Baby just won't sleep... help!

[LouMoo13]

Need advice, help or maybe just a handhold...

DS is 5 weeks old and for the last two weeks has been refluxy/ colicky. He's breastfed and has always woken on average every 2 hours to feed. This I can cope with... over the last week his sleep has gone downhill. I have to hold him up for 20-30 mins after food and now after that he can't settle in the cot. If I'm lucky I can get him to do half an hour but mostly he thrashes around and cries in pain or discomfort.

He will sleep on my chest but obviously this isn't much good as I can't sleep if he does this... he has white noise and a swaddle Gro bag. Co- sleeping doesn't make much difference as he really hates being on his back...

So what do you do with a baby that's so obviously uncomfortable on their back?

Is it gas/wind related? I tried probiotics drops and also baby massage (which helped him fart a lot) and eventually the problem went away .. probably after a week? Not sure if it was because of the drops and massage or just his digestive system maturing

Can you prop up his mattress to raise his head. A folded towel under it can work well.

Thanks @SeaToSki we've already raised one end of the cot but maybe it's not enough so might play around with that...

@Kisskiss I assume it's some kind of discomfort. He has infacol and have tried grip water but not sure if either work. I'm hoping it really is just a phase as his system matures. Just need to survive until then!

My little one is only a few weeks older than yours but will thrash around like you describe if his arms are tucked in. A normal sleeping bag with arms out helped so much! That and keeping a fairly firm hand on tummy when first putting down, makes them think you’re still there apparently

I put my DD on her front. I know it isn't advised but i remember the first time I did that and she slept for about 2 hours straight without me and it was a miracle. It didn't last longer than 2 hours but I needed that. Eventually I brought her in bed with me and slept that way. Again, I know it's not advised, but I was absolutely demented by that point and have no regrets. The best piece of advice I was given was to not be afraid to spend a day in bed watching box sets and sleeping with the baby when I could. Being told that was ok made me feel less guilty about doing it.

Hi @LouMoo13 we had exactly the same problem with my daughter. She’s 14 weeks now. In the end I got medication from the GP- lansoprazole. That was the only thing that worked. She’s scream until her face was purple it was horrendous. We weaned off the medication about 4 weeks ago and she’s absolutely fine now. Although I still hold her up for half an hour after feeds.
That sounds a lot like wind and trapped wind can actually make reflux worse. Try the wonky winding technique and have a look online for baby massage to help with wind. The first time I tried it my LO farted that much she pooed 😂🙈 she slept well that night!

@NovRainbow5 the wonky winding is interesting, when I hold DS up after feeds he wiggles to be at that angle! With the massage did you do it all day or before bed or when baby was in pain?

@Bluebooby I was so tempted to try lying on the front, not quite brave enough because of SIDS but was wondering if there comes a point where you have to break some of the rules! So sleep deprived I fell asleep in the chair with him the other night which is also bad...

Is he hungry?
My daughter was like this and it was milk protein intolerance and silent reflux. We had to put her on special formula and nexium.
However she also could only sleep on her stomach. The paediatrician told us if we were falling asleep holding her then it was safer for her to sleep on her stomach in a flat, empty cot with tightly fitted sheet than with us. Of course you must never swaddle a baby on their stomach.
So she slept on her stomach until the meds and formula really helped and then we started doing some naps and sleeps on her back, eventually all on her back and a few weeks later she could roll anyway and got herself onto her tummy then stayed there.

@LouMoo13 I did it after a bath in the evening before getting her dressed. Don’t do it straight after a feed or he may be sick wait about 40mins- I learnt this the hard way 🙈

Thanks @NovRainbow5 I'll avoid that!

That's interesting @LapinR0se I definitely don't think I can follow all of the normal safe sleep advice as he simply want no sleep still it's knowing what's the next best option...

OP have you established a dummy yet? Can make a big difference for unsettled babies.

@FATEdestiny I haven't because my DD never took one so haven't even tried but might be worth a go...