Sleep update: WDYT?

ColleenS629

So since I posted... Wednesday, I think?? LOs have been up 10-15 times a night. That, coupled with their behavior while eating (pulling off and crying), had the pedi wanting to see them. She thought that it sounded like their reflux was getting worse so on Friday she prescribed Zantac. She said to give it until Monday and if it wasn't helping, she'd give us something else. We saw no improvement over the weekend. After so many nights of no sleep, we gave up and let them sleep in their swings last night. They went from waking up 15 times to waking up ONCE between 7:30pm-6am. It was amazing. Today, they are still spitting up just as much and still pulling off and crying while eating, though. I'm wondering if this is maybe two separate issues... maybe the spitting up and eating issues are because of the reflux, which the Zantac does not seem to be helping with, and the sleep problem is just that they have bad sleep associations and need movement? I'm not sure why their sleep would get so bad so quickly, though. If it is a sleep association, what the heck do I do about it? We can't CIO yet and The No-Cry Sleep Solution did not work for us. I don't want to let them sleep in their swings often because I don't want to enforce bad sleep associations and because I have read that sleep in motion is not restorative sleep. FTR, I do not have supply issues, they are gaining weight like champs and I have milk to pump when they are done; the position of the swing is not what helped them sleep better because we already tried moving them from the cribs with elevated mattresses back to their RnPs and they still slept like crap.

pottermommy

I have no advice, just hugs and lots of thoughts. 

Amanda78

softskate31:

It is good that they CAN sleep...keep working on the reflux.  Zantac didn't work for DD, but prevacid did.

It could be a combo of reflux pain and 4 month wakeful that is just making their sleep so cruddy.  The motion could have been enough of a distraction from the reflux to let them sleep.

I worry about setting up bad sleep associations too, but sometimes you have to do what you can to just get through and until the reflux is under control I wouldn't expect much from the boys as far as easier night sleep goes.  Even now with working on toddler bed stuff with DD we are really leanient b/c she has been sick since she started daycare in January.

Good Luck! 

I agree. I would try the swing again if you're able to sleep that way personally.

olivia_eve

If they sleep in the swing, I say leave them there. Nothing is forever, and breaking sleep associations can be tough to do with no CIO, and they're too young for that.  I held my DD for every single one of her naps until she was 10 months old, I thought she would never nap on her own. One day I just plopped her in her crib for a nap, she rolled over and went right to sleep and napped in her crib from then on. Right now you need to survive, and if having them sleep in a swing helps you survive, do that.

 

martinimomma

The swings are your friends. Use them while they work and God bless. Regarding the Zantac, keep in mind that it won't "stop" the reflux from occurring, but it should stop it from being painful. So the boys may still spit up (because the esophageal sphincter between stomach and esophagus) is still immature, but they should not have the associated pain when it happens, if that makes sense. ((Hugs)) and wishes that the whole family gets some sleep tonite!

NeenyW

It sounds like their reflux isn't under control. The only thing that worked for us was Prevacid. It's a proton pump inhibitor so it keeps the body from making too much acid in the first place. We love Prevacid because you can get it in solutabs which are 1000 times easier to administer (and doesn't need to be compounded like Prilosec and others). 

I just take the dose, put it on my fingertip, and put a drop or 2 of water on it using a syringe or dropper. Then I just wipe the inside of her cheek and were done! I really recommend going in and asking for Prevacid. My friend told me to do that and I didn't want to be pushy so I didn't. Trial and error and a few miserable weeks later we were on Prevacid and much, much happier.

Also, I agree with pps - don't worry as much about sleep associations right now. Those things can be dealt with when you have a more manageable situation on your hands. Good luck! 

D&D4Ever7

Maybe they like the swing because,it is snug since they love sleeping in your arms. DS napped in his swing only until he was 3 months old. The transition was hard but we eventually got him to sleep in his crib. Once they are in a routine, they will be very tired and will sleep anywhere. Until you get to this point, use the swing and get some sleep momma!

Ernie52408

If they sleep in the swing, let them sleep in the swing. IMO I think it's nonesense to say motion sleep isn't restorative. What is better waking up every sleep cycle or sleeping 10 hours with one wake up? I bet you'll see a big difference in your boys' behavior and naps once they start getting solid blocks of sleep. Not to mention all the benefits for mama.

Let them use the swings until their reflux is under control and they are older. If they still are using the swings around 6 months then you can always break them with sleep training.

TeacherVicky

((Hugs))

I would let them sleep in the swing. Sleep associations can be dealt with later if you have to, you might just find that they will outgrow them on their own. If I went from getting up 10-15 times a night to just once, I wouldn't change a thing.

DS has reflux and I don't find that his elevated mattress helps. They're probably a little more elevated and cozy in their swing, which is why they slept so much better. The thing is, no one will ever know what it was, so I would stick to what works!

All this coming from the woman who insisted her DS nap in his crib when napping in the swing was working so much better... I went through a few months of CRAPPY naps and still do sometimes.