Sleepless baby; any tips?? Please help

Jojo - posted on 02/03/2010

Hi,



I suspect that he might have a tongue tie. If that is the case, he won't be able to drink milk properly. He uses double his energy to drink milk but he will only get less than half the amount of milk.



Your son is starving now. Please bring him to see a child doctor immediately to arrange minor operartion which only takes 2 minutes to get rid of the tongus tie.



While you are waiting to get the operation arrangement. Try to give him the milk in the milk bottle. In that way, at lease he can get some food to keep him going. Once the tongue tie problem is settled, you can always try to feed him using breast milk afterwards.



It is normal situation if his weight is decreasing.



I understand that you are tiring that I don't get enough rest. However, at this moment, you need to get him even more patience and love to him. Because he only know you not others.



keep me posted after seeing a doctor.



Jojo

Marilyn - posted on 02/03/2010

To the Mother whose 8 week old doesn't sleep. I am assuming this is at night. I am a grandma, and when I first brought my baby home I found out that if I gave him his bath just before bedtime he slept better. I think it is because he got excercise and that tired him out and he slept better. Marilyn

Suzette - posted on 02/03/2010

Hi Sherri, All I can say is I hope this changes for you soon! the sleepless nights can really weigh on you. My son just turned 4 mos and thank the Lord that stage has somewhat passed. You can't spoil him right now so comfort him whenever he needs you. I hear Boys are harder than girls for this because they always want their moms and feed like the milk is going to diappear. Growth spurts are the worst for this. If it's possible try to get your hubby to give him one of the night bottles-if able? My son didn't like the swaddling after 3 weeks old-he wanted to put his hands near his face. Let him dictate for right now what he needs-most babies are fussy because of gas, it could be what you eat or he is just gassy-if you haven't tried putting him on his back and moving his legs like he is riding a bicycle, or laying him on his tummy on your legs -you can try that for the gas-if its reflux-try feeding him as upright as possible-football hold is good for that or prop yourself so you can cradle him while holding his head and shoulders higher than the rest of him. Sometimes In his cry you may hear an "eh" sound-gas, "neh" is hungry and "Ouw" for tired.-watched a baby language video. Don't always hear it though. This help me with Alex- it takes a good ear though so go to a quiet place and see if you can make it out. In the day I run the vacuum or tap if he is giving trouble to nap-he doesn't nap long all the time because he is teething too. Yesterday I felt a sharp nip on my finger and i can't believe his front bottom tooth is through! Maybe your little guy is teething! (you never know)

Some things I tried with mine-can't say it will work for you but here goes:

I started him in a routine where even if we were out i could still do it. I change his diaper, either wipe him down or bath him, do a little baby massage-rub the bottoms of his feet really well etc, and change his clothes -while doing this i tell him "it's bedtime little angel, I want you to sleep all night, K? Sleeptime." sing a bit of the Lullaby song put on his night light and turn on the noise maker thing to heartbeat-when he was younger and now use the running water, stream one) When I put him down on his side and roll a blanket behind him to keep him propped up-also tuck his receiving blanket tight under his tummy so he can't pull it up. I kept hearing about bedtime routines and it worked with my daughter so I continued it with Alex. I can't say that is why he is sleeping but it's worth a try. As long as you pick three or four things to do in the same order every night time should be fine-you can read, sing-whatever works for you. If i put him down and he fusses or cries, i pick him up and he usually has to burp- sometimes 3 times i do that -the next time i put him down he's out. ( i can tell because he stops flaring his arms and pulling up his legs. I don't like the cry it out thing-I just think they need you and can't say so I pick them up when they cry. (that's just me)



He's giving me 5-6 hour stretches in the night now. I wish you all the sleep you need, hang in there!! Keep telling yourself how cute and sweet he is -this helps at 3 and 5 am :)

Sharon - posted on 02/03/2010

Hi Sherri. I am so sorry you are losing sleep. Sounds like the formula may be contributing to his reflux. You should definitely talk with Jayden's doctor to see if a change in formula is in order and to make certain nothing more serious is going on. Also, do you think it might be the nipples you are using. Maybe he is not getting enough milk through the nipples and just falls asleep (suckling is work, and I imagine for a little fellow like Jayden, very exhausting). I would definitely have a talk with the pediatrician, however. I hope you find a way to resolve this so that you and Jayden can get some much-needed rest. Take care.

