baby only sleeps on people or in bouncer - reflux - help!

[Melarina]

DS is one month old and has reflux. He has been on Prevacid for two weeks. He will only sleep on someone's chest/abdomen or sometimes in his bouncer with the vibration on. We have tried swaddling, inclining the crib, sleeping on his tummy (which worked for a few days but not now), sleeping in the swing, etc. The swing angle seems to make him too crunched up to be comfortable with the reflux, same with the carseat. Our swing is the Graco Lovin Hug; I wonder if a different swing would be better.

My concerns about letting him sleep in the bouncer unsupervised at night when we sleep are that it is only a 3 point harness and there is not head support (FP Rainforest bouncer.) Also, how long is it safe to let him be in the bouncer with the vibration turned on?

If he sleeps on one of us, I am scared for us to fall asleep for fear we might drop him or otherwise cause a safety hazard.

What can we do so that DH and I can sleep while the baby sleeps, while also feeling that he is safe? My mother came over to hold the baby all night last night so that DH and I could sleep, which of course is not something we can do all the time :) DD slept on my mother for the first two months of her life, and I feel like we really need a different solution this time around if at all possible...

Thank you so, so much for any advice.

[maestramommy]

I got nuthin.:hug: Laurel was like that the first month, and she didn't even have reflux, at least not that bad. We have that sleep positioner that is at a very low angle, and that seemed to work at least some of the time. It's a memory foam thing with a bolster on each side. Someone here told me the latest recommended sleeping angle for reflux babies is 30 degrees. The sleep positioner is about that, give or take. Arwyn slept in her swing only once, and in the bouncer a few times with the vibration on. Otherwise she was passed from person to person, and/or slept on my chest.

She has gotten dramatically better in the last couple of weeks. For no apparent reason. I hope the same happens for you soon!

[MamaMolly]

Have you looked at the Amby hammock? I found out about them too late for DD but would totally try it if I have another with reflux...only I'd scour Craig's list or Ebay because they are spendy. Another thing I've heard good things about is the Tucker wedge.

I think there is a mama here who is a mod on a reflux forum who might have a lot more suggestions. IIWY I'd change the title of the thread to include the word reflux. Go to edit, then when the editing window opens click 'go advanced' and you can edit your title.

Good luck, reflux stinks. DD was on Axid for a year and a half. But it made a huge difference.

[wencit]

Have you tried co-sleeping? My DS2 is exactly like your DS -- he basically only sleeps in our arms or very occasionally the swing and/or bouncy seat (but no more than 20-30 minutes at a time). I think DS2 really likes being against a warm body because if we co-sleep at night, he does OK. If you're uncomfortable with the idea of having your DS sleep in bed directly next to you, you can get an Arms Reach Co-sleeper or similar type of sidecar arrangement. Maybe that will help your DS, and it's definitely safer than holding him in your arms, LOL!

Good luck, I feel your pain!

[happymom]

If he sleeps well in the bouncer, I'd stick with it for now. You can buy a head support (or use one from a different piece of baby equipment that you dont need) and stick it in so his head stays straight. About the 3 point harness, I don't think I'd be too worried about that if he's on the floor. I may be wrong about this so someone please correct me if I am! Good luck!

[rosiegirl1]

We let our LO with reflux sleep in the bouncy chair at night...we put pillows around the floor and used a folded up burp rag to support her head. We also put the bouncy chair in the crib.

Have you tried introducing a paci? We were told the paci really could be helpful for kiddos with reflux because it encourages swallowing and saliva production, which helps stuff stay down...

Tummy sleeping was eventually the answer for us. Plus the paci.
HTH

[JenChem]

DS also has reflux. I have the boppy-like pillow from Walmart with a seat restraint built in and he'll sleep on that anywhere. He used to sleep in the pack n play, then we coslept, now he's in the crib. We've thought about elevating one end of the crib mattress and trying to phase the pillow out.

Honestly, there's so much SIDS info out there that where my baby slept caused me crazy amounts of stress at first. I thought he absolutely couldn't cosleep with me or in any equipment (bouncer, swing, carseat) or with any pillows. Turns out he can sleep anywhere and I keep the monitor turned up high enough to hear him breathing. Cosleeping was wonderful for us for about a month and our transition to the crib was anti-climatic.

[rgors]

A lady in my mom's group has a son who had reflux. For two months, she slept in a sitting position in a comfortable chair with her son wrapped to her body. She used a moby wrap.

http://www.mobywrap.com/

I can't imagine doing this myself, but it worked for her.

[LarsMal]

DD is four months and is still sleeping in the bouncy or the Boppy travel swing at night and I don't even buckle her (bad mommy confession right there!). The Boppy swing looks similar to a Baby Papasan chair. Very cozy! I just keep it really close to my side of the bed. I don't let it swing all night, though. Once she starts showing any sign of wanting to turn in it I'll stop using it. Until then, that's what works for us so I'm sticking with it!

Do what you need to do for you and baby to get some sleep. If the baby is comfortable and will sleep in the bouncy, go for it.

Have you seen the nap nanny? www.napnanny.com

[happymomma]

My DS wouldn't sleep anywhere but on someone also for the first 3 months of his life. I ended up buying a hugabub (a carrier) and sat on a recliner to sleep. It worked great for us for a while. It was nice b/c we didn't have to worry about dropping him. DS was happy b/c he was on us. And everyone got their sleep. HTH

[ThreeofUs]

Hugs to you! Our DS1 wouldn't/couldn't sleep except on someone until he was 4 months, and then we got a little tummy-down sleep from him. But it was still mostly sleep-on-parents....

