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Sleep

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Original poster

Grunting and straining at night but not during the day!

22 replies

user1478809156 · 19/04/2017 02:45

Hi
This is my first time posting but I'm hoping someone may have some suggestions on how I can get some sleep at night!
My 3 week old started grunting and straining at night 2 weeks ago and hasn't stopped since!
He is generally a good baby and doesn't cry other than for food but the noises at night are unbareable and I'm unable to sleep through them.
I've read on the internet its wind and digestion and he should grow out of it but has anyone else experienced this?
I am breastfeeding and formula feeding as he is a really greedy baby!
Formula is at night as my other half takes the first shift with him and I'm unable to express enough.
It's horrible seeing him in what seems discomfort although he doesn't actually cry until,he is hungry.
I wind him after feeds but he really hates it so don't tend to do it for long!
Ive not yet mentioned to my hv but will be phoning her tomorrow.
During the day he is generallly fine with only the occasional quiet groan, but generally sleeps really well during the day.

OP posts:

LuchiMangsho · 19/04/2017 02:50

This is natural. You will have to learn to sleep through it. Also in the day time the ambient noise possibly drowns him out a bit.

It doesn't matter if he likes winding or not. It's making him uncomfortable so you have to persist.
Formula is often a bit harder to digest. I wouldn't solely be giving it at night in case that is naking things painful for him.

MumOnTheNurseryHunt · 19/04/2017 02:52

My two week old is exactly the same! Wish I knew the answer as she sounds in pain and uncomfortable (and I also can't sleep!!).

FurryElephant · 19/04/2017 03:31

My DD did this! I was so convinced something was terribly wrong I also read somewhere that it's very likely to just be that their little digestive tract all slows down overnight and it's all such a new sensation of digesting food/having wind etc that it makes them fidgety and seem super uncomfortable. Until a couple of months old they haven't quite figured out how to pass wind/poo properly by relaxing their bum muscles (or whatever the word is) which doesn't help. I tried all sort of infacol and gripe waters and nothing made a difference, then one day I realised that i no longer had a snuffly piglet sleeping next to me, but a relatively quiet baby

FATEdestiny · 19/04/2017 12:18

I wind him after feeds but he really hates it

How are you winding him?

I used to call it a "winding cuddle" - in that all I was doing was cuddling baby and that cuddle just so happens to be in a position to assist wind being bought up.

After a feed, lift baby so that his head is on your shoulder, body across your chest and a hand on baby's back for safety while cuddling.

Then you don't need to be vigorous about it. Just holding baby there cuddling, swaying if you are standing, is often enough. Give it 10 minutes and a burp may come with nothing other than being held in a raised position. Or you can run babies back, again you don't need to be rough with your newborn. Just gentle back rubs and a 10-15 minute cuddle is enough.

Baby usually will fall asleep during this eondobg cuddle. That's normal and natural in a newborn. Once asleep, I'd lay baby down to finish his nap.

majorfwp · 19/04/2017 13:30

I've just come out the other side of this. It's normal. A total pain but it'll change again in a few weeks.

xhannahx · 01/05/2017 19:04

Dd is 12 weeks and we are just starting to see some improvement...she has been doing it since 1.5 weeks.
It's complete exhausting and a whole new level of sleep deprivation when they are asleep (and grunting) and you are wide awake.

I still hate that most people I speak to don't understand the level of noise we are talking, it's a very lonely sleep problem.

Unfortunately we didn't find anything that helped, just time I'm afraid. We now get the odd grunt free night and there seems to be a light at the end of this very noisy tunnel!

Paige24 · 25/07/2021 08:29

I totally understand the noise!! Im sure my HV don't realise how bad the noise is and just put it down to colic........

Seen someone describe it as a stuffy little piglet abd that us so so true!!!

My LO is 7 weeks old today so i am really hoping to does down, but she is being seen regarding milk allergies so I don't know if its related at all.

Nesski · 25/07/2021 18:24

Oh my baby is 5 weeks and yesterday it was like he was shouting in his sleep! Much more vocal than before where he sounded more like a devil/gremlin snorting/grunting/straining like he had the worst constipation in the world! He's asleep the whole time though so I'm still learning, but getting better at, sleeping through it, although I still do peek as it can be terrifying

Enr2 · 06/08/2021 05:32

My little guy does this. Grunting and straining in his sleep and kicking his legs up as if he is in discomfort. I initially thought it was wind and would take him up to wind him but not get anything up. Then I realised I was actually disturbing him by waking him up all the time. He is 10 weeks now and still does it but I'm hopeful he will grow out of it soon!

