6 week Baby B arching back/stiff legs

Hi,
I am wondering if any other 6 week old babies are arching their backs a lot and have stiff legs frequently. He sleeps a lot more than twin A. He often falls asleep while eating, bathing. I have been reading a little about Cerebral Palsy and my twin B was preemie, breech, and I had a bleed before 20 weeks that I was hospitalized for. Did anyone have a baby that outgrew these symptoms or did the baby have a diagnosis of CP. My doctor isn't concerned yet, but I am still nervous.

cmc

 

Hi,
I am wondering if any other 6 week old babies are arching their backs a lot and have stiff legs frequently. He sleeps a lot more than twin A. He often falls asleep while eating, bathing. I have been reading a little about Cerebral Palsy and my twin B was preemie, breech, and I had a bleed before 20 weeks that I was hospitalized for. Did anyone have a baby that outgrew these symptoms or did the baby have a diagnosis of CP. My doctor isn't concerned yet, but I am still nervous.

cmc

 

one of our little ones arched her back a lot at the start - turned out to be bad reflux. not sure if that's helpful, but may be worth checking out and seems less scary than CP.

 

I was reading a lot about reflux on TS and I ran across a website that had the symptoms of reflux listed. Arching of the back was one of them.

 

when i hear arching back, i think reflux as both of my boys began to arch their back during and after feedings around that age

 

My oldest would constantly arch her back and straighten her legs, she was always so stiff, turns out it was reflux. She was one that never spit up, but had the pain associated with it. I would mention it and reflux to your pedi.

 

My g twin arches and had stiff legs. She is in the EI program and a developmental therapist is working with her. Many preemies have hypertension and that is what they believe my girl has. I work on loosening her leg joints up every day. I take her legs and gently make them go in the bicycle movement for about 3 mins. I am now working on opening up her hips by bringing her feet up by her head for her to try and grab her toes. The doctor never talked to me about CP, so I don’t think that should be a concern. As for the arching, I have to put her in a boppie pillow when I place her on the floor so she can’t arch as easily. And whenever she tries to arch I get on her quick to readjust her out of the arch. She is arching much less now. Good luck. If you want to ask me any questions about my twin you can PM me.

 

Both of my boys arched back a LOT in the early days. turned out to be reflux or gas. Good luck!

 

As PPs have said arching is a classic sign of reflux -- that doesn't mean your baby necessarily has reflux, nor does reflux mean a baby will necessarily arch. But so many babies have reflux, preemies have it more often than not, so I would ask your ped about it. Also, as a PP mentioned, it is very "normal" for a preemie to be, basically, hyperextended. Both my kids are to some extent -- with DD I never even notice it but with DS it's more apparent in the way/extent to which she wants to stand on her toes...extension is how she's comfortable in the world, flexion isn't, and so we're working on that in PT. Either scenario is certainly workable! If you're worried about CP certainly ask your doctor, but on the basis of arching and extension, I wouldn't think there'd be any cause for concern about that.

 

It could just be gas. My DS arches alot when he's eating (like clockwork after 2 oz.) and he always lets out the biggest burps after. He doesn't have reflux, he had an upper GI series at 6 days old to check for reflux after a nasty bout of vomiting and it came back negative for reflux.

 

When mine did that, it was reflux and he was diagnosed at 7 weeks. I'd look to see if he's got some other symptoms and give a call into the Dr. to see what's going on.

 

Thanks for all the responses. I feel a bit better hearing from you all.