She won't sleep!!!

[Eenee]

What the heck am I doing wrong my 4mth old DD just screams and hardly sleeps not even cuddling comforts her. At night lately she is waking every hour or more screaming! And won't settle even with me in bed, we co sleep (well kinda not anymore cos DH won't let me so now she is in her cot right up against our bed so it's a good compromise). Anyway she kind of settles if I sit up with her upright laying on my chest but last time I checked it's near impossible for me to get any sleep this way! She would constantly feed if I let her but that makes her worse because she just spews and gets pain. So I stretch her out to at least 2 or 3hrs overnight- I hate making her wait but if I don't she is much worse. Arghhh just want her to have at least a good hour sleep in a solid block or maybe 2! But heck at the moment I'm struggling to get that especially cos in the day she is lucky to sleep 20-40mins in a row. I'm just exhausted!!! What else can I do?????

[Ca Plane Pour Moi]

What are you eating? Sounds like you may be eating something which doesn't agree with your DD: mine was the same, he cannot have cow milk.

[~Stoked~]

Could she be starting to teethe? Is she showing any other signs of teething? My DS was showing signs at about 3 months and had his first tooth at about 4.5 months.

[Ree*Ree]

Could it be reflux? Can you wedge something under one end of her mattress to prop her up a but higher so she's not flat on her back?
Em, sleep deprivation is the worst!

[Eenee]

Thanks for your replies.

I'm making appointment tomorrow with naturopath to get us tested for intolerances- scared it will say wheat/gluten which I couldn't eat while pregnant and being gluten free is so hard and the food is yuck!!!

Stoked: not sure about teething it doesn't seem to be but I'm no expert.

Reeree: thanks hun it could be reflux but I really worry whats in medications to give that to her so when I see the naturopath I'll ask if there is any alternatives.

[ellasmummy]

My dd is like this, we just started on reflux meds and she is like a new baby we are also taking her to the chiro which has helped heaps.

[meow]

I think checking the reflux and food intolerance routes sound good- given that she screams and needs to upright. I'd also take her to a chiro too- they can do wonders for little babies.

I hope you find some solutions and she is able to settle down soon. It sounds exhausting

[MummaSue]

From your ticker, it looks like she's headed for a massive Wonder Week. Week 19 was a doozy!! And my DD always got them a couple of weeks early.......

Just giving you another perspective.

Also, if you google "4 month sleep regression" there is a ton of information on that and it's quite common for babies to go through a horrible sleep stage at 4 months.

[Heaven]

Big I've never had a great sleeper either. DD2 isn't as bad as you describe but I fear she's headed that way. She only has really short naps during the day and is up 3-4 times at night (not as bad as DD1 was at night though).

Do you have an amber necklace? It worked for me with DD1 and I just got DD2's a couple of days ago and last night she only woke once

[sloane]

i was going to say the 4 month thing as well. DS has never been a great sleep & around 4 months was a nightmare. it could be worth checking things like reflux - can you hold her till she falls asleep & then put her down? or keep her a bit upright after a feed & then put her down? if she has a bit of reflux that might help

for us it was just a matter of waiting things out but hopefully your naturopath can give you some answers

[forshelby]

I could've written this myself a few weeks ago. See your GP about reflux. I didn't think my DS had it, until I tried him on a thicker formula. We also tilted the mattress in his bassinette so he wasn't flat on his back. I was surprised by how much these things helped.

It could also be something you're eating that doesn't agree with her? Not sure. Definitely see your GP though, it certainly saved my sanity! I feel your pain though, and I hope things improve really quickly.

[Eenee]

Thanks everyone for your replies
Went to see naturopath and DD is sensitive to dairy so I've had to cut that out of my diet because she is breastfed. Early days yet but I have already noticed an improvement. Naturopath also gave me some stuff to give her for reflux.

[meow]

Can I ask how you know she is sensitive to dairy? I've been exploring with a gluten free-dairy free diet and I *think* my little guy is better on the days I don't cheat with as much dairy.

Great you have some things to work with!

[Eenee]

The Naturopath tested for it and that's what it come up with. I was thinking maybe wheat but nope she was fine with wheat.

[HotI]

I also found it better to cut out dairy from my diet, bub was more settled when i didn't have it. i found out by fluke when i had a busy week and missed having my milk and cereal for breaky and then bub was happier. I stopped dairy for a couple of months and then tried it again and it didn't seem to affect bub anymore.

take care,

[meow]

What is the test? A skin pr!ck test?

[Eenee]

Not sure what the test I called but they get her to hold onto this metal thing attached to this machine and then touch her foot with this other thing- yeah not very good at my explanation sorry

Hoti: yeah she said I could try introducing itback at a later stage.

[meow]

Thanks em! We are in the process of seeing a naturopath and testing my older boy soon so I was wondering how a little baby could be tested.