Please Help - Need Advice on a few issues

My boys just turned four months old this past week (I guess technically 3 months age adjusted). The past two weeks have been just terrible. Both of the babies got a "stomach bug" and were sick for a little over a week. My husband now has it so the fun just continues. Anyways....here are my questions:

1) My son, Nicholas, has always been my "fussier" baby. These past few days he has been even more fussy. He cries a majority of the day and is only happy if you are holding him (and you must be standing up!). He arches his back, thrashes and just seems frantic. I can barely change his diaper due to his thrashing sometimes. Both of my children have acid reflux and are on Axid. Could his reflux be worsening? Is it possible he has somewhat of a temper or are they too little for this? It is just so hard to tell what is wrong.

2) Bedtime has taken a turn for the worse for us. I think the problem is that both of the babies used to fall asleep during their last bottle and we would lay them down asleep. Now they don't really fall asleep during their bottles and trying to lay them down awake is a nightmare. Right now we are giving them their last bottle around 8:00 p.m. but then it is about 10:00 before I finally get them both to sleep. My husband is not a good one to rock a baby to sleep so it is almost nearly impossible for me to do it by myself. Are they too young for CIO? Last night I tried to let my son, Samuel, CIO but he cried so hard for about 15 minutes and then I couldn't take it! Plus it was keeping Nicholas awake. How do you do it when they both sleep in the same room? Is their bedtime too late? They used to sleep for about seven hours but now Nicholas is waking up in the middle of the night.


Sorry these are long winded questions but I just need some advice and support! I'm exhausted and needing moral support to get through this rough time!! Thanks!

 

I would try a 7pm bedtime. At around that age I did it with my girls and it worked wonders. I really don't think he would have that much of a temper yet. I am not sure about the arching thing, but maybe the medicine isn't working as good for them anymore. Do you think maybe they have grown alot and the dosage needs to be uped a little? I don't know. Good luck and hope you get it figured out.

MIssy

 

1) Nicholas might need a med change or switch. I would call the ped. Sounds like reflux to me.
2) I would also try an earlier bedtime. CIO is usually recommended for babies over 4-6 months of age. I did it with all of my boys(girls slept thru)between 6 and 9 months of age.

Hope everyone is on the mend! :hug99:

 

I agree that is sounds like the reflux is at it again. That's what happens with my two. When they start getting more fussier, screaming thru their bottle more or spitting up more...it's time to up the pepcid. I had a doctors appointment last week. My babies have never slept in their crib. They always want to be upright so the best place for them is in the bouncer or swing. I want to put them in the crib so bad but my doctor told me to wait until I see the GI specialist on Monday. And I just read that sleeping issues, especially at night, could be because of the reflux. Maybe that is the issue on both questions. Talk to your doctor about upping the dosage or changing it. It could never hurt for an earlier bedtime so you could try that too or just see how the new meds work. GL to you. I know how hard it is watch our babies suffer. It's an awful awful disease.

 

I have to agree with the worsening reflux. My girls had to have their dose increased as they gained weight. Maybe that is the same in this case.

As for bedtimes, definitely try earlier. I did CIO at 4.5 months for Emma. It was HARD and took ten nights but it worked.

 

I agree, the arching and crying sound like reflux; definitely have the pedi check the dosage, or maybe try a switch.

as for bedtime, i agree that it's late and is probably making things more difficult as they may be overtired.

and, sorry about DH - mine took a long time to get to the point where he understood that he needed to be more involved. Our girls have reflux too, and he used to get very frustrated that bedtime would often include major spitting up, re-feeding, holding upright. Now he gets it - and even enjoys those special moments at the ned of the day when he's holding a little bundle. But - Sheesh, this business of husbands or partners who think they get to NOT deal with the rough stuff makes me crazy! (sorry, i know you didnt' ask but- i will tell you from personal experience that i used to buy into his 'i have to work during the day" cr*p; as if what I do all day, taking care of TWINFANTS isn't WORK??? So maybe a re-visit of that issue will help as well; i know it's awful to feel like it's al on you!

 

Are the babies gaining weight since they went on the reflux meds, if so, they may need a higher dose for it to be effective, call the pedi on that front. also, if he is up fussing more in the day he may not be sleeping and be overtired, making it harder for him to sleep at night. We institued a 7:30 p.m. "bedtime" and our life has been easier b/c they fall asleep in our arms, then we lay them down, dreamfeed around 9:30 or 10:00 and they usually go right back to sleep.