Getting NO Sleep with My Newborn Son.

My first son was like that. He slept in his carseat for the first 3-5 months of his life b/c he WOULD not lay on his back, side or belly!! So maybe it is a reflux issue or what not. Or maybe he just isn't comfy laying down after eating just yet. See if he will sleep in swing or in seat. Maybe start cereal...1 tablespoon once daily to see if he does ok with it then go from there. Maybe he isn't feeling full enough. Good luck!!
~A.

Have you tried wrapping him in a swaddle blanket. Thats what I use. It works wonders. Also gas drops might help. If he is squirming like that maybe his belly in uncomfortable. When you go to the pedi. Ask about the formula...Good luck. Hang in there.

I am a mother of 3...had the same problem with 2 of my children....you could try ceral at night only...very watery mixed with formula....also, if he is on his side and is able to roll himself....side, stomache, back he can sleep in whatever position he is most comfortable...he's out of danger...my daughter was like that...and instead of the bassinet you can put him in the crib with mattress up top....he might be bumping into the sides of the bassinet and waking himself up....and another thing I did with my daughter because I too didn't want her getting use to sleeping with me....it was a bouncy seat that vibrated....if she woke up during the night I would just give her a warm bottle...change her, burp her and put her in the seat next to me on the floor....It worked....loved getting the Zzzzz's and so did she. She was a gassy baby and the vibrating seat helped along with milcon drops..."YES!" Good luck and if ya can....and get a chance, let me know how your son does....K. G

Hi! What a bummer. You must be exhausted. Ask you ped, but see if you can introduce rice cereal for the feedings and try putting the baby in the car seat or an aquarium swing (back and forth - they love it) for sleeping. Worked for us! Good luck.

I sympathize. My daughter (now 14 months) is a "high need" sleeper. In fact, she refused to sleep ANYWHERE except my or my hubby's arms for the first 4 months! We had a lot of success with swaddling her - in fact, she still won't sleep without swaddling! something about having her arms cozy next to her really does the trick. Also, at about 3.5 months, we ordered an Amby Sleeper - its like a suspended "hammock style" bassinett - it conforms better to the baby's body and sways when they move. Its also supposed to be super for babies with reflux.

The other thing you can try - especially because you have to tend to your other child - is baby wearing. Get a sling, a wrap, whatever is comfortable for you and your baby. Most babies are content to sleep in the sling because they like being close to Mama. I prefer the sling - I think its the most comfortable and you can have the baby in it so many different ways... Some dads also like doing the baby wearing thing...

Also, I think some of the other Mamas are right - some babies are just not going to sleep for long stretches. I think it was around 6 or 7 months before my daughter slept for more than 3 hours at a time!

Good luck!

i would try some cereal. my kids were very large. i have a 8 month old daughter who was 10 lbs 5 oz at birth and now is 25 lbs. i started her on cereal at month (just a little) and she sleeps better than my 4 yr old.

You son is showing classic reflux symptoms. One of my twins was exactly like your son, until we realized the problem and her pedi put her on reflux meds. After a week on the meds, she was a whole new baby. She was content for the first time and started sleeping really well for nice long stretches. Our pedi was hesitant to diagnose reflux, so I did some research online and found a list of symptoms and really watched her closely for about a week so that I could take notes and let the pedi know exactly what was happening.

Good luck. I hope things improve, soon.

Here's a book that REALLY works, I have since forgot the author but the title is 12 Hours by 12 weeks. Your not alone and soon these sleepness night will be just a memory. Good Luck!

I can relate as well! I have a 5 month old daughter and a 2.5 year old daughter, who was a dream eater, sleeper, you name it. My baby was/is colicky and sleep has always been an issue with her. At 3.5 months she was usually going longer than 2 hours between feedings, but she would regress back into "newborn behavior" every once in a while and be up 2-3 times a night sometimes! Even now, though she's only 5 months, she's up once a night like clockwork. She is a pretty big girl as well, and eats pretty well, but her sleep routines have always been tough - hard to settle her in, hard to keep her asleep. It's tough if you first baby wasn't like this. My older daughter was through this phase by the time she was my younger daughter's age.

She did the grunting thing at night when we'd settle her down as well, and swaddling didn't help her either. The one thing we have found to help her is a sleep sack, actually! I think she loves the warmth it gives but she can move around in her regular pajamas and not be restricted by a swaddling blanket. We also try to hold her and spend time with her before bedtime so she is drowsy, but not totally asleep.

I can also totally relate to working full-time and operating on little sleep. I am in the same boat, and went back to work when my baby was 3 months as well. It seems like whenever you finally get into a deep sleep, you are woken up by the baby, then you get the baby and yourself settled, and it's time to get up again! That's how I spent my entire summer! I wish I had advice for that problem; I'd take it myself.