Sarah - posted on 02/03/2010

Have you tried tightly swaddling him with a sheet or blanket? Or if he will sleep for a longer time in your arms try scenting a toy or teddie with your scent and putting it next to him. My 4 month old has reflux also and for the first while he slept in his car seat at night and that helped.

Andrea - posted on 02/03/2010

try puting an extra ounce of milk so if you give him 4oz of milk to 4oz of water try 5oz of milk to v4oz of water it could be he needs stronger milk

Princess - posted on 02/03/2010

Hi Sherri! I have yet to read the other posts moms have made, so I may be repeating what they have already shared. My son will be a month tomorrow, and we've had a few sleepless nights ourselves. I would try to keep him awake during the feeding, tickling, talking to him, undressing him a little to help keep him awake. I don't know if you time his feedings or you let him eat 'til he stops. But I would try to get him as close as you can to his normal consumption.



It's been a few days since you've posted, how has he been these past few nights?

Allison - posted on 02/03/2010

Hi Sherri,



Some great suggestions from moms on here. I'm the mother of a 21 year son and from the replies, it appears that boys may be the problem - LOL. I breastfeed my son and he ate around the clock. My breasts were so sore and as a new mother, I thought it was me. The problem was that all babies are different and you can't know this in advance. Motherhood teaches you to trust your instincts and go with the flow. That baby will grow up to sleep all the time! That's the irony. I'm a nutrition professor as well and the advice to put cereal in his milk is ill-advised. Babies digestive systems are not fully developed until around 4 months. You can have more problems by doing this so think twice before taking this kind of advice from well-meaning moms.

Karen - posted on 02/03/2010

hey Sherri,

I feel your pain.. try giving him a warm bath before he eats. then gentle massage him from head toe with some sleepytime lotion, burp him after his massage to rid him of any air /gas bubble in his stomach then feed him. Make sure you burp him with every oz he consumes. I hope that works for you.

P.S. stick to a nighly schedule. burp him right before you put him down to sleep.Karen

Georgia - posted on 02/03/2010

Yes I too, had one of these lovely sleeper but not sleeper babies. Ok. When little one starts to doze it is time to remove the bottle and hold him/her up gently . Now try your burping skills . This should wake the baby up. to some level. If not syan up making sure you have that burping blanket on your shoulder. See if this will jar him awake. Now hopefully she is awake. Try some more formula/breast milk. Have you recently added rice to the mix. If so the hole may not be large enough for the mixture to get through. Have you spoken to the pediatrician? Babies go through many stages. Mine at that age took 4oz every 3hrs. and wanted more her doc started the rice mix. Don't do that with out the doc. I do recommend a pedi. visit. let us know what he says. Good luck. Georgia

Georgia - posted on 02/03/2010

Yes I too, had one of these lovely sleeper but not sleeper babies. Ok. When little one starts to doze it is time to remove the bottle and hold him/her up gently . Now try your burping skills . This should wake the baby up. to some level. If not syan up making sure you have that burping blanket on your shoulder. See if this will jar him awake. Now hopefully she is awake. Try some more formula/breast milk. Have you recently added rice to the mix. If so the hole may not be large enough for the mixture to get through. Have you spoken to the pediatrician? Babies go through many stages. Mine at that age took 4oz every 3hrs. and wanted more her doc started the rice mix. Don't do that with out the doc. I do recommend a pedi. visit. let us know what he says. Good luck. Georgia

Amy - posted on 02/03/2010

All three of my babies went through something similiar at this age. I think its more about comfort and closeness with you he is looking for rather than food. Remember he was with you 24/7 for 9 months and that is what he is used to. Babies often suckle for comfort and it dosen't always necessarily mean hunger. You could try to keep him up while eating that last feeding before bed to see if it helps but my recommendation is really just to hold him as much as possible and nap with him during the day as much as you can. Laundry and cleaning will wait but your baby needs you now and he is only this little once.

