What’s wrong with my baby

[OnlyFoolsnMothers]

My 1 month old will only sleep on us- I don’t mean in the newborn attached 4th trimester way, I mean she physically cannot sleep lying down on her back. She makes the most pained sounds, she sounds congested (even though she isn’t otherwise), wheezes, struggles to take full breaths and struggles until she wakes herself up thrashing about. It’s not seemingly colic as feeds fine, no pained crying, no arching of the back. Wtf is going on? Gp and hv both saying “normal” but I have an older child, children in the family, friends with kids, no one thinks these sounds etc are normal.

I think I would seek another medical opinion, if she’s struggling to breathe, that doesn’t sound right.

Could you film it so the GP can see exactly what you mean?

How is she fed?
Any signs of cows milk protein allergy? (Green nappies, constipation, rashes, eczema etc)

Struggling to breathe is NOT normal. Can you video it and then book an emergency appointment so you can show the GP what's happening?

Bad reflux

Thanks yeh I did film it for both the gp and health visitor, neither think it’s a big deal but she sounds so congested and struggling to breath at night, it’s not just baby sounds.

She’s mainly breastfed, but we introduced a bottle of formula a day when in the first wk she had jaundice and we needed to increase her intake. Some days just breastfed, other days half- a full bottle of formula top up.

Stools are yellow and runny, not the most frequent pooer- at night only recently.
Milk spots and rough red skin on face which is starting to clear up- again the HV said “don’t worry they pass”

Is reflux different to colic?

Record it on your phone and have a look into a floppy larynx. My dd had this not anything to hugely worry about but needs checked

If baby has a snuffly nose it will be harder for her to breathe. Could you put a few drops of Olbas oil on a Muslim square and then put it by her feet. The aroma may help to clear her nose. Don't put it near her face as too strong for baby but by her feet should be ok. Another thing you could try is to boil a kettle without the lid on near to her crib so the vapour may help her breathe more easily.

Thanks caringcarer but she doesnt actually have a stuffy nose it just sounds like she does when she lays flat.

Sounds like silent reflux. My LO was same. We found putting rolled up blankets under her mattress to tilt her helped a lot.

Reflux. I'd put money on it.

Either way she needs checking over. And don't be fobbed off.

My DD was a grunter. It was literally like sleeping next to a farm animal and was literally the worst thing she did, it was SO BLOODY LOUD. 90% of parents I talked to about it gave me blank looks or said “newborns are noisy sleepers” and 10% were like, oh my god, mine did this too and it’s AWFUL. DD also thrashed about while she was doing it but we realized after a few nights she was asleep and not actually crying. My BFF is a pediatrician and we had many conversations about it but she said it really was just DD learning how to poop... and some babies are just real noisy about it. It went away around 8-10 weeks but my god it was awful. Does that sound like your DC?

Reflux, same with my DS2.

I agree with PPs, it sounds like it could be silent reflux. My DS was similar.

Try tilting her sleeping surface to see if that helps. Do you have a bouncy chair? Is she happy in there?

My DS used to get really upset after a burp and writhed in pain. I could smell the acid on his breath. Do you have any signs like that?

I'd definitely get a second (third?) opinion on this - no harm, and far better safe than sorry when it comes to breathing stuff. Sorry you're having to deal with this, OP

My one month old does this, lots of grunting, arm and leg thrashing and like you said noises of congestion or wind where at some point I think she's choking! I've gotten used to her noises now, I rock her into a deep sleep while playing white noise then gently pop her down in her crib and keep the white noise on until she self soothes. I also put her in her Moses basket during the day the same way to get her used to being on her own and on her back. Xx

I rock her into a deep sleep while playing white noise then gently pop her down in her crib and keep the white noise on until she self soothes. I also put her in her Moses basket during the day the same way to get her used to being on her own and on her back

I know this is what everyone says / thinks but this isn’t attachment issues, I had a baby like that. My current baby in question physically doesn’t seem able to lie on her back for longer than 15mins, day or evening, cosleeping in my bed or Moses.
The more I read I think silent reflux possibly. Guess I’ll keep badgering the HV, because after 2hrs sleep, all of which is on me (pressing on my boobs), I can’t take anymore!

Do you have a bouncy chair? Is she happy in there? we do, only had it a few days so she’s just getting used to it, hasn’t been in it enough to know if she’s comfortable in there as such. Will watch closely

My DS used to get really upset after a burp and writhed in pain. I could smell the acid on his breath. Do you have any signs like that? doesn’t seem to get upset after a burp, gets frustrated when I’m trying to get her to burp, but that’s pretty standard right? Didn’t know you could smell acid on the breath- interesting

Gymmat thanks will look it up!

We had this with no. 1 - suspected it was reflux hit told it was normal. Are they happy in a pram? Or a car seat? Ours wasn’t so used a sling A LOT. To a lesser extent we have this with no. 2 although I suppose it could be just very bad wind (currently awake with baby asleep on my chest as also makes the horrendous noises / back arching etc when on back).

With our first it passed around 3 months when he was able to roll on front to sleep.

Fine In a car seat, actually used it for a walk today attached to the Pram wheels and slept peacefully, fine in the Bjorn too.

I’ll email the Hv again and see if I can give her baby gaviscon as a first port of call, after that I may push further and go to a&e to see a paediatric dr.

I'd put money on this being silent reflux.

Just a note that silent reflux doesn't need treatment if not affecting eating and growth. Gaviscon can cause so many issues ie. Constipation so if you can avoid its actually much easier for you and baby. I would try the tilted sleeping surface firstly, they do grow out of it as they get older.

How do u tilt a Moses basket, a small cushion type under the head end of the mattress base?

She slept on me all night and her dad for a couple of hours, and on her belly in our bed for 1hr. if we didn’t wake her to feed she wouldn’t want to wake up.

I appreciate all the suggestions, I’m emailing the hv about silent reflux- though hearing there’s no cure as such is terrifying.