fall out and they will learn to comfort themselves another way. In another few weeks your baby might learn to put the pacifier back in on his own any way. Hang in there!

I was a bit of a "rule breaker" when my now 2 year old daughter was born. She HATED sleeping on her back, but of course I was concerned about leaving her on tummy to sleep because of the possiblity of SIDS and/or her not breathing or lying on her face. My cousin told me about the Angelcare Monitor by Bebe Sounds and it really helped us. I was able to have her sleep on her belly because of this monitor. This is a monitor that you can use like a regular monitor for sound as well as for motion. There's an 8"x8" plate that you place in the middle of the bed under the matress that is ultra sensitive to motion. If the there is no motion detected after 20 seconds, an alarm sounds. Thankfully, our alarm only went off when we would take the baby out of the crib and forget to turn it off before we left the room or when she got bigger and would roll too far off the center of the monitor! This thing is amazing and truly very sensitive. Of course there's the disclaimer that it can't prevent SIDS and if you have a pet that sleeps near, under or on the crib/bed, that can effect the "motion detection" as the animal's breathing will be sensed by the monitor.

I mention this to you as a means for you to try if you're concerned about your son sleeping on his face. Chances are that he will only stay in that position for a very short time, but if you're concerned and don't want to keep checking on him in the middle of the night while he's in a crib, I would get the monitor.

Also, while crying it out is a difficult & heart breaking experience, it really does work. I did it with my daughter around 5 months whereby I'd go in, check on her, comfort her and put her back down. First I did it right way, then it progressed from waiting 5, 10, 15,20 and then up to 30 minutes until finally she quieted down. It was hard at the time, but it really worked and now she's able to sooth herself and go down for naps and to bed at night very easily.

Good luck!

Yeah....get him into the crib immediately and out of your room....

S.

Hi A.,
My youngest daughter is 10 months old today and also suffers from Gerd. She is on prevacid too. Just recently, on a routine gastro appt. they upped the prevacid and added a night time only rx.(Axid) that we put in her bottle. We also had her on rice in her bottle too to keep her from projectile vomiting. We also just switched to half rice and half oatmeal in the bottle. I swear with the combo of everything it has helped! Try seeing if your gastro can up the prevacid and add Axid too. It has made a HUGE difference in my daughter's sleep patterns. She actually had a full 8 hours without waking up for her pacifier. She was such a disaster with her sleep until we added the axid, added the oatmeal and upped the prevacid from half a solutab to a full solutab in the am before the first feed. My daughter weighs 18 lbs. even. I never would of thought to up her meds. and add the Axid but, she has had a huge turn around. Worth a try? Good luck.

You already have some great advice. I am just going to say what worked for us. Both my children had GERD and have had sleeping issues. It has been and still occasionally is a problem. My daughter is now 20 months and my son 3 1/2. The sooner you can get a handle on it the better! My first suggestion is to definately try him in the crib in his room. And don't feel bad letting him cry a little! The ONLY thing that worked for my daughter was the cry it out method (Ferber). We unfortunately had to do it a few times because we would get lax and let her sleep with us when she was sick or we were too exhausted. I was afraid she would wake up our light problem sleeper, so I babied her! It was not the wisest choice!! But now she is sleeping VERY well even when sick because we just don't give in (but we are compassionate). I think if we would have been firm at your son's age we would not be having any problems now. To ease your mind about the SIDS stuff-- our pediatrician said once they can roll it was not as big of a concern. Also children who use pacifiers are less likely to have problems. I promise it will get better. The zombie days at work are no fun, but it will get better.

Hi A.! My first thought is that at five months it wouldn't be unusual at all to start a new sleep pattern. My second thought was what does he do between 6:30 and 7:30? I was wondering what sort of stimulation he may be getting during the day and what kind of activities are going on around him in the evening. My husband has found that by coming home and spending time with the kids before dinner worked out much better. Also, are you trying any jarred baby foods yet? It could be he is hungry for something more than formula or cereal? Have you tried the paci that glows in the dark? Maybe he can start finding it himself and leaving you be! I would think, yes, maybe it's time to put him in his own room in the crib. Definitely!! As long as you have a monitor and a nightlight he should adjust in a few nights. I made the mistake of not putting my son in his room until he was 3 (yes, you see that right...3!!). Well, I am sorry for the long response. I hope you start getting some sleep! Take care and happy holidays.

With a new baby what is sleep but a thing you feel you will never get again,but don't worry you will. The help I have for the flipping is to get a thing called a wedge they lay in the middle so the can't flip over. I have one it also gives them the comfort of something around them. Try him in his own crib with one and see if that works. AS far as the passy issue try placing it in his hand after it falls out to see if he will put it back in himself that is what afriend of mine did and it worked for her. Good luck and hang in there.

Ok, why are you waking him up at 10? He is 5 months old, he does not need to wake up to eat. If he wakes up on his own and is hungry that is one thing but past the first few weeks you don't need to wake a baby up to eat.

Yes, move him to his crib. Pack n plays are not intended to be full time cribs, only for occaisional sleep or trips. Transition him to his room, maybe get him a mobile that he hasn't seen so it is something new to look at if he wakes up at night. Put several pacifiers in his crib (this is what I do with my 16 month old) so one is always in reach. Don't wake him up to eat! And see how he does. When he wakes up go in and pat his back, talk softly but don't say much, don't roll him back over let him learn how it won't take long, don't turn on lights or music or mobiles when you go in and don't pick him up, then leave and shut the door. If he cries wait 3 minutes (watch the clock) then go in and repeat. If he cries again, wait 5 minutes, repeat, 7 minutes, and so on. It will only take a few days tops before he learns to sleep on his own.

He is only 5 months though so he may need to eat at some point during the night, I'm not sure what his schedule is. If so, only feed him at that feeding IF he wakes up for it. Say it's 4am, then only feed him at that time or if he sleeps through it and wakes up at 5 then feed him but no earlier than 4 and don't wake him up to eat. Let him phase the feeding out when he doesn't need it any more.

Hope that helps! I had a reflux baby too, it's rough!!!! Also, if you think it is the reflux causing the problems ask your Pediatrician if his dose is right for his weight. I had to up the dose several times as he gained weight for it to keep working.