I have heard that Enfamil has some rice in it so it fills babies up better than other formulas. I'm thinking of trying that myself. Keep staying the course with your son; he will get there and you'll be so happy you don't have to start from scratch again. Babies are so immature at 3 months, but when you are up all night it seems like they are so much older! I understand! Good luck and hang in there...

how much are you feeding him? Does he need more to satisfy him?? I think at 3 months you should only be doing about 2 feedings at the most.. talk to your ped.. as far as the sleep thing, you will hear every tiny noise for the rest of your life, every little squeak, breathe and sleep giggle.. you do get used to it though! good luck

Hi! I am sorry to hear what you are going through, I can totally relate! Unfortunately I cannot really help, but I want to ask if you get any advice can you share it with me?? I have a 3 year old boy and a girl who's almost 4 months. I am SO exhausted. She wakes up about twice a night to eat still but then she is terrible to get back to sleep! She just wants you to hold her and walk around the room with her, in the middle of the night it can take 2 HOURS to get her back to sleep! My husband and I are dying of a lack of sleep. And to add to it my 3 year old wakes up once a night wanting juice. I'd love to know how to get my 3 1/2 months old to sleep longer!! Let me know what you get for advice! Our kids are the same ages, it's funny! when are their birthdays? Mine are 8/29/04 and 7/15/07. Good luck, I know how you feel!!!
H.

It sounds like he is eating too much, which may result in the lack of sleep due to gas or most likely reflux. Feed him whatever the normal amount will be and then wait longer before feeding him again even if he is crying etc like 3 1/2 or 4 hours. He may eat more the next time but if you keep doing that the time inbetween eatings and the amount should increase. Play with him a little after eating so he can digest a little and then try putting him to sleep. As for night feedings, try to limit/eliminate them on the weekend or whenever you can go without sleep.

I hate to say it but thats just how some kids are..atleast thats what my doc told me...my son (5months) still gets up every few hours at night and hes on cereal and fruits!!! Have you tried swaddling-thats how my son will sleep longest also we keep him up as late as we can-basically until he falls asleep in our arms that seems to help! Also the whole routine thing we do dinner play time, bath, story, eat, bed every night! He caught on real quick! Docs told me to let him cry but it didnt work for me but the same music also seemed to help at night the cd will almost put him to sleep it self without the binky which is amazing!!! :) Good Luck-if you come across any good ideas do share! :)

why don't you let him co-sleep with you in your bed. you may roll your eyes but we are the strange ones in this culture who put our babies away some place else all the time. most indigenous people's and many other cul;tures do this as the norm, when the are older, at some point they get their own space. and , in fact, that was the nnorm for our culture as well until the industrial revolution when money came flying into this country. people didn't have money for extra beds,nor did they have extra rooms, so the children naturally slept with or very near the parents in the same room. your child may be a sensitive creature, more than most and you are not seeing this in him in a way that he needs you too. he may be distirbed on a deep level that his mother has almost left him, by being at work so much of the time. the mom is the most valuable connection to any human. he is too little to be away from you for so long, perhaps. not to mention he is not even getting the warmth of your breast or milk already anymore. if he is not sleepinglike that it may take some time before his system readjusts to a more normal place if you begin to bring him in bed with you. if he sleeps better, you do.
you may have not had any choice other than going back to work, so find other ways to bring him in closer. there is also a total body regulation that happens in baby's bodies when you wear them, i.e. in a baby carrier, and you go about your business cleaning, walking, whatever. and he will enjoy the closeness and bonding as well as you.

I would definitely talk to your son's doctor. I feel that this age is way to young (although I don't believe in that at any age) to try "crying it out" like some suggested. My pediatrician told me it was too early when I had similar issues with my daughter. She also had reflux so that is a good place to start with the doctor. My pediatrician also said side sleeping was OK if baby would not sleep on back, so again, confirm this with your doctor. Good luck. PS Sorry to hear you stopped nursing so early, are you giving him expressed breast milk?

Does he sleep in a swing? It's not the same as being on his side, but maybe he won't mind it with the swinging motion. My son went through a difficult period sleeping, so I can really empathize. I put the swing in our bedroom, tilted him back a little and strapped him in. It helped a lot. I also put him in his car seat carrier when he was having difficulty due to ear infections and frequent colds and had to be upright. I'm not sure if that would be helpful in your son's case, but if he does have reflux, it might help.

I have a comment to Jennifer who was "sorry to hear" that the baby isn't being breast-fed anymore and asked if he was receiving expressed breast milk. Did you notice this mom works FULL-TIME and has a three year old? AND she's only getting a few hours of sleep each night?

First i would like to say... i know what your going through... my daughter is seven months old and she still doesnt sleep through the night.. last night we let her cry for the first time and only fed her once... i have never been so tired in my life.. the same goes for help from dad... i am awake the whole time so ive given up on his help and i just do it all myself. which has taken such a toll on our relationship.

