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Sleep

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Original poster

Moving arms and legs during sleep

10 replies

misswales · 20/06/2007 19:15

Maybe this has already been discussed somewhere, but I can't find it....Our beautiful 4 month old son is waking 4/5 times a night due to thrashing his little legs and arms down in his cot. Have tried swaddling/ grobag/ stretching a sheet over his legs, but he still fidgets like crazy, waking myself and himself (dh is now sleeping in spare room as he has to go to work!). I tend to lean over the cot and hold his limbs best I can until he settles, but after anything from 30mins to an hour he'll be doing it again. Any words of wisdom anyone? - the sleep disruption is driving me mad now....

OP posts:

MegBusset · 20/06/2007 19:57

MW no answers I'm afraid but would like to hear if anyone else has suggestions... DS does this too and as he has bad eczema on arms and feet I think it makes him itch and wakes him up even more.

He is 16.5 weeks and never been swaddled so I think it's a bit late to start now? and is in a grobag too. My back is killing me from leaning over the cot to hold his arms by his sides!

1973magpie · 20/06/2007 20:59

My DD2 is 16 weeks too, and she just started doing this.

I think it's the moro (startle) reflex (a bit like when you feel like you're falling off a chair as you go to sleep).

I have found that when she sleeps in her cot she likes to have a rolled-up towel either side of her (under the sheet) for her to rest/touch her hands on when she startles, and she sleeps much better...

It might just work for us, but hopefully you may have some luck too !

Original poster

misswales · 20/06/2007 21:56

thanks for the quick responses, will try the rolled up towels in the cot tonight...

My back aches too from leaning over the cot, but it does give me an opportunity to work on my tummy muscles!

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Original poster

misswales · 21/06/2007 19:26

The rolled up towels didn't make any difference last night - still up 3 or 4 times, ending in a 5am feed. Thankfully, he dropped off at 6am and stayed asleep in his bouncy chair until 9am so I managed to get some sleep then. I will persevere with the padding in the cot to see if he gets used to it.

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1973magpie · 21/06/2007 21:13

Sorry it didn't work just yet, hope you get some joy (or better advice than mine...) soon

luciemule · 21/06/2007 21:20

My DS did this from birth and wasn't comfy lying on his back so had to lie him on his side (I'm not saying you should do that for SIDS reasons).

Eventually took him to cranial osteopath as he did have a stressful ventouse delivery and after she treated him, (2 seesions later) he could sleep for most of the night on his back and the flailing of arms and legs stopped.

I'd try the rolled up towel thing under the sheets first though as it could just be the openess from not being in the womb.

luciemule · 21/06/2007 21:21

whoops- just read you tried the sheets thing - what sort of birth did you have?

Original poster

misswales · 22/06/2007 15:31

After 19 hours in labour he was born by an emergency c-section. Spoke to a friend whose 9 month old also went through this sort of restless phase, she said nothing could stop him from thrashing, and the only way she got to sleep was by moving him into his own room so she couldn't hear him so much. She said she did this at 10weeks. I'm a bit nervous about putting our DS in another room (he's 17 weeks today) but will consider it if things don't improve...

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Curmudgeonlett · 22/06/2007 15:32

why don't you bring him into bed with you?

charNcoco · 22/06/2007 21:33

my little one was born by emergency c section and does this too, but no where near as much as she did when she was newborn. I manage to just ignore it now as i know nothing is wrong with her (i.e. not hungry etc)i alkso make sure shes in her grobag so she don't kick her covers off. she also grunted SO SO badly for like 6 weeks but this has settled now. i think either u should really persevere to just let him/her try and resettle each time and if not consider moving them into there own room?

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