Posted by
Wheelymate
19 yrs ago
I have a 10 week old who sleeps little during the day and when he does, it's not for long. One of the reasons I observed is that he gets startled easily and his limbs will jerk about and then he can't get back to sleep. I don't swaddle him in the day (only at night) because it's just too warm. Someone told me that placing a small pillow filled with beansprouts husks or green beans on the baby's tummy/hest will help. Has anyone tried that or is it just another old wives' tales? And if anyone has a similar experience with startled babies, do you have any tricks that will help until he has better control of his body movements? Thanks!
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crj
19 yrs ago
Hi Wheelymate - in a previous thread I told you we were in the same situation regarding the lack of daytime naps. Guess what? we resolved it :)
We don't do a very tight swaddle, but we wrap him up in a big blanket and the past week he has slept beautifully at the 'right' times and is a much happier baby.
Ironically, we used to swaddle him for all naps the first two months, then we started to only swaddle at night - I guess we shouldn't have stopped.
Give it a try?
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Hi ladies,
Many thanks for the advice!
Crj: When you mean wrap him up in a big blanket, do you lay the blanket on top of him or do you just swaddle him very loosely? You are so lucky - read that he's sleeping through the night and now daytime naps too!! I have observed that my baby does doze off or cries for a cuddle so he can sleep at pretty much the same timings everyday. But the problem as I said is that the naps don't last! I don't need him to sleep for hours in the day - after all I want him to sleep well at night but I would think give and take 3 hours in a day spread out between 2 short naps and a longer one is reasonable??
Mummybee: I spoke to my grandma..she said there's a demand for the husks according to the beansprout seller at the market! I think I'm going to ask her to try ordering them for me so that she can make me a pillow! I am abit worried about the pillow covering the face too but I suppose it should be ok if it's only used in the afternoons and I can check on him constantly??
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crj
19 yrs ago
WM - it took us FOUR months, so hang in there, it does get better! It took us 3 months until he dropped the 3am-ish feed, and at 4 we stopped the 11pm. So far so good, but only a couple nights so not holding my breath yet.
We try to put him down the same time every day, always 1-1.5 hours before the next feed.
(9-10, 12-1:30, 4-5) But two days he did 8:30-10) I put him down when he gets all yawns and tired eyes...
I bought a light weight slightly stretchy sheet like fabric (western Market), and had it made into one square metre (WorldWideHouse). I 'swaddle' him in this, but not super tight, but becasue there is sooo much fabric, it holds him in nicely and he feels secure. The first day we used it it was like a miracle. But today for one of his naps it didn't work - but it was a 'Sunday' with lots of stimulation, so maybe that contributed.
What I really don't understand is that now he is sleeping more in the day, and still sleeping at night - wow. you would think it would be the reverse.
I have no idea if any of this will last though!
At night we seriously swaddle him... no escape :)
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Whether anything will last...that's a mother's biggest worry I think! Even when our baby sleeps through, we're too excited to sleep because we just can't believe it's happening!!
I took your advice and used a big piece of muslin cloth to wrap him loosely and it's not thick like his night swaddle. He woke up at 7am this morning and by 8.40am was getting a little grumpy. So I wrapped him up and he fell asleep! But after 30 mins, he woke up again and I sort of gave up and as he wasn't crying, I left him alone in the cot. And just 10 mins ago, i went back to check on him and he's fast asleep again! I think I really need to try to put him down for naps at the same timing everyday, hopefully he's understand that it's time for him to sleep and he can do it by himself!
Night swaddle: It used to be no escape for him too but as "Houdini" is starting to find his thumb, a few nights he's manage to free his hands and while he's not crying or even awake, the sound of the sucking wakes me up!!
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crj
19 yrs ago
putting baby down the same time does help a lot, as does the 'comfort wrapping'.
if he finds his thumb and self comforts, I think that is okay, it is just when his arms flail about and scare him and he wakes up crying/screaming when it gets bad.
We have a few different 'swaddle blankets' and there is only one he cannot get out of:
http://www.miracleblanket.com/
worth every cent in our opinion... my husband didn't like it at first b/c it was too hard to use, then he realised that baby slept better in it and he is the biggest fan now.
But we don't use it in the day because it really is restricting and we don't want him to be a 'burrito' or 'spring roll' all day long :)
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My baby was EXACTLY like that.... I was SO worried if he was having some sort of physical problems.... but the pediatrician said it's just his reflex and just a phase. Indeed it's true, he's now almost 6 months, no more startling with flailing arms and legs anymore. I think it stopped at about 4 and half months.
We do have a pillow for his tummy, my mom (grandma) made it, and it DOES work. When baby is already asleep, as I put him down into the crib (very carefully) then I place the pillow on this tummy, he will sleep much longer than without it, and not as easily startled b/c what it actually feels like is like someone is patting him, and holding him.... just the right amount of pressure. It's not anything to do with old wive's tale, it's quite scientific.
But like mummybee says, about 4 and half months, can't use it anymore, mine started taking it up to his mouth, and ultimately, covering his nose sometimes, VERY scary for me. So, I don't use it anymore, and at this time, he doesn't startle, so you don't really need it anymore either.
Hope this helps.
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So anything that puts pressure on his chest/tummy will work. Yes, I have observed that he's calmer when i place my palm on his chest whenever he gets startled during his sleep - but will definitely need a pillow as I can't possible "palm" him for hours!
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word of caution, make sure the pillow or anything else you place on his chest/tummy isn't TOO heavy !
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The one my baby has is about 12 inches long, and 3 inches wide. It's about 1 -1.5 lbs. A pillow case is a good idea, as I like the wash the pillow case.
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Wheelymate,
Since u r in SGP, you can checkout www.hotbodscreatures.com.au at a shop at Thomson Hospital. The eye pillow can be used for your purpose. Becareful if ur using any grain i.e.rice, beans..etc. make sure it clean/dry properly and don't keep it too long as it bears insect.
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To cri-
how did you manage to drop his 3am feeds and now the 11pm?
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my grandma got my bub one today (although don't need one anymore as he sleeps on his own and it's a suffocation hazard when they are more mobile). it's retangular with beansprout husks inside. more like a flat bolster, just long enough to put across the tummy.
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