Un-put-down-able 4 month old

[LostCatInArthurStreet]

I'm wrecked. I've got a reflux velcro baby. 4mo will sleep and nap but only on someone. Will tolerate being put down in cot/pram/car seat/bouncer for max 1.5hrs then needs picking up. Tried hand on tummy, cuddling back to sleep then putting down, putting down drowsy but awake, putting down awake, rocking, walking, singing, feeding, changing, etc. Started anti reflux formula last week (also gaviscon) and it's been hot. Health visitor thinks it will get better in a couple of weeks with a change in weather & getting used to the new formula. Will it? I admire her optimism but I'm so tired I can't share it. Oh and I'm terrified of bed sharing. Husband and I currently do shifts where one sleeps in the actual bed upstairs and the other is downstairs with the baby. I'm lucky I've got some friend and family help so I could have an hour or so here and there but it's not enough or sustainable. We've also got a 4 year old who slept in their cot in our room at 4 months with a few wake ups per night which were tough at the time but now seem like halcyon days compared to their sibling. Baby is perfectly healthy and no other concerns so far, just reflux and sleep.

I don't know if I want advice, empathy, reassurance, a rant or what. Thanks for reading either way.

It's tough with reflux. My lo had it. Has lo got a dummy? After a feed keep lo up for a good 30 mins before lying down. Have you got a side crib? Most will incline slightly almost imitating the bouncer pram etc

It could be 4 month sleep regression too. Which doesn't help either. It could be heat too.

Oh dear OP, that sounds tough. In the distant past, we were advised to raise the head of the baby's cot slightly by putting some books under the legs at the top. Check with the HV if that's still current advice? It seemed to help at the time iirc.

Thank you both for your kind replies. I should have said in my OP that baby won't take a dummy and tilting the sleep surface doesn't seem to make a difference. I'm sorry if it comes across as me being dismissive or blunt, I'm just so tired and upset but i do appreciate you replying so kindly. I'm hoping it's like you say and it's regression and heat etc and will pass. I just don't need this, I'm trying to grieve 2 close family members and my head is a mess.

My friend went through the exact same thing OP. I'm so sorry, it's relentless. She had a very clingy, acid/silent reflux baby who also had skin/food allergies. It was heartbreaking to see. She ended up having to get special prescription milk as he had a dairy allergy from the GP. Maybe it's worth going back? She couldn't put him down, up during the night and constant screaming and grunting in pain. He's now 10 months old, he's like a different baby. She had to put him on solids at 5 months and noticed a vast improvement l.

I actually hadn't thought of that. Thank you! Will see how she goes this week then contact GP about a test.

Good luck OP! Xx

My DD was exactly like this, it’s hard OP, I feel for you.

Are you using anti-reflux milk and gaviscon together? Personally I wouldn’t, both can cause constipation and that’ll make things even worse! I’d go back to GP and ask for omeprazole instead of gaviscon and look into possible CMPA.

Annnnd again, I didn't even consider the gaviscon and the anti reflux together could be compounding a problem...thank you!

Will lay off the gaviscon for the rest of the week, give the new formula more time, hope the break in the weather has an impact, and potentially contact the GP next week.