Baby will only sleep upright (plus various other issues). Help!

[drowsylittledame]

This started about a fortnight ago and is getting worse. DS is 6 weeks old and EBF. He?s gone from sleeping for three hours after each feed to waking up every half hour or so during the day, until the afternoon when he starts fussing and crying constantly. We are always winding him but it doesn?t seem to help. He will only settle (after a lot of shushing and rocking) on mine or DH?s chest, but within a few minutes of being put down in his bouncer he is awake and crying again. Often he gets himself so worked up that he can?t feed.

Once he is finally asleep in the evening, he is actually quite settled during the night, then wakes up around 4am making congested coughing noises, and will only settle if I prop myself up with a load of pillows and lay him on my chest.

He refuses to sleep in his crib so I?ve been co-sleeping. He won?t sleep when laid flat so I?ve had to tuck a baby sheet over a very flat pillow so that his head and chest are at an angle. Poor DH has been ousted to the spare room.

I?ve noticed him pulling faces like there is a bad taste in his mouth, and he?s got what looks like a little heat rash around his mouth, neck and shoulders which flares up whenever he?s in a rage (the spots on his neck and shoulders don?t fade when he calms down).

Could it be reflux? He does lots of little sicks throughout the day but I thought this was normal.

We have two long haired cats. It?s crossed my mind ? what with the coughing and sneezing and general congestion ? that he might be allergic.

Sorry for the epic post. Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated.

Hi drowsy. Yes, this does sound like reflux as well as a possible milk allergy. Our ds had reflux from 2 weeks of age and was also ebf; he thrashed around, sneezed, bobbed on/ off boob and screamed blue murder. He was diagnosed with reflux at 9 weeks by paediatrician and it had honestly never crossed my mind (I too thought he was allergic - to feathers). I continued to ebf but gave up dairy and he was prescribed a reflux med. all helped. Good luck.

Oh yes, upright sleeping totally chimes with reflux as the acid pools when they lie flat. You can use a wedge or raise cot at head end with books under cot legs.

Sounds like silent reflux to me....

I found that my two slept on me or preferred side sleeping. I also cut out dairy and soya as they reacted to these but had to make sure I supplemented with calcium enriched oat milk. Took a few weeks to clear my system though.

My two also slept on their sides when cosleeping - rather that than them choking on their acid (which happens to ds - he couldn't breathe for a minute or two which was horrific)

Go see your gp as they can prescribe for reflux. I've just been given infant gaviscon for my 9week old dd. if this doesn't work, there is something else they can give my but I forget the name. Btw as the LO's system matures the reflux will lesson....

Yes do go to see GP. This was my LO around 10 weeks or so.

I would agree with silent reflux. Had same with DS when was a few months old and he would only sleep on me at night, I'd be propped upright or more often downstairs in the armchair. 3 sessions with a cranial osteopath sorted it for us.

Oh and we also wedged the cot bed one side (still do, helps with mucus when he has a cold)

it could well be reflux.

However, it could also possibly be bad wind (which can cause milk and acid to come up and so can appear to be reflux).

speak to your GP about reflux, but it's also worth getting him checked for tongue tie which is a major cause of bad wind.

I don't know about the spots - reflux is often linked to cows milk protein allergy so that's a possible cause. you could try cutting out all dairy and soy from your diet and see if it helps (takes 2 weeks to clear your system tho)