Hi, I need some advice before I go insane! My DD2 is 3.5 weeks old and is a very fussy baby. My memory of DD1 is that at this stage they just slept really easily after each feed for 2 -3 hrs. My DD2 takes FOREVER to go to sleep, and some sessions she doesn't sleep at all (other than 5 mins while I am trying to settle her before waking up again). Yesterday between 8 am and midnight she slept for 30 mins in the stroller(on a walk) in the morning, 2.5 hrs in the afternoon and 30 mins in the stroller in the evening. She finally slept for 3.5 hours from 1:30am to 5am. I know this isn't normal - especially compared to DD1 - and she even had reflux!.

I use all the techiniques I learnt with DD1 at sleep school - wrapping, patting their bottom etc - but all it does is send her to sleep for 5 mins and she wakes up and thrashes around and starts crying. She is bottle fed and normally finshes her feed or leaves 20mls or so, no problem with constipation. She normally burps at least once during her feed. I feel so sorry for her - she desparately wants to sleep but she seems to be in pain. I guess it's wind, I don't think it's reflux - what are the signs for wind vs reflux? You'd think I'd know since DD1 had reflux - but it was a bit more obvious becuase she threw up a lot.

I tried Infants Friend drops before her feed at 1:30pm and she actually went to sleep at 2:45 today and is still asleep 5 hrs later. It could be she was just exhausted. I should probably wake her up, but this is the first good sleep all day.

Any advice???

Oh Vicki I feel for you.

If it is reflux you would think bubs would be unsettled after every feed.
Try burping a couple of times during a feed, I was told every 30 mls or so. You can also try thickened formula.

I dont know how you feel about it, but why not give bubs the infants friend before every bottle? I believe that is what it is designed for as it is only a herbal treatment (please correct me if I am wrong) so it won't do any harm.

I hope you have a beeter night
Clare

Both my bubs suffered from wind up until about 8 wks, Willems is just settling down now ( 7.5wks). We have been using the Marina Wind drops which have been fantastic.
From what you've said i would think its wind but it would not do any harm to chekc with Riverton or a clinic nurse to check if its silent reflux.
If it is wind we also use a warm heat pack on his tummy, like the blue gel kind that you buy at the chemist, just warm it, wrap it in a light cloth (eg baby singlets are good ) and place on the tummy then wrap over the top. The blue gel kind never go completley cold so should not disturb bub as it cools down. The heat seems to really settle him.
Let us know how you get on.

Vickois - are you sure you don't have my baby?!! Ryan is 3.5 weeks and does exactly the same - he hasn't slept at all today, I haven't even managed to have a shower yet. He falls asleep on me after a feed so I put him down and 5 mins later he's screaming and writhing about. DH works away so I can't palm him off onto someone else for a break - I think I'm losing my marbles...

Sounds like my son when he was young. I endured that from when he was born right up to when he was about 2-3 months old. I finally gave up and just put him on my chest (him lying face down) and my propped up with pillows and let him sleep there for about 2-3 hours. I took a book to read, or watched tv while he slept. At least I could get some peace and quiet while having some 'me' time too.

I don't remember how long this went on for, but it was a while...

Sounds a lot like my DD did. After 7 weeks and several different midwives/MACH nurses telling me I just had to learn how to settle her properly, I finally phoned them and said I was about to lose control (I wasnt really but was sick of not being listened to). They sent around a fantastic nurse for a home visit (was still a wekk later by the time she came), and turned out DD had silent reflux. She wasnt unsettled after every feed either- the stomach acids and stomach contents can go up and down silently for hours after a feed as her silent reflux was also accompanied by a problem with emptying the stomach for digestion.

I'd get her checked and checked until you are happy there is nothing wrong. Dont rule out reflux just because she isnt bringing up her feeds.

Thanks for the replies. Thought I'd update you all. The Infants Friend drops seemed to work miracles. She has calmed down and goes to sleep far more easily. She's even asleep now - but the afternoon sleep has always been her best one. She now resembles a normal baby - well what I consider normal based on DD1.

I also swapped to those cheap "Happy Baby" dummies as she just kept spitting out her Tommee Tippee one. I was avoiding the Happy Baby dummies as you have to sterilise in Milton and I use the microwave steriliser - but it's worth the extra hassle. DD1 had the Happy dummies too (as I was using Milton then).

Has anyone else used these Infants Friend drops? Should I use them every feed? For how long? I might start a separate post to ask this.

I'll see how long this better behaviour lasts, otherwise I'll go to the ECN. I found them particularly dismissive of DD1's reflux - as if I was looking for an excuse. Luckily I was seeing the peadeatrician for her clicky hips and he took it more seriously and sent me for a barium swallow test which confirmed the problem.

So you can actually get a home visit from the early childhood centre nurses can you? Perhaps I should sound more desparate next visit. I actually asked on my last visit that if my first had reflux, was more likely that DD2 would have it, and the ECN said it was random. They seemed to be hinting it was my settling techniques (like Hey_Hey_Hey said). Do ECN approve of these colic relief type drops??

Thanks again for your concerned replies. Fingers crossed that I've found something that helps. Perhaps Ellie41 should try Infants Friend - I never tried any of these colic relief drops with my first daughter.