To ask how to get more sleep?

[Onthedowns]

DS is 13 weeks, 8 corrected. In scbu for 17 days. Tube fed with breast milk but my supply dwindled by discharge time. He has severe silent reflux and mild cmpi. He hates lying on on his back and hates his crib. He is on rantidine gaviscon and neocate. He was settling for first part of evening in pram carry cot this has now stopped. He will only sleep upright on us, he startles very easily to and is not napping well. I have a wrap I use during day he sometimeS naps well. Myself and DH take it in shifts in the lounge for sleep, we have 2 bed bungalow and dd is becoming disturbed by DS. We have plans to do loft extension next year.,I start my day around 3/4 as I won't sleep on sofa with him. However obviously I think he is becoming used to sleeping on us. DH has a stag do coming up and work nights away and I don't know how I will manage with sleep especially as he won't no tolerate his pram cot for a few hours. His crib and cot are raised , he won't lie on his tummy. He won't even settle on a pillow upright in our bed! I have resigned myself to him sleeping on me in bed! But this is obviously not safe. We are consultant privately for his reflux and he is due to move to omprezole . Anyone any ideas?

Will he sleep in a bouncy chair?

Look into safe co sleeping
Don't think bouncy chair is recommended really they should be lying flat

I know they should lie flat Esmerelda but OP has specifically said that DS will not lie flat! Bouncy chairs aren't recommended and I wouldn't leave a baby in one all night but ok for a nap imo which may allow the OP to nap as well. The one we have (baby bjorn) has 3 settings so lies quite flat on the most reclined one anyway.

Oh love is there any relative who would have him for a few hours to give you a break?

Your mum/mil?

My first baby had appalling reflux, the worst the private doctor we ended up paying in desperation said he'd ever seen.

Omeprazole saved us. It is the drug from heaven. I promise you will be ok. The other drugs you mentioned didn't really do much for us but omeprazole is a whole other level.

Give it time to work, but it is amazing.

I went through all the exhaustion thing you talk about, and became so obsessed with omeprazole that I stockpiled it, for years even after DD came off it, in case the bloody reflux ever came back.

Hang on in there.

Thanks he does nap in his bouncy chair which reclines , but he startled awake too! My dd also had silent reflux but with drugs was managed. She co slept also. Because he won't lie flat or settle without being held he won't sleep on the bed. I don't have family around st moment! I am more concerned he is now in a habit of sleeping on us and we can't break this either. I am going to try tonight in my bed again!

Not sure of his prematurity helps but he can't tummy sleep due to his head control either

Why is sleeping on you in bed not safe? My DD (not premature, no medical issues) did this for about 4 months as its how we/she slept best. I got every pillow in the house and made an upright nest to sleep in. My husband worked away so it was only is 90% of the time. From 4 months we just coslept with her lying next to me.

Have you seen the baby hammocks? Babies aren't supposed to sleep flat in Moses baskets or cots - they feel safe when curled up and that's how the hammocks hold them. There are usually some on eBay.

I know you said he doesn't like the pram but I'm not sure whether you mean the carry cot bit or the buggy bit? Our buggy bit reclines flat but when it's on the upright setting it's totally upright - have you tried that? He may be a little young (head control...) but if he can sleep upright then it might be worth a go?

Hugs. It sounds hellish.

I think one of those sleepy head things might work. Maybe a swing?

My refluxy baby was a tummy sleeper. I'd put him down then shh-pat him to sleep. He'd usually do a big burp and a bit of sick (always a bit of sick!!) an then go to sleep.

A babocush

Thanks i just thought the chest wasn't best area to sleep but with my DH going away too and s 4 year old I need to get some sleep I hadn't thought of pram sector will get down from loft! He hates his tummy!

If I could get him to sleep next to me I would! But it's the flat ness

And hang on in there it really does get better.

Is the ranitidine being increased with his weight? We found gaviscon very constipating as it thickens everything, is that an issue? As it was a huge problem for us so we had ranitidine instead. You can have omeprazole and ranitidine together, it doesn't have to be either or. I did find omeprazole a bit of a pain though as you have to dissolve it, the syrup costs £100 a bottle so they don't give it out much. Are you winding him regularly through a feed and keeping him upright after every feed for at least 20 minutes. How raised is his crib? You can angle it fairly high and make a nest so he doesn't slip down the end. It does get better. My ds was on Neocate too and eventually grew out of his cmpa.

Have you tried posting on the allergy board?

Both mine had severe reflux. Dc1 would projectile vomit all and every feed. A constant circle of feeding and then being sick. Had omeperazole and domperidone and was on various medicated milk but he ended up on nanny goat formula which made a massive difference. Ds2 severe silent reflux (his osophagus was burnt) he also had omep and domperidone and medicated milk. First 2 didn't help do was given one that smelt of potatoes! Can't remember the name. Had an amby bed (the hammock) with ds1. I brought them up on my own with very little sleep. I had to co sleep, when very small the only way they would sleep was on my chest with me sleeping upright on the sofa. I'm a very light sleeper (still am) and they were never in any danger. You have to sleep or you will go crazy so do what you need to do.

Does he have a dummy? I found this useful as it soothed mine. Also you will need to raise the change mat (with a cushion under the head end) as any sort of laying flat will hurt. Think about the very small distance between their stomach and their mouth, it doesn't take long to come up..... I also found no jiggling about and people patting him on the back would make it worse.

Yes he's maximum does for weight. His crib is well over 30 and he's upright 90% of the time. He's my second silent reflux child but much worse. Our paed would rather try omprezole on own first so we are starting weekend. We were told the syrup is less effective.

Thanks he won't take a dummy we have tried many and he won't stick with them spits then out all the time! I do cushion etc he's never flat

Sorry if this has already been mentioned but have you tried a reflux wedge? Goes under the crib mattress so they're at an angle and not lying flat. My DS had silent reflux too and it's miserable.

We are looking at reflux wedge this weekend it's our last hope!!

We put ds in his cot with blocks under the legs at the head end. Much better than a wedge as ds would shuffle down somehow.

i would consider not using gavsicon - discuss with the doctor - as it can be worse for silent reflux I seem to remember. We just used ranitidine for ds after trying gavsicon.

Thanks we have been told to use both as gaviscon thickens milk tried carobel and it upset his tummy

What about making a nest of blankets in a push chair so he can sleep upright and strapping him in? Would he sleep like that?