Allison - posted on 02/03/2010

Hi there Sherri, you've received so many responses already, I'm sure they've helped. I didn't read through all of them, but I was going to suggest using a baby sling? Unless your like me, my son was too heavy for my to hold all the time in a sling, but I see other moms use it, and its really good for baby's comfort, and mommy and baby bonding. Baby looks so comfortable in there, and sleeps really well! Also wrapping baby tightly and keeping him warm will help with better sleep. I started using a wrap when my baby was 6 months, and works like a charm!

Wendy - posted on 02/03/2010

Maybe give him a warm bath before you put baby to sleep.Try maybe rocking him too. It does seem like you are at your wits end, it will soon pass and then you will think something is wrong, but it will ok

Wendy - posted on 02/03/2010

Maybe give him a warm bath before you put baby to sleep.Try maybe rocking him too. It does seem like you are at your wits end, it will soon pass and then you will think something is wrong, but it will ok

Amber - posted on 02/03/2010

What size nipple are you using? It could be that he isn't able to get the milk out well enough and he's tiring himself out before being able to completely get satiated. Then he wakes quickly due to hunger.



Also - you can't spoil a baby! If he sleeps well in your arms - try using one of those snuggly type things that you wear. I used to walk & rock my son to sleep in one of those, and it enabled me to keep doing stuff around the house.



He's only 8 weeks. The chances of him sleeping very long at a stretch is slim right now anyway. My son didn't sleep "through the night" (a 5-hour stretch) until he was about 10 weeks old. And it wasn't consistent! Some kids don't sleep through the night completely (10-11 hours) until they are 2 or 3.



But honestly, your situation doesn't sound that inaccurate (with timing). Have you tried a pacifier? You'll have lots of sleepless nights for a while yet, I hate to tell ya. But it sounds like you are doing the right things! Good luck!

Jill - posted on 02/03/2010

I had a baby who never slept as well. I finally just pulled him into bed with us or slept with him in my arms in a comfy chair. It worked. The point is not to worry about "spoiling"--at this age they deserve it and you do too! Enjoy this time with a newborn baby and don't worry about spoiling--sleep with him in your arms or perhaps co-sleeping if it works for your family. You just need to find what will work for you to get the much needed rest you need. You might also put him in his carseat to sleep as that is a somewhat upright position and would help greatly with the acid reflux. Our twins slept like that--in their carseats, buckled in, in the crib--for the first several months of their lives. It worked! Also, you could put him in a baby sling so that during the day he slept and you could still do chores, etc. :) Good luck and congrats on your wonderful blessing!

Clare - posted on 02/03/2010

if your son has reflux it could be that it hurts to eat, my daughter who is now 3 1/2 had bad reflux. my question is, is he on any medication for it. something like omeprazole or zantac. that could help. he could have a sensitivity to cows milk because of his reflux. talk to his doctor about it and see what they suggest. maybe they might refer you to a gastroenterologist. also it good to get a small special pillow that will prop your son up to a 45 degree angle this should also help with the reflux

Shiree - posted on 02/03/2010

Have you tried using a boppy? They have the covers with a sort of velcro seatbelt that holds the baby and kind of snuggles him in. It will hold him up at an angle while snuggling him in and you won't have to move him when he goes to sleep. I'd suggest using it in the crib though, they do not fit well in bassinets at all. but other than that, he may be going through a growth spurt, teething VERY early, or just plain having trouble staying awake. you could try pumping beforehand and giving him cooler milk to help him stay awake. Not refrigerator cold though. At this stage babies tend to wake up alot still though, so hold on. Since his tummy is not yet ready for cereal (they say start at 4-6 months), you can try giving him formula at night. It takes longer to digest so you baby may sleep longer but it is more gentle than cereal. :-)

Melody - posted on 02/03/2010

"Teething tablets" (they are homeopathic) in the vitamin section at the store, very inexpensive. They have calming herbs like belladonna in them.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Hylands-Teethi...



