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3 month old thrashing at night.. help!

3 replies

CEJenkins · 16/07/2023 10:56

Hi all, I’ve posted previously about my babies poor sleep however I feel like I now need help with a separate issue.

My baby is just over 3 months old and sleeps in his next to me crib. What happens in the night is he will wake for a feed, feed, fall asleep on me then I will then put him back in his crib sometimes he stays asleep for 10 mins or so then he will wake up thrashing around - legs smacking the bed, arms smacking himself in the face etc.. he is clearly tired as he will sometimes start to drift off then wake himself back up again my hitting himself. He is kind of rubbing his face too? So I will put his dummy in he will start to drift then he will rub his face and the dummy will pop out then he will start to wake again and I’m back to square one. I feel like it frustrates him even like he’s so tired but he’s fighting it.

The room is always dark with white noise. I’ve tried to hold his arms down but that doesn’t work he just gets more angry. I put my hand on his chest, I pat, I shhh, stroke the head all sorts but nothing seems to work unless I get him out and put him back on the boob. I have also tried to leave him, I can count on one hand the amount of times he has eventually gone to sleep on his own 9/10 he will wake then want to be re settled. Even if I leave him on me after feeding for 10-20 mins to go into ‘deep sleep’ before I transfer he will always inevitably wake up and start the thrashing again. he’s also started to practice rolling so I wouldn’t want to swaddle.

it gets so bad I end up co sleeping for half of the night as he goes down ok for the first stretch. But sometimes he will settle for an hour or two then the legs start going again even co sleeping next to me.

I’ve thought maybe it could be wind?? He is quite sicky in the day so I’ve recently quit dairy and hoping that will help his digestion.

I wouldn’t mind all the night wakes if I new he would go back down after his feed! Just don’t know if there is anything else I can do? has anyone else experienced the same thing and they have grown out of it? At my wits end and about to pay for a sleep specialist any day now so hoping someone can give me some wisdom.

Thank you in advance,
from a v tired mum x

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Tiredjoanna · 16/07/2023 11:03

Don't know how useful I can be but my lo is 9mo now and he was like this even after switching to soya formula as he dairy intolerant. He was a very windy baby also. Infacol before a feed was a godsend as it makes bubbles in stomach smaller so can release wind easier. But my lo is still a nightmare for sleep, thrashing round in cot and pitching himself to stop falling asleep. I still have him fall asleep on the bottle or rock him to sleep. Try the infacol and then when he slightly older maybe sleep training? I've never done it but alot of people swear by it. I really hope you can sort it as I know exactly how you feel. Shattered doesn't even begin to cover it

PhyllisandO · 26/09/2023 02:02

@CEJenkins did this ever improve?

CEJenkins · 26/09/2023 13:41

Hi PhyllisandO,

Yes and no?! He is nearly 6 months now. Shortly after this I decided to cosleep instead as I was so exhausted and have been ever since. So he definitely flaps less being next to me and now he is older is sooo much better at falling asleep by himself and doesn’t need my help as much. The only reason he will flap about now is if he isn’t happy with something or in discomfort.. it definitely got a lot easier, but not sure it me co sleeping has helped this.

I must note he has plenty of independent naps in his next to me crib, and he also does his first sleep cycle in his next to me and rarely flaps with those.. just when he wakes for the first time I tend to go to bed and get him in with me then for the night. Just works for us better.

not sure if that was any help or not?!

xx

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