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Original poster

Baby groaning with wind at night

30 replies

LaLaLaaaa · 06/10/2015 08:54

Can anyone help with advice please? DS is 10 weeks and for the past 5 weeks has been groaning and writhing in his sleep from 4am onwards with wind - it sounds awful but he is still asleep. He does cry out but if I turn light on he's asleep so i put hand on him and he calms back down and stays asleep. I know it's wind because he'll fart and then quieten down, either by himself or if I lift his legs up to help release the wind. I have taken to picking him out and holding him from about 5am onwards because he doesn't groan when he lies on side on me and goes into deep sleep.

I do all the recommended things every day - bicycle legs, rotate legs, push legs up to chest, winding lots after feeds, tummy time, massage and I give him gripe water each day to help him to pass it.

I'm really started to worry though because it's getting earlier and the last few nights it has started at 11pm and carried on all night and I really don't think he can be sleeping properly if he's constantly groaning and writhing. He wakes to feed at around 1am and 4am. I feed him, wind him and put him back down and he sleeps soundly for about half an hour before groaning starts again.

I've tried gp who gave me the usual 'it's just colic give him infacol' advice. It's definitely not reflux as the wind comes out each time I help him and it only happens when he's been lying on his back a long time at night.

I've read up about it and from what I can see it is very common and due to an immature gut and he'll grow out of it. But when? And is there anything I can do in the meantime? Do any of you have experience with this? I'm very tired myself and worried that my son isn't getting proper sleep.

OP posts:

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daluze · 06/10/2015 10:25

I remember spending nights worrying about that with DS1. But I don't think you can do much more than you already doing. I can't remember when exactly he grew out of that - around 4-5 months I think, but then his sleep regressed and I longed the nights he was grunting, but still asleep! My DS2 is a grunter too (now 7 weeks), but if he sound asleep, I just leave him to this (unless it gets close to crying). I do feel for him though... it can't be comfortable, but besides to burping, tummy massage and lifting legs not that much you can do...

Sparrowlegs248 · 06/10/2015 10:35

DS is also 10 weeks and also does this but he has reflux as well. He is having gaviscon which helps but he is still in a bit of discomfort. He does however like to sleep on his side and seems more comfortable that way. He puts himself on his side. He's worse if i put him down on his back until he rolls onto his side (he's done this from the day he was born)

I find if he does get all grunty, I pick him up and pat his back he will often do an almighty burp (even though i will have winded him earlier)

We are also co sleeping which somehow is less disturbing for me.

Etak15 · 06/10/2015 10:43

My ds use to do this, I took him to docs too and he said it's fine?! He's 10 months now doesn't do it any more but does cry when he poos (not constipated) I have put it down to being a boy thing! My dd's never did it.

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octonuddle · 06/10/2015 13:39

OP...I could have written your post...DD also 10 weeks and does exactly the same. I hate to see it as she seems in such discomfort, but is asleep so I don't wake her. Lying on her front (on me) helps massively and I usually bring her into bed with me around 4am until 6 when she feeds. Can't offer any other wisdom but hopefully someone will come along and help us! I'm feeling your pain.

Original poster

LaLaLaaaa · 07/10/2015 07:36

Thanks everyone, sounds like it's just something he'll grow out of and we just have to wait and make him as comfortable as possible in meantime :(

OP posts:

daluze · 07/10/2015 10:25

Just remembered, with DS1, I used to carry him upright on my shoulder for 10-15 minutes after night feeds - both to reduce posseting and to get some delayed burps. It sort of helped a bit (or at least made me feel that I am doing something to help him!)

Olafscarrotnose · 08/10/2015 01:26

If your formula feeding it would be worth trying a comfort milk, worked wonders with my grunting and groaning ds, he's much happier.

WorldsBiggestGrotbag · 08/10/2015 02:09

Yep DD (12 weeks) does the same. Problem is I can't sleep through the noise so I end up awake most of the night.

Sparrowlegs248 · 08/10/2015 03:42

Same here grotbag God only knows how the husband sleeps through it. He was genuinely surprised yesterday when I said i had been up all night.

And now i have a rotten cold so although the baby has been much better tonight, i am coughing and sputtering.

furtivefeline · 08/10/2015 04:03

Yes same here. DS is 9 weeks. Always after the last of the night feeds ie around 4am. Putting him on his left side helps ( with a rolled up cellular blanket to keep him in position). And earplugs for me.

Not sure when it will naturally stop. DD was terribly loud with the grunting and I put her in her own room from 4 months as it was impossible to sleep!