And also try herbal "Gripe Water" it is water that has Fennel (dill), ginger, and chamomile. I love it, it works well and fast! only wellements brand also has chamomile, others like baby's bliss do not have it

http://www.walgreens.com/store/catalog/S...

Janet - posted on 02/03/2010

my son was very much the same way. fortunately my husband was up for the challenge that I thought I would be! my son too had reflux very badly, and it prevented him from keeping enough food in his belly to keep him happy.



We never did figure anything out other than the taboo....we kept him in our bed for a year with a barf blanket under him. we'd wake to hear the reflux, sit him up or carry him around until he finished and relaxed then back to sleep. we never found any other solution. I hope other Mum's have some ideas for you. I believe that he felt terror during the night as well as reflux. I believe that careful co sleeping is fine as long as there are no drugs or alcohol involved.



during the day he was the same, but awake more often.



I knew a lady once who set the alarm clock for feeding times and never picked him up for 15 min when he cried. I'm not saying anything is wrong with that, but I couldn't do it wi9th either of my kids.



good luck. trust yourself. be kind to yourself. you're doing a good job.



ps. he was always hungry and started stealing real food off my plate at 3 months. I wonder if thickening your breastmilk or formula would help with night time reflux. ask your health nurse. medical supply stores may have thickner.

Erin - posted on 02/03/2010

It sounds like it's a reflux issue. My son had/has reflux quite severely. Does he sleep on an incline on his belly? I know belly sleeping is a big no-no and you have to feel comfortable making that decision on your own but, it helped my little guy immensely. If he'll sleep in your arms, it might be because he likes that angle. Prop up his crib or mattress and see if that helps. Good luck! Definitely been there, done that! My son used to get up around 10 times a night and never sleep more than 45 minutes during the day. We ended up having to use the "cio" method at 5 1/2 months and that did the trick. Now he sleeps 12 hours at night (getting up to eat at 6:00) and takes great naps!

Erica - posted on 02/03/2010

I disagree with the others saying you cant spoil him at this point. babies learn very quickly that if they cry they will get what they want and it will become routine, i never let my daughters sleep with me and they are 7 and 4 now and they have only spent maybe 10 nights in my bed between the 2 of them combined through out their entire life so far.... if you want to have a love life with your significant other, don't get into the routine of letting your baby sleep with you. as far as the feedings, you said before he was eating 4 oz and now is barely eating 2, which is probably why he isn't sleeping as long, i would really try to just feed him as long as you can... and as much as you can. and if he really doesn't want to eat more than 2, when he wakes up in an hour or so, give him a pacifier to stretch the feeding time, and then he might be more willing to eat more than 2 oz. i used the pacifier to stretch my daughters feeding times at night so they would learn how to sleep through the night without needing to eat. even if it is a half hour you stretch it out, it is a half hour more room in his stomach to fit food.. being more hungry, he'll eat more , and then hopefully sleep longer and you will sleep longer. i hope you start to get some sleep!!

Christine - posted on 02/03/2010

My advice is the swing! It saves me almost every night bc my 3 mth old has trouble falling asleep and staying asleep at night. I turn on his mobile which lights up onto the canopy and has a picture show and plop him in his swing and he sleeps for 5 or 6 hours at a time! I also use the noise of a floor fan which helps alot too, I've used that for all 5 of my little ones and it's a God-send! Also the swing is good bc it's keeping them upright after they eat so you won't have those problems and the motion keeps them asleep-atleast it did for me. Good luck!

