BF 4day old, why won't she sleep? Really bad wind? help me please!

[bumperlicious]

apologies for 1 handed typing whilsts holding yowling baby.

seems to be constant stream of nursing for 10 mins to half hour, winding, then won't settle, just crying, dozing for 15 minutes, changing nappy, more crying. why won't she sleep, doesn't seem to be being satisfied. i have slept average of 3 hours since birth. can't do this any more.

she seems to have really bad wind. possible reflux as was at a&e coz she turned blue a couple of times whilst feeding. been giving her infant gaviscon after feeds from hospital, but she hasn't settled for more than half an hour since we were there, about 4pm yesterday.

help. sorry for rambling. in a state. so tired & weak, still haven't recovered from labour. when will it get better.

[bumperlicious]

ironically only thing that seems to stop her crying is me crying.

[ChipButty]

I was thinking reflux before I read he thread but not sure what to give a BF baby as my DD was prem and was on formula so we added something to her feeds. I would ring the Unit for advice or get the doctor out just for reassurance. Is she your first baby? Going for a drive or walk may settle her in the short term. Thinking of you. xx

[pooka]

Sympathies But congrats on new baby
When you say average sleep of 3 hours, does that mean in total, or a max stretch of 3 hours, then feed, then 3 hours?
Only asking because dd and ds woke 3 hourly when they were really wee, but then it did improve.
Mine didn't have reflux though, so can't really give any advice, just sending you sleepy vibes.

[mckenzie]

really feeling for you bumperlicious.
I have no experience of reflux so can't comment on that but I wonder what sort of birth did you have? My DS had a traumatic birth and was so unsettled to start with, just like your DD. Cranial osteopathy made so much difference.

[Amberjee]

bumperlicious, i really feel for you. its so hard when they are unsettled and so little, mine was like that as well. i'm wondering if you could carry your LO in a sling. it was the only way i got mine to sleep in the early days. just wear him and go for walks or even wear him around the house. i used the kari-me sling which is a stretchy cotton material which hugs them close, so probably feels a bit like being swaddled (or in the womb). my LO hardly cried when he was in the sling which was a saviour.
lack of sleep is so hard too. is there anyone who could hold LO for a while so you could get some rest?

[Amberjee]

ps. my LO had reflux and hated lying on his back, but it gradually did get better- he just naturally grew out of it. he is purely breastfed and we did try gaviscon, but couldn't get enough into him so gave up. i used to just carry him all the time so he was upright whcih seemed to help a lot.

[bumperlicious]

Thanks for the messages, the 3 hours sleep is total average per day for me, since giving birth. She has been sleeping well until the last 24 hours.

dh has her for the moment. gave him the fright of his life as I went into wake him up sobbing, he lept 10 feet into the air, and now I feel awful for frightening him too.

she is asleep for the minute. will see how she goes after the next feed.

thanks for the messages. will speak to the midewife when she comes today. feeling a bit calmer for the moment. waiting for a sling to arrive in the post so will try that as soon as it gets here.

[ChipButty]

Hope you all manage to get some rest and that the midwife can offer you some helpful advice. All I can say is that it does get better and you are doing all the right things at the moment. Let us know how you get on. x

[Amberjee]

hope the sling might help bump, i know it saved me many many times. even when i take ds out in the buggy now, i still have the sling in the basket below in case of emergency! its amazing how many women you see walking along with empty prams and a baby in a sling.

i also got a student in to hold ds for a few hours in the afternoon so i could go to bed in the early days after dh went back to work. that was the other thing that saved me until i started to get a bit more sleep. getting a few hours inthe afternoon pretty much doubled my daily dose of sleep.

hope all goes well with the m/w

[Amberjee]

ps. 4 days is so little. i promise it WILL get better. hold in there, you are doing an amazing thing.
your only responsibilities at the moment should be to feed the baby (if BF), hold the baby (but share this with dh and whoever) and get some rest. please see if you can get family, friends, neighbours, whoever to cook, shop, clean etc. xx

[Amberjee]

sorry, i'm an idiot, of course you are bf, it says that in your first post.
see, i'm still tired, but not nearly so tired as you. lots of hugs.

[InTheseShoes]

Sorry you're having a bad time - on day 4 with my DS2 my milk came in and he had terrible wind, it was a dreadful combination, but it eased off the next day, I really hope that you find this too. Meanwhile, great advice about the holding and getting help. Chant your Mummy Mantra: This too will pass, this too will pass, this too will pass...

[tiktok]

Aw, bumperlicious

This is day 4. It is early days. You have had a horrible fright when she turned blue. You are tired and upset.

No wonder you are tearful.

How about staying off the flippin' internet and just resting when you can, comforting your baby by holding her close and feeding her as often as she wants...with you getting waited on, too, of course?

Your baby has had a variety of experiences too, since birth - being born, being taken to hospital, back home...she needs a lot of comfort, closeness and reassurance

Things will get better

[bumperlicious]

Thanks for all your support. We are getting there with the feeding now, though it is currently a 2 man job! (DH holding DD's hands so she doesn't scratch my bleeding nips!). Got some infacol on the advice of the mw, which will hopefully help.

We are doing ok, unfortunately her most fractious time seems to be early hours of the morning, but it is still early days. Looking forward to this getting easier!

Just need to think of all the washing up if we were FF, and that'll hopefully keep me going!

[ScoobyC]

Dear bumperlicious,
I really feel for you, sounds like ds when he was little, was pretty much the worst few weeks of my life as he had reflux and colic. It did get better but what saved me re the sleep was co-sleeping - wonder if you might consider this?

All the best, glad the feeding is improving.

[Amberjee]

hey, you're doing well. one thing you could think of swaddling LO while you feed to keep those naughty arms out of the way. we had to do this for a while.

[onechild]

your doing well my mom told me to put tiny bit sugar in some cooled boiled water to give my dd she had horrendous colic was bf, the gaviscon does work i found it helped more before the feed,
Could you put lo in sling to calm them?

[fearscape]

Haven't read all posts so sorry if I'm repeating something. Sounds very much like reflux based on my experience. Ds had silent reflux (wasn't sick) when newborn, he was prem so I've fed him many times attached to an oxygen monitor and seen his saturation levels drop with every feed, like you described (well the turning blue). If she isn't responding to the gaviscon there is stronger medication, ds was on ranitidine and domperidone, so do go back to gp/mw. Other thing that helps is to keep the baby as upright as possible. Try feeding in the rugby ball hold tucked under one arm (ask mw if unsure) with dd almost upright, in a sort of sitting position. Lots of cushions, behind your back and under dd, might help with this. Put books under the legs of her moses basket/cot to raise up her head above her tummy (we had ds on such a steep slant I sometimes found him in a heap at the bottom of his moses basket - not sure that was a good idea !). She might settle better in a sling, where she is upright (not one of those where the baby is in a more fetal position) - get dh to wear it and go to bed! My sling was a godsend for ds. You could also try giving the gaviscon before feeds - I did this with ds on advice from the hospital. Also means you don't have to wake her up if she falls asleep feeding. We were told to hold ds upright for 30mins after each feed. Not ideal at 3am but might help. Sling also comes in handy for that. So sorry you're struggling, it will get better, ds was off all medication by 3 months corrected age. Do hope you get good support from your mw or gp. Also sorry for long rambling post!