dont know what to do?

hi all :) was wondering if someone could help me....my little dd2 is almost 6 weeks old (wed) and she has what i think is reflux and the only way she will go to sleep is on her tummy, she will sleep for hrs but as soon as i put her on her back she screams...im not getting any sleep as i know babies are not suppose to be put to sleep on their tummies...but...she wont sleep on her back she just screams for hours and hours making herself sick.. i dont know what to do..she only sleeps either on her belly alone or on my belly or in her sling and neither of these choises make for a really good sleep for me as i have a 2.5 yo who wont nap during the day since dd2 has come along :(
what am i going to do?
oh and i have tried wrapping her tightly, having her bassinett elivated, dummy, rocking then putting her down (she just wakes and screams), bathing her, sleep depriving her during the day:wall::wall:

We have one of those breathing monitors maybe you could get one and then feel more secure if you dp sleep her on her tummy. I know some mum's that have done that. Its a tough one though. Good Luck!

DD hated lying on her back, too. I can't blame her as I'm a tummy sleeper as well. I was too scared to let her, so she ended up sleeping on my chest for the first 4-8 weeks. Then I transitioned her to sleeping on her side right next to me. I didn't mind it at the time. At least this way I could keep an "eye" on her. I have since met a lot of mothers who let their children sleep on their side or belly (some of them nurses and midwives). With the next one, I will let him or her do that, if that's what they're more comfortable with. I know, you're not supposed to do it,...
I would NOT do that if the baby was under the influence of labour medication or anything like that, though. And I would NOT let him/her sleep on her tummy in a seperate room.

Sasa

My kids are tummy sleepers too.

We have a breathing monitor that goes under the mattress and goes off if their breathing dips below a certain amount of breaths in a minute.

It goes off quite regularly with DD - we think she has mild sleep apnoea (sp?) and is a very shallow breather - but it would happen to her if she slept on her tummy or her back, so we aren't concerned its because she's a belly sleeper.

I just feel grateful there are things like the monitors out there.

Oh - and my DD has silent reflux too - so wasn't happy unless she was on her tummy so that made the deal for us!

Our DS was early and spent a fair bit of time in the NIC in a humi crib! He became very comfortable sleeping on his tummy but then they were constantly monitoring with machines so I was OK with that. When he came home it was a nightmare he would only sleep on his tummy on my chest so i spent at least 8 weeks having very little sleep. We bought the Anglecare monitor and my DH insisted that DS would be fine to sleep on his tummy in his own room (in a acot). Emotionally I couldn't deal with this after all the monitor would go off if something went wrong and then what (this was how I felt not saying anyone else feels this way).

We ended up pursuing the sleeping on back ( me more so than DH) and at nearly 6 months now DS still refuses to sleep on his back but loves his side.

It's a really tough one. Tummy sleeping is all my parents knew and I turned out fine. The Do's and Don'ts change so often that i think going with your gut is best. My DS led me and he let me know he was a side sleeper!

Should add our DS had a few issues. one of whichwas reflux (at least thats what the PAED called it), his tiny tummy was not developed and his sphinkta (not sure how to spell it) was under developed and open constantly!. He was on Zantec for a little while but we found putting phone books under one end of his cot helped that especially while he matured.

what worked for us may not for you. DH didn't want prescription drugs to go near our son unless we had to. He was already dealing with enough.

refluxy bubs do prefer to sleep on their tummies. DD is a side or tummy sleeper, never on her back. I also suggest getting a breathing moniter to help ease ur worry. I dont have one for DD as she co - sleeps.

Hi!

My girls are both tummy sleepers too - the monitors are great and well worth the $ for peace of mind.
A close friend had similar issues after her babe was treated for jaundice with light and had been on his tummy in hossy from day1. She was advised to use the monitor but also they ran through a check of their SIDS risk - things like smoking in the house etc. to help put her mind at ease. May be worth checking with the PAED or some one suitably informed also???
She had a device to help wedge behind bubs back so they had some support too I think. Maybe your GP/Paed or MCHN may have more ideas....

Hope you get some sleep!!!

Hi
I'd probably try to get her to sleep on her back in the pram during the day. Try to make her lie flat on her back (ie. not in a seated position), possibly with her head raised slightly.
Then go for a walk with the pram and see if she'll settle like that. It'll get her used to sleeping on her back.
I sometimes let my little boy cry for a LITTLE, and then he goes to sleep. This is only about 20- 30 seconds max, if he cries any longer, I pick him up. Depends on the cry too, I often pick him up straight away.
Many babies prefer sleeping on their bellies when they're little, but she might change when she gets a few months older.
Also, if the pram thing doesn't work, get one of the monitors mentioned in this thread, because you really need to sleep, or you'll completely loose it!
A happy mum makes a happy baby!
Hope it works out for you
Christine

PS: and I can see you're from geelong, so if you'd like to walk with someone, I'm there :D
mail me on cmfbaker@hotmail.com and we'll meet up

thankyou so much for all of your helpfull replies :D i decided to put her in her pram and it worked like a charm! she slept! she burped, then had some gaviscon, then went to sleep on her back.....then i slept and slept :) i think it was because her pram is at a slight upright angle so it must keep it all down...next step ..getting her from pram to cot....:doh: but 1st things 1st ;)

Yay! I'm so glad to hear you got some sleep, too. It is so much easier to find solutions when you are rested. Hope this continues for you.
Sasa