Meg - posted on 02/03/2010

If he has reflux and sleeps better more upright , maybe try to put a little elevation under the head of his bassinet. Have you spoken to the doctor about his reflux. Maybe there is a medicine he can take. If he is bottle fed, maybe there is a formula he can use that is easier to digest. This is hard,but it will not last forever. Good luck,

Gina - posted on 02/03/2010

Hi Sherri, i hope this helps, i have two children and both were sleeping through the night at 5 wks old but this is what i did to help them go all night. In the morning i changed their clothes topped and tailed them, i would keep them in the busier rooms through out the day, At night i would change them into their bed clothes and i would spend some time massaging them and letting them know it was night time now. Another tip is the bassinet is very flat and if your baby suffers with colic this will cause them great discomfort, which is why your arms are a better solution, but not the solution. Try popping a pillow under the mattress of the bassinet, so your baby is sleeping at an angle rather than flat, however, make sure the baby is comfortable and swaddle him so he is stable. If he cries let him for a little while, then rub his back to see if he has wind, put him back down again. Don't give him a bottle everytime he cries. At this stage he should be going for four hours between feeds so maybe change his formula, but if you put him into your routine he should start sleeping through the night soon. I hope this advice helps, do keep me posted on it. If he is falling asleep during feeds, keep him awake by removing his clothes, it is not as cruel as it sounds, happy mum is a happy baby, talk to him more during the day for stimulation but when he wakes at night, don't stimulate him too much. Tell him the difference between day and night. I hope you are getting a break from it all every now and again, you do need it. x

Lee - posted on 02/03/2010

You can NOT spoil an 8 week old. I had a no-sleeper, too. She would only sleep if I held her. The sleep books encourage not to do the "letting them cry" thing until they are older. My daughter still does not sleep as long as other kids, but she is a smart, secure child who is high-energy. Do what you need to do to survive right now, but hold that baby -or get others to hold him, so you can sleep.

Sheila - posted on 02/03/2010

I too had a daughter who stayed up at night crying. My Mom was visiting and said get some RICE cereal and put a bit in the bottle at night. I know doctors have varying opinions about feeding them but a touch of cereal won't hurt. You cannot spoil the baby by holding him but burping frequently is an excellent idea. If your doctor is not responsive to your concerns check and see if there is a new mothers group at a local hospital and check with them. They are frequently more helpful than a doctor and there is a nurse there.



However, do NOT leave your infant sitting up in a baby seat while sleeping. I did this with my second daughter. She was at my feet and all of a sudden started chocking and not breathing. She was 10 days old. It was caused by formula being burped up and causing a spasm that shut her throat. Please have your baby on his back or in your arms.

Jillian - posted on 02/03/2010

That's really good advice you've gotten from Latisha...I did the same thing for my son..who just like yours had a healthy appetite....the cereal works wonders....

Gauri - posted on 02/03/2010

I guess his cycle of sleep is still not set ...so try keeping him awake as long as you can in the day and in the evening before the last feed give him a good body massage and wipe him with warm towel and then feed him and see if it helps ..

Zhuldyz - posted on 02/03/2010

Hi! I have two kids - 2,5 y.o. son and 5 months daugther. My advices are: co-sleeping at night and sleeping on fresh air during the day. The more time your child spends outside the house, the better. For example, my daughter can sleeps in her buggy on a balcony up to 3 hours on a row, while she would sleep 1 hour max at home.



I would also recommend swimming before night sleep. I really mean swimming in warm (some may call it cold) water. With my son I started to lower water temperature after he was 1 month old, but with the second child I did that from the very beginning. So by the time she was 2 months old she was already swimming in 31-32C. spend some 15 minutes for massage and gymnastic before going to bathroom. After 15 min swimming In big bath she was eating and then slept for 6-7 hours at the age of 2 months only.

Dorothy - posted on 02/03/2010

Make a tea[very mild] out of catnip..Use let him drink a teas.that will help settle his tummy, then wrap him like a mummy with his recieving blanket, arms tight to his body he will feel like he is in the wohm...

Deanne - posted on 02/03/2010

I wouldn't worry too much about it. My daughter (also named Jayden) isn't much of a sleeper and she's coming up on a year. My pediatrician says that babies sleep when they're tired and there's no set amount since every child is different. My son, who turned 2 in Dec, took until 18 months to start sleeping through the night completely.



