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4 week old tense and frantic at nighttime

4 replies

DIYandEatCake · 07/01/2014 23:53

4 week old ds seems to have got into a pattern of being peacefully asleep most of the day, then waking at dinner time and not settling til around midnight (I'll get him asleep, he'll wake 10 minutes later and start fussing). He's tense and frantic, scratching at my chest, moving jerkily and crying in a really tense way (like he's so tense the sound almost doesn't come out). Some of it is wind, but even a big burp doesn't seem to help. I'm finding it really hard going - I have a 2.10yo so my days are: awake from about 5am with restless ds, dd up at 7, on the go all day (dd doesn't nap any more), ds starts getting frantic as dd goes to bed and fusses til midnight or 1am, 2 hours sleep, feed, an hour or two sleep, up for the next day... Dd was up late as a baby but was more of a cluster feeder, so was just latched on for ages.
Has anyone got any tips for calming him down? He ends up gulping air, getting wind and puking, it's like a vicious circle. He's finally settled to feed now and I'm really hoping he goes to sleep soon...

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
MinkBernardLundy · 08/01/2014 00:07

Could it be reflux? Some reflux babies don't throw up as much as they just scream. some all night and others all day. does he e.g. settle down a birthday jfk you hold him more upright?

And also Brew sounds like hard work OP.

MinkBernardLundy · 08/01/2014 00:08

A bit if you hold him upright.

I have no idea why I am going on about the birthdays of dead presidents!!! Grin

RunningBear78 · 08/01/2014 00:15

The tense jerkyness and scratching sounds like serious over tiredness. My ds was like this, very colicky and with reflux until about 7-8 weeks.
90 minute sleep program is helpful, gives you a time to aim for so you know it won't last all night! (basic theory is babies work on 90 min sleep and awake cycles. Time 90 mins from waking and yr lo will be ready for a snooze. Do all you can to keep him calm, then go all out from about 80 mins with rocking, shhhing, walking, patting, white/pink noise what ever works to get lo to sleep!)Good luck :)

Oh, I found large bags of giant chocolate buttons helped me get through the evenings :D

MinkBernardLundy · 08/01/2014 19:42

Bit out of fashion but would you consider a dummy?
worked well with my fussy reflux dt.

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