Ella has slept on her side since she could get onto her side. The way i see it is i sleep on my back and if someone wanted me to sleep on my stomach i just wouldn't be able to sleep. Keep in mind that they use to say it was better to sleep on your stomach.. science is always changing. I firmly felt if ella could get onto her side then she could get off if too. I wouldn't let yourself get crazy about sids. and i'm sure your ped will tell you the same. if your son is sleeping on his side then let him sleep. As far as your son being up so often and eating every two hours. I think the best thing you can do is let him cry it out a little.. i wish i did it with ella a little earlier .. if you have bought any of the million books on sleep problems they all pretty much say that if you cater to what they want they will do what they want as long as you let them.. you have to be in charge even if you let him cry five mins before feeding him the ten. and then fifteen and just try that... the best thing you can do is be consistant.. i bought ferber books baby whisperer and a whole lot more and basically im finding that you letting them cry is the only alternative.. some say check on them some say stay and pat them some say move farther and farther out of the room.. shush pat .. pick up put down.. but they all revolve around letting them cry.. i know your exhausted... take help from whoever will give it a and nap ... as much as you can.. good luck
E.

K.,
I can totally relate to your story. My son was a HORRIBLE sleeper and every night was dreaded by me! I was under the assumption that every baby needed to sleep in the bassinet, by the bed for about three months and then transition into a crib. I was also following the "don't rock your baby to sleep, put them to bed drowsy". My son was the exception to that rule. He never liked being swaddled and I by about 4 weeks old he just WOULD NOT sleep in the bassinet for more than 90 minutes, max. He was a long kid and I think that he just might have been 'claustrophobic' ish. After dealing with much too much of this nonsense, I put him in his crib (with two rolled up receiving blankets because he wasn't a back sleeper either....) for one of his naps, after I rocked him completely to sleep. He slept for three hours. That doesn't seem like a lot, but to me it was. I continued to put him to bed, after rocking him to sleep, in his crib and he would only wake up twice at night! I am sure that there are many people who will say that I did wrong by rocking him to sleep, or transitioning him to his crib too young - but it worked for me and I challenge any of those critical people to go through what I went (or you are going) through.

My son is three now and he does sleep throught the night! I still rock him in the evening, but not to sleep. It is our special bedtime routine now and I wouldn't change it for the world! He has become so self sufficient, this is the one time that I get to snuggle and whisper without him trying to squirm away!! Good luck, I feel for you...
M.

Sounds like deja vu. My daughter (now 9 months today) was the same way. She HATED sleeping on her back. We resorted to positioning her on her side with a sleep positioner and it helped. She didn't sleep through the night (and that only lasted a few months) until she hit about 3 months. We even had a period when she would only nap on her stomach. Yes, agast, on her stomach. Not that I'm recommending that by any means, but it was the only way for me to get her to nap. My only real advice is that like everything else, this too shall pass but the sleeping on her side saved us. Good luck.

S.

Does he sleep well in his carseat? My son had trouble sleeping and he slept in his carseat for the first two months of his life. His dr. said he may have heartburn and that is why he couldn't sleep lying down in any position. I know your son is older but it may be worth a try. Good luck.

I sure feel for you, my oldest daughter - although now almost 5 - was a very lite sleeper and I remember to this day being up with her a lot during the night. My second daughter had the eating issue - she was never full. A lot of parents believe you have to live by your doctors rules, but I was not one of those. Both my children were eating cereal by 1 month old, in their bottles and 3 months old as actual cereal. I tried many things to help them get thru the night, but especially with my 2nd one - the more food I gave her the more sleep I got! That's even true to this day :) Good luck!

Boy, K. - do I empathize!!! I am a full-time working mom to a now 18 month old boy, but he didn't sleep fully through the night until he was 6 1/2 months old. I don't know that I have much advice, but can certainly share my story with you!

My husband and I had Pete in his crib from day one - I never used a bassinet for him. We had baby monitors (including a video monitor and an AngelCare monitor under the mattress, to monitor his breathing movements - specifically, if he stopped breathing for 20 seconds, an alarm would sound). Like your son, though, Pete wasn't a back sleeper - he preferred being on his side. Instead of a wedge, we used two rolled up baby blankets to wedge him into a side-sleeping position (no higher than mid-chest level), which worked for him. I remember vividly that he was still waking up 2-3 times a night at age 3 1/2 months - he was simply too young to sleep through the night. Additionally, at one point (we think he was going through a growth spurt) he would want to feed every 90 minutes - this lasted for about a week and 1/2, and was just horrible. I've never been so tired in my life!!! One thing we found was that using the AR (Added Rice) Enfamil formula helped him to feel fuller - this resulted in his sleeping for longer stretches. (Of course, the AR formula is twice as expensive ... but we thought it was worth it!)

I think we started Pete on rice cereal around 4 months - I'd check with your pediatrician to see when you can start feeding your son single grain cereals - having a full stomach may help him sleep more.

Good luck - the first 3 months are the worst, but I promise you will sleep again!

B.