Hang in there. It does get easier.

Shelka - posted on 02/03/2010

i see that you hav got a lot of advice already,my dauter was much the same as your child.she strtd sleping at nite when she turnd two months.she wud wake atlst two times to feed and than slp agn.than aftr sme months she stoped waking up at al in the nite.one thing i stuck to from about hte time she was 3-4 months old was to make her slp on a seperate bed.in the begining its nt posible to hav a routine with the child but the sooner a routine is established the beter wil it be for u.do the same things with the child at the same time everyday.slowly the child wil fall in line and start trobling less.secondly give her a teddy bear or doll when u put her down to sleep in her cot and give her those toys only in her cot.that way those wil be special for her (she must realy like them) and an indication and impetus to sleep. ....gud luk and god bless...

Annie - posted on 02/03/2010

my daughter is now almost 5 months old.She has the same problem as your son before.What i did is i made a little bag myself and i filled with rice.You don't neesd to fill it all up but enough to put in on top of his chest and he feel safe.This is a trick that most asian did.Babies feel insecure when they just come out of their mom's tummy.You can also use a blanket to wrap around him when you rock him to sleep,he'll feel more secure this way.So you don't have to have him in your arms for 3 hours.

Jaymie - posted on 02/03/2010

My oldest son did near the same thing. In the end I had to feed him by squirting milk into his mouth with a syringe, hopefully you won't have to do that. My son stopped doing it the older he got, maybe you need to try burping your baby more often during feeds, alot of the time he will fill up on wind which makes him think he's full when really he isn't. If you believe he is getting enough to eat, then leave him to cry for a little bit. I know it's hard, but babies are smart, if they think you will jump whenever they cry, then they will play on it. But yeh try burping more regularly during feeds, if you are really worried then take him to the doctors to rule out colic or anything like that. Formula could be a factor also

Cathy - posted on 02/03/2010

Sherri, I know what you are going through. I went through it with my oldest child. I would suggest give him a warm bath at night and then a nice back massage. This will make him feel tired and also if there is a burp it will release it.

Sanne - posted on 02/03/2010

First congratulations on your baby son. I don't know if this will be helpfull but my son who is now 5,5 years old was the same kind of baby.He always slept best in my arms during the day and was awake up till 8 times during the night (from he was put to bed around 8 and untill 6 in the morning). It felt like I did nothing but breastfeed and sit with him in my arms the first three months of his life and it was hard...I don't think that you can spoil a baby and it helped me thinking of my son as a child who just needed being close to me. And babies are not the same, some can entertain them selfes from an early age and some babies can not. Your son can have problems with gas or the formula can be mixed wrong and it might be an idea to get it checked. During the day you can carry him around in a sling so you don't have to me immobile. You can by a hammock type online, this type is better for your babys back than the ones were the bay sits upright.

Tabitha - posted on 02/02/2010

forgot to mention this...we also used a little vibrating chair. he would actually sleep in it most nights because it reclined all the way back. we would put him between us in the bed, in the chair. if you're not comfortable with that, you could put him in the floor on your side of the bed.

Jody - posted on 02/02/2010

how you ging mte - im hearing you loud n clear - welcome to my life - your son is crying due to the colic and reflux -you need to go to the doc and ask for (ZOTON) for reflux as your little one gut is burning,when vomiting or just from feeding. does he use a dummy - a great idea as the sucking actually relieves the belly pains from colic. also brown sugar about a half a teaspoon in cooled boiled water helps relieve the pains of colic and massaging his tummy at night.

prop a pillow underneath the mattress of the cot to elevate him and this will also help with the reflux and colic.All these things will help - when he wakes up at night just let him drink till he pulls away cause half the time mums are actually over feeding and that gives bubs pains aswell - they will keep sucking though as it relieves the pain of colic so if you dont use a dummy id be out getting one today. feel free to message me if you need any more help i have a 17 month old girl and a 7 month old girl aswell as a 12 yr old girl and a son who's 14 all have had colic and 2 have had reflux - im an expert now.lol - good luck and hopefully we'll get you having some good sleep soon. jody

