Advice for mad 6mth old, please!!

[CheekyGirl]

Ds is 6mths now and has had reflux since birth. He's on meds for it, but they don't make a lot of difference. We've just started solids, bit of rice and apple so far. He's not very keen. He's a big bf baby who weighs 19lbs.

He's not too bad during the day, happy and cheerful, has 2 naps of completely varying length - half an hour to two hours. He goes to bed around 7:30-8pm after a bath and stories with his sister.

The problems begin there. He is in a cot beside our bed as we only have 2 bedrooms, and I want him in the same room anyway. He never sleeps for longer than an hour at a time. Sometimes he wants a bf, sometimes he just screams at me. Often he just won't settle, either in his cot or in bed with me and dh. i honestly don't mind where he sleeps, as long as he sleeps!!! I often find myself waking up after falling asleep bolt upright in bed. I can't feed him lying down due to the reflux. I've coped with this for 6mths now, i don't know how much longer I can go on.

I don't want to do cc or anything, as i am not convinced he's not in pain from the reflux. I'm happy to feed him in the night as i'm sure he gets hungry as he's a big boy and not on much solids yet. I just wish he'd settle in between times!

Any ideas??

[KiwiKate]

Try doing a google search for reflux support groups in your area (or ask your paediatrician if he/she knows of any). I've heard via friends who had a bad reflux baby that such groups are a godsend.
Good luck

[Harrie]

Have seen matresses which are like a bit wedge of cheese for babies with reflux. It stops the acid coming back up and causing pain. Either that or do you tilt him matress up so his head is higher than his feet. Sorry this is probally 2nd nature to you, but I saw it on the baby whisperer and I know you don't always get all the advice you need.

[KiwiKate]

but be careful of using a pillow for small babies (some do to try it to help with reflux) and it can actually cause cot death (not to be alarmist!), but it can push the baby's head towards the chest when sleeping and this can close up the breathing passages. There has been a recent tragic case of this in my area where the parents thought it would help their kids breath easier, but had the opposite effect. A titled mattress though should be ok because it does not change the angle of the head in relation to the body.