Reflux, as I'm sure you know, is complicated. Prevacid can help control 2/3 of symptoms - the acid mostly and some stomach issues, but cannot control the actual bringing up of fluids. This is what often causes the kids - or at least my kids - to wake up, and why they need to be on such an incline to sleep well.

You've gotten some great advice, but you might also think of an amby bed. It takes some getting used to, but works well with babies suffering from reflux.

[egoldber]

For two months, she slept in a sitting position in a comfortable chair with her son wrapped to her body. She used a moby wrap.

I did this with Amy for her first three months. It was the only way we got any sleep.

[Melarina]

Thanks so much, everyone!

Has anyone used the Arm's Reach Cocoon? Looks similar to Amby but less expensive...hmmm...

[Kymberley]

We just purchased a Nap Nanny for our 6 week old who sounds a lot like your DC. It works really well for naps! We put it in our bedroom the other night, but I was too chicken to let him sleep in it while I was also sleeping, but after the all nighter we pulled last night, I think I'm going to try it tonight. It has a three point harness and we use a Boppy Noggin Nest to keep his head from flopping over. FWIW, we got the Nap Nanny on amazon. HTH!! Everyone keeps saying this too shall pass, I sure hope it does!

[jse107]

Both my kids slept in the FP Aquarium swing for the first 4-5 months due to reflux. And, I also admit that I didn't always bukcle them in. We had it swinging all night. Other than going through a load of batteries, there were no adverse side effects. Once they transitioned out of the swing, we just tilted the crib mattress so it was higher at one end.

Hang in there! Check out the message boards at infantreflux.org. They were a lifesaver for me!

[Nooknookmom]

BTDT. My now 28 month old was a severe refluxer. We didn't get a real diagnoses until 3 months and then we skipped from Zantac to Prevacid & had a hard time getting her dose right. We even had to supplement Mylanta in between Prev. to get some relief.

She would ONLY sleep attached to my boob or on my Mom (bless her heart, stayed w/ us for a month so I could recoup from my C). This lasted for months, really, she usually refused to nap unless on me up until about 5 months or so, then I could let her doze off in the highchair and she would sleep maybe 40 min. We also had the equivalent of a Fisher Price Aquarium swing (different pattern) and she would only last maybe 30 minutes in it (from birth to 7-8 mo).

At 10 months I finally got her to unlatch & was able to lay her down in the pack n play and sleep w/out her on me or next to me. Still she woke frequently. She did not sleep through the night until she was around 15 months.

Also, are you BFing or formula? Is your LO MSPI? What bottles do you use (if any)?

[nov04]

My DS wouldn't sleep anywhere but on someone also for the first 3 months of his life. I ended up buying a hugabub (a carrier) and sat on a recliner to sleep. It worked great for us for a while. It was nice b/c we didn't have to worry about dropping him. DS was happy b/c he was on us. And everyone got their sleep. HTH

us too. Although we used a padded ring sling (and a pillow underneath) and it was 4m. dd2 didn't have reflux though but refused to sleep on her own.

I wish I'd known to do this with dd1, I just held her all night and didn't sleep and grabbed a cat nap in the evenings. at 6m, I hit the wall and luckily she started sleeping on her own.

GL

[hellbennt]

yep, bouncy seat sleeping until we got reflux under control...
lots of babywearing, too...even when reflux was under control...I stumbled upon babywearing and it suits me, lol...(oh yeah, see my sig:waving4:)

[Reyadawnbringer]

A lady in my mom's group has a son who had reflux. For two months, she slept in a sitting position in a comfortable chair with her son wrapped to her body. She used a moby wrap.

http://www.mobywrap.com/

I can't imagine doing this myself, but it worked for her.

I did this with my son who refused to sleep anywhere but in someone's arms. I even have a picture to show how well it worked.

I can dig it up if you are interested. Seriously that saved my sanity. I lived in my reclining rocker for DS' first 4 months.

[kbud]

My dd#1 had severe reflux, mostly silent reflux. She slept in her infant seat until she was 10 months old. Even with that she woke up about every 2-3 hours but it was much better than the 30 min when she wasn't in it. I did buckle her in every night because at 6 weeks she wiggled out of the seat and was screaming like crazy. I'm lucky she didn't get caught in the harnesses. She did developed torticollis but with minimal pt that went away. We really had no choice as she aspirated one night sleeping on her back and I was not again going to lay her down flat. She was always too squirm for elevating the crib. I placed the seat in the crib though. I felt it was safer this way and made the transition out of the sear easier since she was used to sleeping in the crib anyhow.

Good luck I know how hard it is. Stay on top of it because it is an on-going process and the PPI can take 2-3 weeks to help. I second checking out www.infantreflux.org. It was my lifesaver. My dd didn't outgrow it until about 2 years old and she finally started sleeping through the night. She still has reflux some times though.

[Melarina]

Thanks everyone, this is so helpful.

I'd love to see a pic of how the sleeping with wrapped baby worked for PP!

Broke down and ordered the Amby...if it works it will be worth every penny...

[egoldber]

I had a large pile of pillows behind me that made a kind of "wedge" that I slept on. That kept me (and her) elevated, but I could lean against it and relax.

Also, my glider reclines about 30 degrees. I slept in the reclined glider for a long, long, long, long, long time. I told my husband it was like I was flying to Europe every night for her first year.

[Reyadawnbringer]

I am at work right now, but I will post the pic of DS and I sleeping with the wrap when I get home :)

ETA: I found a copy of the picture on my sons blog. You can kinda see the wrap under the comforter. It was a handmade moby style wrap, just in case you wonder where I got that cute style from :p

http://i33.photobucket.com/albums/d83/reyadawnbringer/Xavier/Xav_8.jpg