Tabitha - posted on 02/02/2010

. I'll try to keep this short. My son, who will be 8 months on Feb. 10th had spit up problems. I had issues with breastfeeding (overactive letdown) . So I went to formula hoping that would help. We put him on Zantac and it helped a lot. But, eventually I quit giving it to him without his doctors consent because I felt he no longer needed it and I was right. I really don't believe he had acid reflux, maybe more of just undeveloped parts. What formula is yours on? Mine started on Similac RS and now he's on Nestle Good Start. I never thought we would have gone to such a regular formula but here we are 8 months later! Mine was very much the same way. He would sleep on our chest or in our arms for hours but as soon as we put him down...not happy! We still have issues sometimes with that. Like when my mom rocks him to sleep after I tell her not to. He'll eventually grow out of that, if you let him. He'll learn to put himself to sleep.



1) Look into a pad to put under your babies crib mattress. They are specifically made for babies who spit up.

2) You don't have to let him cry if you don't feel it is right. Personally, I believe that comforting them builds their confidence with you. I let mine cry to a certain point and then I let him know I'm there for him.

3) Have you tried swaddling him? Pacifier? White noise or a noise machine?

4) Sometimes babies get used to their routine (ie, him waking and you feeding him)

5) You probably have 20 million (or what feels like) people telling you what to do. He is YOUR baby. Listen to yourself, listen to your instincts. They are usually right. I learned that the hard way. Don't be afraid to speak your mind. Usually when you do, people tend to back off.

6) Sometimes it's just trial and error.

7) Baby yoga and massage. I used both on mine for constipation, gas, general fussiness. Won't hurt to try.

I remember freaking out about so many things. Things will fall into place. At some point, I just accepted that our son would sleep on us for the rest of his life :) Of course that is not the case. Oh, and coffee. That was my best friend. I hope things work out for you and I would love to hear how things are going. You're gonna be great! :D

Delia - posted on 02/02/2010

sounds like the baby has GERD, take him to your pediatrician. there are medications to help. an esophageal probe to test for acid levels may be needed. your baby is having pain. Has he had any vomiting after feeds?

Roachelle - posted on 02/02/2010

my granddaughter is a reflux baby.. cries all the time , wants to be held to sleep, pukes a lot,

my daughter in law was at ther wits end too, the doctor put baby on reflux medication and it has helped a lot. she still wakes a couple of times a night for feeding but is much better than she was.

Alicia - posted on 02/02/2010

there has been alot of good advice here. it will take some trial and error for you to find what works for your baby. EVERY child is different. but, reflux is very painful and you should absolutely be giving your baby something for that. also, you should check with your doctor about the formula, many times, this is the problem so it should be ruled out first. also, you cannot spoil that baby yet, 8 weeks is still extremely young and that baby needs to be close to you, remember..for nine months , your baby listened to your heartbeat and that is very comforting. an upright swing is helpful for babies with reflux when you cant hold them because you have a million things like laundry and washing bottles and cleaning to get done. (not to mention, your own sleep!) just remember not to have the baby laying flat in the swing. but the rocking motion can be very calming. doctors can offer alot of insight into helpful ideas but ultimately you will find what is best for your baby, just trust yourself. i have an 18 year old myself and i have worked in childcare for 10 years, so ive seen many different babies over the years.each and every one is different. it may take some time for you to find what works for you and your baby ...but in the end....its always worth it!!!!

