Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Sleep

Join our Sleep forum for tips on creating a sleep routine for your baby or toddler. Need more advice on your childs development? Sign up to our Ages and Stages newsletter here.

Flip

Original poster

Fidgety sleeper, any advice?

13 replies

tinyk · 11/08/2011 08:24

Hi,

My DS is now 6 weeks old. He's been an on-off sleeper since he was born but I really have nothing to complain about... EXCEPT that after his first (of 2) night feeds he fidgets and makes noises for the rest of the night!

I'll explain in more detail: he sleeps swaddled and from 8pm to about 130am he sleeps like a dream. At 130 he has a really efficient feed, and appears to go back to sleep. He settles in his basket for about 20min but then spends the rest of the night asleep (or at least with eyes closed) but struggling against the swaddle and squeaking/groaning in his sleep. If he is unswaddled he flails and wakes himself up so I think it's not swaddle related. He usually feeds again at 430, but I believe that's just because he's waking himself up and not because he's really hungry, as the feed is half-hearted. The biggest issue is that he us then nearly impossible to settle back into his basket. We've developed a bad habit of him falling asleep on me and then joining us in out bed for the rest is the night. Fine now, but would like to break the habit.

Anyone had a similar child and have any advice?

OP posts:

Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

doughnutty · 11/08/2011 08:45

Bumping as I've no answers because we've got similar issues without the efficient feeding. Sometimes taking as little as 1 oz before refusing more. She's 7 weeks and ff (know this causes more wind issues) and goes mostly 3 days without pooing.
Think our DD's problem is wind/tummy related. Started infacol. Will move to next teat size, then comfort milk and finally dr browns bottles if things don't improve.

DontShootTheDog · 11/08/2011 14:54

Oh, you could be me OP! Mine is 6 weeks, EBF but not swaddled (as I can't master it!). Sleeps til 2.30am fine then has good feed and falls asleep. But then disturbed sleep til 4.30 when it peaks, when I usually feed to re-settle, then disturbed 'sleep' til about 6am. DS1 then gets up at 7am (yawn).

I think with mine it is related to a blocked nose to some extent - does yours grunt and snort and look like he can't get comfy? Saline drops help a bit with mine but just off now to get a spray to try too. So annoying isn't it, as I'm sure he'd sleep right through after 2.30 feed if he could!

Original poster

tinyk · 12/08/2011 17:40

Well, at least I'm not alone. Sounds like a relatively common issue so I guess he'll grow out of it!

OP posts:

WorrisomeHeart · 12/08/2011 18:21

I was very surprised at how noisy newborns at when sleeping when I had DS (now 9.5mths). It's something they do grow out of which is fine but probably little comfort at the moment! Wind can often exacerbate things so try and make sure you've cleared it all before putting him down. Otherwise can you try putting the cot on your dh's side? Also don't worry about him sleeping in with you - it's way too early to worry about habits to be broken, just take all the sleep you can get! Good luck!

fififrog · 12/08/2011 19:07

We found things got a lot better when we moved her into her cot.nd.own.room.at 11 weeks - she was outgrowing the Moses basket nd I think the wickery noise prevented her.from.sleeping. she used to stay awake up to an hour after feeds at your LO's age but now usually goes straight back to sleep, since about when we moved her.

Obviously the complete opposite of cosleeping, which I had resorted to for a while and while I loved cuddling her I found we all slept really poorly with the restricted space. If it works for you though, go with it!

Original poster

tinyk · 15/08/2011 08:05

The issue isn't really noise, it's that he isn't sleeping well. He's trying to sleep but struggling. I think it's a nose issue now, having sat up and watched it. He's having trouble breathing. We may need a humidifier!

OP posts:

mnistooaddictive · 15/08/2011 08:16

We had this with dd2. I found if I played classical music she stopped it. I used tonput classic fm on. When the music was imaging she was quiet, in the tally nuts she would snuffle. No idea why though

ellsbellls · 16/08/2011 08:31

DS1 of exactly the same age sounds very similar OP. He has never slept well but finally a pattern seems to be emerging:

He goes down around 7.30pm until 11-11.30 ish, dream feeds, back to sleep 11.30 - 3.am (sometimes wakes around 1am too but fortunately this seems to be stopping), then wide awake until 4.30, sleeps fitfully but usually on me, won't go back in his basket - grunting, flailing, generally grisling until 5.30, awake until 6.00, sleeps fitfully again until 6.30, then sleeps more soundly back in basket 7-8.30.

He is swaddled which he normally likes but seems to fight during in the restless sleep periods - but can't sleep without it as he startles himself. The room is dark with white noise playing.

His naps during the day are getting better and he doesn't seem to be unsettled during those.

This is SO much better than it used to be that I am reluctant to complain but if anyone has any suggestions as to why his sleep gets so restless in the early hours I would be very grateful!

lilysma · 19/08/2011 14:54

Yes, same here. DS (DC2) is nearly 4 weeks, (which I know is really little!) and has really restless sleep most of the night - like yours he's grunting, flailing and snorting. I can rarely get him 'asleep' before 11 pm - it is usually more like 12 or 1 am and then he wakes every two hours for a feed but that would be okay if he was actually sleeping in between - I spend half of the time shushing and patting him to try to get him to stay asleep.

We are co-sleeping as the only sleep I get is passing out for a short while during one of his quieter periods. I find he settles down a bit more towards the morning. Like yours he seems to have a blocked nose (can be very noisy feeding). He really fights swaddling. He doesn't really do naps at all except on me or in the sling, but then sometimes miraculously settles for several hours in his basket after being taken out of the sling and then sleeps like the proverbial babe! So he can do it but no idea how to encourage him to do it more of the time.

After having a nightmare with DD's sleep (she's now 4 and sleeps really well, but we had to resort to CC at 6 months) I was really hoping to to better this time but seem to be doing worse despite all my best efforts . I really hope he does grow out of it...

lilysma · 19/08/2011 14:55

BTW the midwife recommended a dummy but I wasn't sure if 4 weeks is a bit soon to offer one - I exclusively BF him and would like to keep it that way....any knowledge about this?

Original poster

tinyk · 19/08/2011 17:17

Hi! An update: I've done the following and it has helped:

humidifier
nose-clearing aroma on the hood of the cot
raising the head of the cot a couple of inches
saline up his nose and sucked back out just before bed
ear plugs for me so that I don't wake up during the snoring!

Better night last night!

dummies I am breast feeding exclusively and have used a dummy since wk 2. No problems and it helps him self-soothe. I introduced EBM at wk 4. Ditto, no issues.

OP posts:

DontShootTheDog · 29/08/2011 06:48

elsbells that is my ds2 8 weeks to a tee! any luck improving things? I have been in tears this morning, very little sleep since 4am.

ellsbellls · 02/09/2011 13:12

DontShoot No real improvement here I'm afraid. It's very strange. I've tried more winding, unswaddling, everything that I can think of but nothing seems to help. Let me know if you have any success!

Flip