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4 week old sick every time laid down flat

12 replies

roshi42 · 11/04/2024 04:00

I am trying to get my 4 week old to sleep in a Next2Me instead of in my arms... I realise it is dangerous for me to be sleeping with her held in my bed. But every time I lay her down flat she is sick. I burp her after feeding and hold her upright for at least half an hour. Then she goes off to sleep perfectly happily in my arms, cradled but lying flat-ish. But when put down flat in her crib she almost immediately vomits, every time. She's not too disturbed by this and I have read that the dangers of choking are minimal. But then her pyjamas and bed are all cold and wet! Any experience or tips for this?

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 11/04/2024 05:23

Honestly, it's completely brutal but just time until her wee system develops, and if it doesn't resolve, off to the GP for medication.

Layer mattress protector, sheet, protector, sheet x 3 so you can just whip off a double layer. Can also tuck muslins in tight across mattress at head height.

teenboymom · 11/04/2024 05:26

Is she swaddled? Could you try that plus putting up bar of next to me and raising the cot so that she's not completely flat

Habbyhadno · 11/04/2024 05:26

Can you tilt the cot up? I used to stack a few books under my kids cots to help with this? Also keep upright for 20 mins after feeding.

Wossupdoc · 11/04/2024 05:43

Are you breastfeeding or formula feeding or both?

CanaryCanary · 11/04/2024 05:59

Sounds like reflux: very common as their systems aren’t fully developed yet.
Ask your Gp for help, the medicine will really help. Plus there’s lots of things you can do like prop up the mattress so she sleeps at an angle.

roshi42 · 11/04/2024 08:18

Wossupdoc · 11/04/2024 05:43

Are you breastfeeding or formula feeding or both?

Formula feeding mainly, with some breast - my milk didn't come in properly so having to keep her alive with formula but still trying to give some immunities by nursing as much as possible.

But yeah, bottle mostly, which I try and pace, but she does still take pretty fast. Also try and burp as thoroughly as possible.

OP posts:
roshi42 · 11/04/2024 08:21

Yes, I'm sure it's reflux, but speaking to the health visitor they're not really bothered as it's pretty normal and she is putting on weight.

I didn't realise tilting the cot was okay... I might try that. It's just the totally flat on the back that seems to trigger food coming up immediately- makes sense, it would me, if I were feeling sick!

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Wossupdoc · 11/04/2024 15:39

I realise it is dangerous for me to be sleeping with her held in my bed.

When you say held, do you mean you are both lying on the bed, with your arm around her? If so, this is perfectly safe for a breastfeeding mother like you, provided you are following the Safe Sleep Seven (on Lullaby Trust website) - no pillows or duvets near her, sober etc.

(If you mean sitting up with you holding her than yes, there's a risk of her falling out of your arms, best to create safe space on the bed and lie down together)

Breastfeeding, even if not excusively, produces hormones which put you in a special state of alertness even whilst sleeping, and keeps your baby in a lighter sleep - this keeps your baby safe - safer than in a cot where they can sleep too deeply. It's why SIDs does not exist in countries where bedsharing is the norm.

https://www.basisonline.org.uk/hcp-bed-sharing-and-non-breastfeeders/

Bedsharing can also help with reflux, as baby can fall asleep feeding in the side lying position which can help keep milk down. Some mums do the classic 'cuddle curl' position when bedsharing, but wtih baby's head elevated slightly by resting it on your arm, to help with reflux.

Possetting is totally normal though - they say it is simply a laundry problme rather than anything wrong with baby.

Are you seeking support to to increase the amount of breastfeeding or you're happy with your current set up?

Bed-sharing without breastfeeding -

Although we have some evidence that mothers who previously breastfed, or who commenced breastfeeding and then switched to formula, retain the bed-sharing characteristics of breastfeeders it is currently unknown whether parents who have never breastfed...

https://www.basisonline.org.uk/hcp-bed-sharing-and-non-breastfeeders

Bakingdiva · 11/04/2024 15:47

My dd was like this - perfectly happy asleep then just 🤮, still fast asleep and totally unconcerned. (Not in pain or crying or anything like that)

We gave up in the end, just tucked a muslin under him that we could remove and left him to it......it stopped by about 3-4 months.

Bakingdiva · 11/04/2024 15:48

Bakingdiva · 11/04/2024 15:47

My dd was like this - perfectly happy asleep then just 🤮, still fast asleep and totally unconcerned. (Not in pain or crying or anything like that)

We gave up in the end, just tucked a muslin under him that we could remove and left him to it......it stopped by about 3-4 months.

Should say ds not dd

IWillBeWaxingAnOwl · 11/04/2024 20:58

There are guidelines on how tilted cot can be - if it's a next to me then the booklet information says it somewhere.

Cosleepy on Instagram has posts on how to most safely cosleep holding baby. The main main thing is never ever ever on a sofa. From memory it's safest sitting up in centre of double bed, no covers.

Rabbitsarebraver · 17/04/2024 09:06

My daughter (now 3) had awful awful reflux and we tried everything. It didn’t get any better till she was a year. Wish I had some good advice for you. In the end I stopped breastfeeding and swapped to a thick anti reflux formula due to bad weight gain, it helped ever so slightly but still was sick a lot in her sleep

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