Cassandra - posted on 02/02/2010

My son is 5 months and still don't sleep through the night I give him a bath at 9 then give him a bottle there are nights that he will only sleep if I hold him in my arms and yes I thought the same thing about spoilin but in actuality a baby won't kno spoiling until about 8mon. My son still sleeps in a bassinet but I do have a pillow for him and he won't sleep without it..try giving him a bath before bed there are going to be nights he wants to be held but he Is only 2 months give him time ps my son hates wearing clothes to bed try that too if you have any questions you can email me also martinezcassandra15@ yahoo.com

Kristina - posted on 02/02/2010

I feel your pain. I remember those days. I have a few things that worked for me so I will happily share them with you. My little man was very gassy and burpy too. I had a small wedge type pillow that was concave for him to sleep in. (i don't know the name of it but they are very easy to find at babies r us) I didn't like the idea of the one under the mattress because if I needed to bring him in bed with us i felt more secure with him laying in a pillow so we would realize he was there if we moved around. Gas meds are a must, check with your doctor of course. I also believe in cereal in the bottle esp if he is still only doing 1.5 hours or less. I am not telling you what to do but holding him upright for 30 min is I guess fine during the day but at night, burp him and put him on the incline pillow, that's the purpose of the pillow. You need your sleep too. I know that when i stroked my sons cheek when he stopped or slowed eating it would keep him going for for a bit longer. I also would tap the bottom of the bottle to startle him or wake him a bit to keep eating. My mother-in-law told me she used to run her finger nail down the babies foot (on the bottom) and that sometimes works too. Do you burp him 1/2 way through eating? Sometimes gas causes them to fall asleep and stop eating. Definitely try the swaddle, and wedge. You may want to try another formula. I wish you LUCK! It's hard, just make sure you sleep when he does for now so you don't fall apart. I am sure this will be short lived, i know it doesn't seem that way now. I know you got a ton of responses, i couldn't read them all so forgive me if i was repetitive. GOOD LUCK! Hang in there!

ANGELA - posted on 02/02/2010

Sounds like he is looking for you to hold him. You may have to listen to some crying to get him through this. They learn how to get what they want the minute they are born. Try wrapping him so he feels like he is in your arms. Or position him upright if you think it is reflux. Good luck, my 1st was a lot like this. It gets better, just listen to your gut when you know you have done everything sometimes they are just being fussy.

Tabatha - posted on 02/02/2010

i have a trick but it is frowned upon if u ask a doctor but my mom did it with me, but it is very helpful if done right, when you give him his last bottle before you want him to go to sleep try and add a teaspoon of baby cereal to the milk or formula which ever you are using , u can start with a half teaspoon to see how he reacts to it

Ingrid - posted on 02/02/2010

I was in your position about a year ago, and I can honestly tell you it will shift. My girl would NOT sleep unless I was holding her until she was about 3 months old, I think? I don't even remember, because I was so tired:) She also was awake and fired up until 1,2,3am most nights! What I ended up doing was just sleeping with her laying on my chest (I leaned against a bunch of pillows, put her face down on my chest, and put a nursing pillow around my tummy below her to support her and my arms). We both got a little bit more sleep that way, and no more crying forever in the middle of the night. She also wouldn't be put down during the day, awake or not!

The good news is...it passed. With her, she was born almost a month early so part of me thinks that maybe she just had a really hard time adjusting to the outside world? Whatever the reason, she gradually got better and better at sleeping on her own, and by four months would sleep in her own bassinett. When she was about four and a half months she started going to sleep earlier (most nights), maybe 9pmish. And now, at fifteen months, she goes to sleep great for two naps a day and for the night at 8:30pm, all in her own crib.

I didn't really do much to help the transitions, I don't think, she just naturally shifted at certain points. So, my advice is to just let him sleep in your arms for now if that's all that'll work. I was super worried that she'd get addicted to it (esp because I breastfeed), but she really didn't. That's why I think that with some/most babies those difficulties are more related to them just adjusting to the world and all the stimuli, etc. Bottom line: whatever helps him sleep and isn't dangerous, do it!

Cynthia - posted on 02/02/2010

I'm a retired RN and mother of four, grandmother of 9. Have you discussed a medication called Reglan to help with the baby's reflux?? That might be helpful. Talk to your pediatrician about it. If you think its colic, I used to use a warm towel (from the dryer....like a hand towel) and put on baby's tummy. My youngest was soothed by that. (She's 32 years old now, so I must've done something right!!) Good luck. You need to rest as much as you can. I know its so hard right now, but it will get better! Honest!!