I can't figure out how this is supposed to work

We're at a loss. Our babies are 2 months old. Early on, I could wake up when they cried, nurse them, and then put them back in their crib and they'd at least sleep until their next hungry time.

Now, we move upstairs for the 9-ish nursing session. They still nurse about every two hours. Once we eventually do get them down, sometimes they'll go 3 or 4. That takes an hour, and they usually are pretty "out" by the end, so we gently move them to crib. Then Kepler's reflux jumps up and he explodes milk out of his nose and wakes up shrieking. Tycho will be fully asleep for all of 10 minutes and then wake himself up. This goes on repeatedly for an hour, until it's time for the next nursing session anyway, so we start it all over again.

Swaddling seems to irritate them more than soothe them these days, and they're breaking out of the blankets anyway, which scares my husband to death, having the blankets floating around in the crib.

Kepler is currently on prevacid and zantac for the reflux, and we're very careful about the timing of meds, so I'm sure I'm doing them according to instruction. They're just not helping.

I'm about *yo* close to kicking hubby out of bed, putting the mattress on the floor and just cosleeping so I can roll back and forth and nurse whomever's crying at any given time. They were both supplemented until about two weeks ago, when Tycho started refusing bottles (unless it's from a babysitter, and it's been long enough for him to get hungry.) Kepler we offer a bit of formula after daytime feedings and the last before bed - sometimes he takes an ounce or two, sometimes not. Neither will take a pacifier anymore.

Tonight, they're sleeping in bouncers, because hubby has to go to work at 6 after winter break, and this is the only thing that worked.

 

:grouphug: Momma! You are in the roughest stretch right now. The babies' fussiness is at it's height, and you are sleep deprived. Not a good combo!

You have to do what you can just to survive right now. If that means letting them sleep in their bouncies, so be it. If that means kicking hubby out so you can roll over and nurse, so be it. Whatever works, so that you ALL get the most amount of sleep possible. Emma slept in her swing, and Jake with me, for most of the first 3 months. It was the only way I could get any sleep at all.

As far as the reflux, have you tried eliminating dairy from your diet? I would talk to your ped if you think that the meds aren't working. It's possible though, that they have a milk allergy, and that is causing the reflux to flare.

:hug:

 

Oh, how I remember those days before they turned 6 months...It will end and you definitely should do what works for you.

My babies slept in their car seats beside my side of the bed until 2-3 months and then on the swings at night and day naps until almost 5 months. If they woke up, I would feed them (every 3 hours at night), the feeding would take one hour and then if they woke up in between, I would just rock their car seats a bit. But then we started swing because I read what someone posted here, that carseats and sleeping in them might be dangerous for the baby, so we switched to swings.

Keep doing a great job! Do whatever works to get through this stage.

 

Yep, totally in the thick of it right now. Keep on truckin and finding what works for you. I agree with Becky about eliminating dairy from your diet to see if that helps. Lots of babies with reflux also have a milk and/or soy intolerance. When you lay Kepler down, are you laying him flat in the crib? If so, you want to keep him on an incline. He can sleep in a bouncy, swing, car seat, or you can elevate the top of the crib to sleep him on a slope. He really needs to be upright for at least 30 minutes after each feed and that includes in the middle of the night.

Hang in there. Also I would talk to your Ped. If you dont think the meds are helping for the reflux.

 

Just hang in there. At two months both of mine had such bad reflux that they both slept in swings. In fact, My DD ended up in the swing most nights until she was six mo. old. I'm sorry the meds aren't helping. Have you tried elevating the crib matress? I also had one of those little baby stabalizer things (Can't remeber what they're called) (foam triangles that holds them in place) and DS slept on his side held securly in that. Feeding every two hours really wears you out, I know. Just a few more months and things will really start looking brighter!

 

Ours were in bouncies because DS1 had reflux and it was easiest at that point to sleep on the couch while they slept in the bouncies on the floor. At that stage I woke the second and tandem fed because otherwise I was basically nursing all night long. Mine hated swaddling and having them in the bouncies eliminated the need for that. We had them sleep on their sides which reduced the startling a lot- pedi said that was fine.

It really is the toughest time now. If you can manage to tandem I think that might help you get some rest. Mattress on the floor is a good idea. We co-slept until they indicated they wanted to have their space. I still take them into bed after 3am when I can't sit up to nurse because I am too tired.

Congrats on nursing them. You are almost over the worst.