Original poster

LaLaLaaaa · 08/10/2015 05:28

He's been better tonight - put loads more effort into winding all day, did baby massage etc and he's gone til 4:30am without groaning but started then. I can ignore it for a bit but at some point he always cries out and wakes so I need to pick him up then of course he wants feeding. I've felt his tummy and its rigid and his legs are going up loads so it's obviously wind.

He's bf on demand.

I'm really hoping he grows out of it as I'm shattered :(

OP posts:

LeaveMyWingsBehindMe · 08/10/2015 05:41

I always swore by gripe water.

Cirsium · 08/10/2015 06:14

Boots Gripe mixture worked really well for my 8 month old DD who had reflux and bad wind until a couple of months ago. However we did find after a while of using it regularly that she actually seemed more windy, which is listed as a possible side effect. She's another one who has always preferred sleeping on her side/front. Was great when she began rolling properly so we could let her.

TiesThatBind · 08/10/2015 08:01

Doing masses of tummy massage (5/10 minutes four times a day) and giving probiotics has helped my Bf DS2 a lot. He is now 12 weeks and still suffers a occasionally, but it is much better.

Sympathies my DS1 was the same and it is agonising to be so tired.

Original poster

LaLaLaaaa · 08/10/2015 08:05

Ties I was thinking probiotic would be useful as he had antibiotics at 2 weeks old. Which one did you use please?

Thanks so much for all the advice and support! I feel better for having had a bit more sleep last night

OP posts:

octonuddle · 08/10/2015 08:13

So update from me....went cold turkey and stopped gripe water and infacol since last post two days ago..and would you believe she has been miles better.....so would agree with cirsium that extended use can actually make them worse! There is probably an optimal level (which I'll never find I'm sure). Will see how she is over the next few days and might start to reintroduce on some feeds if she gets worse again. Might be worth trying with your DS?

Original poster

LaLaLaaaa · 08/10/2015 08:23

That's interesting octo! We've been using gripe water once a day for about 4 weeks. Upped to 3 times yesterday and it seemed to help but perhaps I should take him off it. Have you tried infacol? It didn't work for us

OP posts:

Original poster

LaLaLaaaa · 08/10/2015 08:24

Doh! You mentioned infacol

sleep deprived

OP posts:

Hufflepuffin · 08/10/2015 09:47

My DS had this, what helped us was lots baby tummy massage and winding during the day - I can send you the massage routine I followed at every nappy change if you like? (It's the colic one from the book we were given in baby massage class.)

Also winding for at least five minutes after every feed - I set a timer as five minutes is actually as really long time!

I wonder now though if his latch was part of the problem, as we ended up having his tongue tie cut at 14 weeks.

He will grow out of it regardless!

TiesThatBind · 08/10/2015 11:18

I used Biocare Infantis, but BioGagia and are also good apparently and you can get them on Amazon. Bit of a faff to give but really effective for us. If you aren't already I really would double up on the baby massage, I think somehow massaging the gut helps it function.

Original poster

LaLaLaaaa · 08/10/2015 21:54

Yes please to the baby massage advice!

And thank you so much for the advice about the probiotic!

Today we've stopped giving gripe water, started Infacol and upped the winding and massage. We will see how he is....

OP posts:

AimUnder · 08/10/2015 22:00

Have you ruled out a food intolerance or allergy? (could be passing through breast milk)

Cirsium · 08/10/2015 23:31

Infacol made DD much worse as it works by joining all the small air bubbles together and the resulting burps irritated her reflux. In fact it was infacol that helped me diagnose her as she had silent reflux and started being sick. Boots gripe mixture is a different thing to Woodward gripe water, it definitely worked better (until it made things worse), within minutes of a dose sometimes. We also used dentinox colic drops on occasion too. She was prescribed ranitidine for her reflux which worked quite well (i stopped waking in the night to her choking). We had a brief try at domperidone, but that made her very agitated.

I am glad my bag was never searched anywhere with all the syringes of medication I carried.

Original poster

LaLaLaaaa · 09/10/2015 02:50

Aim - I'm cutting out dairy to see if that helps.

He seems much better tonight - he's gone through to 2am before waking for feed and he's not as wriggly as usual.

Currently trying:
Stopping giving regular gripe water in case that was adding to problem
Infacol before each feed
Winding loads
Massage
Leg bicycling
Tummy time
Holding upright 15 min after feed
Dairy free mum

Phew...hopefully something helps!

OP posts:

TiesThatBind · 09/10/2015 03:06

That is great LaLa - hope the rest of the night goes really well.

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