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Multiples
What are we doing wrong?!?
My DH are so exhausted because for the past week, if not longer, we simply cannot get our LOs back to sleep after their mid-night feeding. They both go to bed at 9:30 (after their last bottle), and sleep perfectly fine until about 1:30/ 2AM. We feed them at that point and then put them back in the crib, only to have them both wake up within 30 minutes to an hour and simply will not go back to sleep unless they're on our chest, or in our arms...and even after getting them back to a drowsy state doing that, if we put them back in the crib, they're up again (within 30 min to 1 hr). For the last week or so, my DH and I have both ended up on sleeping the last few hours of the night with a child on us (either in the recliner or on the couch).
Needless to say, we are both so sore and exhausted and can't figure out what to do. Anyone have issues like this? What worked?
We have a white noise machine already. Both kids have reflux, but we're doing everything to combat that. It's just so weird that they go down so easily at the beginning of the night and then after that middle of the night feeding, they don't want to be in the crib to finish the night.
Help!
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Re: What are we doing wrong?!?
I did try that last night, and there were a few moments where they would sleep a stretch of time (maybe an hour) in a bouncy chair. But they still both slept better and longer on our chests.
We don't like where this is going!
are they on reflux meds? they might need an increase in the dose - esp around bed time.
also - make sure you are burping REALLY well - when our guys would wake at night it was almost always b/c there was a "Stuck burp" in there- and once we got it out we could get them back down.
mattress is on an incline?
are you swaddling?
They've been taking Nizatidine, which I understand to be the "first small step" in terms of medication for reflux. I was just telling my DH that maybe we should call the doctor and describe our situation since it might be that the medication is simply not helping them enough. (and we recently increased the dose)
Their mattress has been on about a 1.5 inch/2 inch incline since we first started seeing signs of reflux. I've started to consider a sleep positioner that would offer a more significant incline, in case that was the issue.
And yep, we're still swaddling...against the recommendation of our doctor.
Honestly, I'm so glad you guys are asking all these questions because it's helping me feel a little better that I'm not completely missing something that to an otherwise well-rested person, would seem obvious!
all 3 of my boys were swaddled until 6mo - don't feel bad about swaddling - some docs say to stop but there really is no reason- assuming they are only swaddled at night and not all day long or anything crazy like that
i'd talk to the doc about the meds. Grayson was on zantac 3x's a day, and often had to increase his dose.
i don't know that i'd waste money on a sleep positioner now since they will be rolling soon likely - but maybe incline the mattress a little more.... and hold upright/burp a little longer before putting them back down.
make sure not to look them in the eye at night - it stimulates them too much.
Were they full term or preemies?
We tried to take the doctor's advice and stop swaddling, and it was the worst night ever. That was the first time we ever said, "f the doctor!".
I was really hoping the sleep positioner wouldn't be the next step. I've started reading a lot about how anything beyond raising the bed slightly, is simply a waste. But frankly, I was willing to try it if I found anyone who said it worked!
Our LOs were preemies, born 35w 4d. But they were good weights: 5 lbs and 5 lbs, 6oz. They pretty much stopped treating them like preemies at their 1 month check up, but I understand that's only as it relates to the doctors' concerns for their weights. From a development standpoint, they'll always have that one-month "wiggle room".
The eye contact thing is a new one for me though. I'll definitely tell DH about it too and we'll see if that helps.
But it seems that a call to the doctor tomorrow is really probably the only answer.
THANKS SO MUCH for helping me think through this!!!!
I had to go to the swing at that point. I was so tired and Emerson slept so well in her swing. It was a win/win for a couple of months.
ETA-along the same lines Goldie is talking about, after they wake make sure you're keeping it really dark and the quieter you and your H are feeding them then, the better it is. Also, I didn't change her diaper unless is was absolutely necessary. That just woke her even more.
I remember Emerson being up every two hours and sleeping for 2 hours at the very beginning. I did have to stay up two hours with her after the night feedings for awhile. That's where the swing came in handy. I'd feed her, put her in the swing and lay down on the couch. I started getting a four hour stretch while I could still monitor her somewhat.
You just have to try everything before you find something that work and then, you just go with it! Haha....
Ditto everything Goldie said. We resorted to having them sleep in a bouncer type thing. (fp newborn to toddler rocker). It gives them the perfect incline.
Mine were on Axid for the first little while and we had to move to Prevacid. It took a few days but once they were on the correct dose of Prevacid we noticed quite a bit of difference.
The nights you are describing are exactly what we had to deal with. If you are looking for an easy way to make an incline, use a pillow or rolled up towel or blanket under the mattress. We had to lower the level of the mattress to put the stuff under it to make sure they weren't too hight.
Keep us updated.
It does get better.
Beta #1 15dpo 298, Beta #2 18dpo 1048
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