Help please! unsettled 4 w old...

Hi!

I have a 4wo (tomorrow) who is really unsettled. He's always had unsettled period through the day and/or night but it's getting a lot worse. He feeds well - mostly one side only and even though he does burp after his feeds he doesn't want to lie down to go to sleep.
I have his bassinette raised on end, have tried him in the bouncer (most successful option but doesn't work each time) and he still wakes constantly...
The only way he seems to sleep is if I'm sitting up and he's on my chest or kind across my legs on a reasonably sharp upright angle...
He's not really a screamer and only cries when he's overtired - which I'm really worried is going to become a problem as he's not getting as much sleep as he should be...
He does little sickies after feeds sometimes and the occassional vomit..
I don't think that it's reflux etc because he's not screaming but do you think just a wind issue?
My problem is it seems to be getting worse - not better! By the time he feeds and perhaps eventually settles it's time for a feed again and it starts all over again...
I think I'll head down to the chemist tomorrow and get their opinon but would love to hear from anyone with any ideas!

Thanks heaps!

Hi Kristie, the only other thing I can think of is if you are eating something that might be disagreeing with him? Its something to explore anyway (without limiting your diet too much - obviously important to keep yourself healthy when breastfeeding). I know that with my overtired baby who cried a lot it helped just to try eliminating different things one thing at a time - just to feel like I was doing all I could for her.
:hug: to you anyway - its not easy having an unsettled baby. If its any consolation, my DD seems to be 'growing into herself' and is getting better at sleeping and getting happier all the time. So the grizzles don't last forever!

Hi!

Thanks Amy...Yeah I'm thinking it may be coming down to diet now...I don't think he's sick as such...
How long do you think you need to cut out a food for it to make a difference?? Would a few days be enough??

Yeh, is there something youre eating such as garlic, spicey food, coffee etc?

Hi!

Yeah I haven't been eating very well at all...

I've had some choccy bikkies, some stuff with onions...I've avoided garlic though...I might just make sure I eat really plain for the next few days...

I don't think I could avoid dairy or wheat though as it's a huge part of my diet!! LOL!

He's alseep now on the couch - kind of upright on a pillow...I'm to scared to move him now - he's still all unsettled though - grunting and sucking away on a dummy...poor little munchkin...guess I'll be spending another night ont he couch also - LOL!

Ok, what I heard related to cow's milk protein. Aparently you can tell if you cut it out for a week, then reintroduce it to see if there's a return to feral activity, er, I mean if baby seems particularly unsettled again ;) So perhaps try a week or so? (I'm no health professional tho...)

ETA - I tried just doing the milk because I worked out I was drinking HEAPS of milk - having two cups of Actavite a day, theoretically improving my milk supply but mainly just cause I like it ;)
I started drinking soy milk and now I prefer that in my coffee, LOL. It didn't seem to make a difference to DD but interestingly I felt heaps less bloated and less... erm... windy on the soy. (The Actavite didn't taste quite as good tho.)

Thanks Amy!

He actually slept ok last night - not sure whether it has anything to do with the fact that I keep falling asleep so he has like 1 - 1 1/2h up on my chest before I lay him down in the bouncer...?
He's had lots of wind this morning and is upright in the bouncer again with the dummy...
I have my mchn 4w check today so I'll mention it to her as well...

Yeah - I don't have heaps of cows milk although I have been having a milo everyday! Otherwise I already have soy milk in my brekky....
Still I'll cut out some of the other stuff and hopefully it will make a difference...

Hi Kristie,

I used to work with a lady who's baby sounds similar to yours. He couldn't settle or sleep and just seemed to be uncomfortable all the time etc. So my friend took her bubba to a osteopath and it turned out that due to being all curled up in the womb and due to childbirth her baby had a dislocated shoulder and his back wasn't "aligned" correctly!

So the poor little thing had actually been in pain the whole time! The osteopath she took him to said that its very common and it can cause developmental problems as they grow all because their spines are out etc....

I hope that helps! Good luck!

Keira

Hep Kristie, if you have PHI, an appt with a cranial osteopath might not be a bad idea, though the one I saw doesn't normally see bubs before your and their 6 week check.

The one I saw was in Brunswick which is a bit of a hike from you, but if you were interested I am sure someone could recommend one a bit closer.

As for food, my paed reckoned that if it was something I ate 1-3 days at most would be enough to tell.

ETA: as far as food reactions in breasmilk go, DS was not impressed with tomato or garlic.

Thanks Keira and Rachael!!!

Just had his mchn check up - she doesn't really have any solutions...she recommended a day stay but I really don't think thats going to help...
He's gained heaps of weight though - 742g in a f/n - he's now 4.6kg! OMG!

I'm going to try some of the over the counter stuff - infacol etc and if that doesn't work the osteopath sounds like something to try!

Kristie, onions & chocolate are two of the most common things people find causes their bubs to be unsettled. I would try leaving these out of your diet first.

Also, unsettledness tends to ease around 6 - 12 weeks, so hopefully this will only be temporary for you. You should be able to resume your usual diet then too!

:

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So my friend took her bubba to a osteopath and it turned out that due to being all curled up in the womb and due to childbirth her baby had a dislocated shoulder and his back wasn't "aligned" correctly!

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Sorry to hijack your thread here, Kristie, but I'm interested in this story - I have heard similar ones. Keira, did your friend wonder why the paediatrician didn't pick up on this at hossy when bubs was born?!
I was really tempted to take DD to an osteopath or a chiro specialising in babies, but she seems a bit happier atm so I haven't taken her. Just thinking, if I found out she had a dislocation I would be sooooo cranky with the doctor who checked her out at birth and at 6 weeks... Isn't that the sort of thing they check for?!

No worries Amy!

He's having a really good arvo sleep which he hasn't had in a few days so hopefully things are on the mend...

Hi Amy!

Im not quite sure if she asked her paed because i think it was a decision she made before birth to just take all her kids regardless, to an osteo. But i know i would be pretty annoyed if a paed didnt pick it up! But i guess they're not really trained like an osteo is?

I think when my bubba gets here i will take it to an osteo regardless of what anyone says... just in case! But my friend mentioned that if it doesnt get picked up early it can cause all sorts of problems later down the track, like developmental issues, their height and their co-ordination. The lady that i used to work with got the idea from her friend because her son was walking funny (as a toddler) and couldn't catch balls etc...

Hope that helps! But its such a scary thought to think that your baby could be in pain and cant tell you!!

Hi Amy!

Im not quite sure if she asked her paed because i think it was a decision she made before birth to just take all her kids regardless, to an osteo. But i know i would be pretty annoyed if a paed didnt pick it up! But i guess they're not really trained like an osteo is?

I think when my bubba gets here i will take it to an osteo regardless of what anyone says... just in case! But my friend mentioned that if it doesnt get picked up early it can cause all sorts of problems later down the track, like developmental issues, their height and their co-ordination. The lady that i used to work with got the idea from her friend because her son was walking funny (as a toddler) and couldn't catch balls etc...

Hope that helps! But its such a scary thought to think that your baby could be in pain and cant tell you!!

Hmmm. You're right - the thought of bubs being in pain is just awful. DD seems to respond well to more sleep, but I may look into the osteo anyway...
Oo, glad Dylan had a good nap for you Kristie. Hope he sleeps well tonight too.

Kristie - DD was like this when she was a couple of weeks old and we put her on Infacol and it worked a treat (but we had eliminated all possible causes so "knew" it was wind. She was also FF). We also did tummy exercises like the riding a bike motion with the legs and slowly pushing both legs onto her belly at the same time (knees to chest) - really got her wind moving!

Hope your little one settles soon.

MG