MayLu86 · 16/08/2021 09:05

We had the same thing. Very worrying and impossible to sleep through! Tried infacol, made sure we winded, tilted the cot slightly…nothing helped. We read that it would improve as her digestive system matured. She’s now 4 months and I honestly can’t remember the last time it happened. Seems like she just grew out of it ages ago. She’s now a very silent sleeper (when she sleeps, that is!! We’re now onto new challenges with the dreaded sleep regression!! 🤦‍♀️ )

Good luck! It will get better. We were told that it’s likely to be more distressing for the parents than it is for baby and think that’s probably true.

CourtneyCox2021 · 16/08/2021 09:11

Omg I forgot my LO used to do this for quite a few weeks when she was born. She doesn't do it now - I get feet slamming now instead 🙄

Owly12 · 24/08/2021 18:43

Ahh I am so glad I found this feed!! I thought something was terribly wrong with my wee one. Nesski describing as a devil / gremlin is spot on. We are often comparing the noises to a gremlin 😂. When they get more frequent and severe during the night I have been waking him to do nappy change and feed but going to try leaving him to see what happens. The only thing is he never cries through the night so how will I know when he’s needing fed?? He is breastfed and is 8 weeks old, however was 5 weeks premature so technically only 3 weeks old.

Flittingaboutagain · 24/08/2021 19:08

Mine does this too. We do lots of wonky winding and cycling legs and sit upright for at least 30 mins after every feed.

CourtneyCox2021 · 24/08/2021 20:32

@owly12 my LO never crys in night for feed. She used to wake and just be really restless so I would feed and she took it 🤷🏼‍♀️🤔 don't know if that's right but what I did. Now she babbles or sometimes does her moan thing/cry when she wants something x

Katielew1983 · 26/08/2021 02:53

Oh my god I am currently sitting in bed close to tears! My little boy has the occasional night like this but hope it won’t become regular. Tonight he has been straining so hard like he has the worst constipation. I have winded in every position possible and the only way he will sleep is on me. However I’m not one to co sleep as it scares me too much and really don’t want to go down that road! Give me strength lol

Muststopeating · 26/08/2021 03:04

Currently feeding my 6 week old. She's our 3rd baby but the other two never made noises like this.

One night it genuinely sounded like she might give birth!

Its already much much better and since (after 3 weeks) she slept through the noises I guess they weren't bothering her. Now she just grunts and groans when she's rolling over or for ages before she wakes up.

Definitely try to wind, it does help. I put DD on my shoulder and then tuck her legs right under her, cuddle her tight and then pat. So much more effective. Always gets a burp and a small sick (which then avoids some of the sick when I lie her down). Also, keep them upright for about 20 minutes after a feed.

After that, if they are sleep through it then they are fine (its just their small tubes, not reflux). I use whire nose, I reckon it helps create a bedtime setting anyway but also helps me dull out some of the grunting (though I can still hear to react to odd noises). If you've never used it it will take a night or two to sleep through but then eventually it becomes comforting.

WaterIsBest · 26/08/2021 03:10

The thread was started 4 years ago 🙈

WTF475878237NC · 26/08/2021 10:48

Yes but the issues are ever present as the recent replies show

Katielew1983 · 26/08/2021 14:38

@Muststopeating I’m hoping it’s a one night thing…. He hasn’t pooed all night which is unusual for him but today we have had 3 poos so far and lots of bottom wind haha!! Hoping for a better night but defo going to try that winding position!

OmarzMum · 21/04/2022 21:21

Oh wow, am I both glad and petrified to come across this. Glad to know this is normal for some babies, i genuinely thought something was wrong with bubs, especially with all the reflux and him not pooping for the past 3 days now 😣, and being very difficult to stay asleep later at night/early morning 😵. Petrified because he’s only 4 weeks and looks like this is something that’ll keep going for a few more weeks. Any advice on the pooing? He’s breastfed, although I now have mastitis and starting penicillin, we burp, feed upright, wait 20-30 minutes before putting down after feed, warm bath, infacol, do the cycling… but nothing has worked and poor baby seems miserable most the time!

SpringSunshine09 · 21/04/2022 21:28

We had this too! Infant probiotics worked for us! We used BioGaia (I think it's called) - infacol wasn't working so found a recommendation for infant probiotics on MN and with I had known about it with my first! Also when we used the velcro swaddles they seemed to help settle things down too X

Bluechoc · 26/04/2022 11:47

I posted about the same thing my lo was 7 weeks

grunting groaning and sounded like I was sleeping in a zoo. Never in the day in naps.

it passed at about 10 weeks and now sleeps fairly soundly. I think it was a mixture of her gut getting used to milk , some reflux and some wind . I used to wind lots/gripe water her and bicycle legs and tummy massage lots in day. Not sure if they helped but Either way glad it’s finally stopped!

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