My 6-month-old son used to sleep 8-9 hours at night, in his crib, from the time we brought him home. We felt very lucky! Then he had a bout with acid reflux and the doctor suggested we lower the foot of the crib. We did, but he wouldn't sleep in it then! So then the doctor suggested we have him sleep in his car seat or swing to keep him upright after nursing during the day. This worked great for the acid reflux and for napping, but he stopped wanting to sleep in his crib. Now he will go to sleep in his crib, but wakes up after 1-2 hours and wants to nurse and then be put in his carseat for the rest of the night! I'm really concerned about his little back being cramped up and what will happen in a couple of months when he outgrows the infant seat! Has anyone else had this issue and, if so, how did you get them back to sleeping in their crib?
My son slept in his car seat until he no longer fit in it. At that point he went in his crib and was fine with it cause he was more comfortable then being stuffed in a little seat. As he gets mobile you are going to want to child proof his bedroom as well as gate his door so he can't wonder the house. My son was 10 or 11 months before he stopped sleeping in the car seat.
I wonder if the reason why he prefers sleeping in his carseat is because he feels tight and secure? You might try going back to the swaddling method just to see if that helps. Good luck!
Laura
Do you put the carseat in the crib or do you put it on the floor? My son was in a bassinet for a while in our bedroom at the begining and then when we decided to put him in his crib we put the top of the bassinet in his crib for a while. So, maybe you should try putting the carseat in the crib for a while and then eventually take him out and just lay him in his crib???
I see a post suggesting putting the carseat in the crib for a while. I would try this, my daycare lady used this technique with an infant who just wouldn't sleep in the crib at her house, after a while of the carseat in the crib, she was able to put her to sleep in the crib alone.
Also, when you move to the crib alone, you could try a sleeper bag PJ type thing. I saw a post for swadling, which is a good idea, but if he's moving his arms and doesn't like them restricted, the sleeperbag might work. IT's what we used when our son was no longer able to be swaddled, but didn't like the crib alone...I think the closed feet helped him feel more enclosed and secure.
Just a couple ideas to add to the rest of the great suggestions.
My daughter came 3 months early and had acid reflux and was on medicine till she was almost a year. if the dr's don't feel he is in need of meds, he'll probably grow out of it by the time he grows out of his car seat. we also put the carseat in the crib like mentioned. (my daughter never got close to growing out of the carseat before giving up the meds) after taking her off the meds at about a year she was fine. once my daughter started eating more solid foods she did better with the reflux (she also had a swallowing issue that we had to use cereal in her formula since she was born)
i don't think his back will get deformed or anything if that is what you are meaning. but yeah, as adults we can't imagine sleeping in such a tight space..lol
i also used to let my daughter roll around in her crib at non-sleeping times so she could get used to the feel of it. not for long times though, so she didn't think it was a place to just play. also once they reach a certain age and you don't have to worry about them getting sufficated on something in their crib, try to put them down in the crib with something cuddly. can sometimes help them feel like they are in such a huge space.
good luck.. i hope your son grows out of the relfux like my daughter did.
Tina
My son is now 6 years old, but he also slept in his car seat until he absolutely could no longer fit. It seemed he just grew out of it and when he got too big,we plopped him in the crib. He just slept better and sounder in the car seat. Not sure if it was acid reflux, but if he was comfortable and sleeping it seemed ok and we were sleeping! He is now a very healthy, strong, big kindergartner and I don't see any ill affects from the car seat. I say do what works.... he won't sleep in the car seat forever.
I had a little one who was colic and sleeping in the car seat was the only way he could sleep. I have since learned a lot about colic and I wish I would have known these things. It is good to be elevated when you have any kind of reflux because it is more comfortable, laying flat will stir the "juices" so to speak. Have you considered chiropractic care. I just learned that sometimes having a drip during labor like petocin can cause your baby to have stomach problems. His back should be fine, if you think of them in the womb that was pretty cramped the fetal position seems to be comforting. My boy stayed in his seat for about the first six months and is fine. I always cushed his seat with an extra blanket and when he started to wiggle I would strap him in. I felt really bad about it at the time but then I realized he was getting better rest and myself as well. You can go to www.advancedhealth.topchiro.com to ask any questions about this. The Dr's here are a husband and wife team with children of their own and are very knowledgable in these types of matters. Hope this helps.
Two of my kids have done the same thing and we let them sleep in the car seat - better than being up all night! As they got bigger and the carseat gots more uncomfortable, they moved back. We would "retest" the crib each day and if it worked, great, but if not, we left them in the carseat (strapped in, of course). It didn't last long before they transitioned back to the crib.
SAHM of seven, all good sleepers now
This is gonna sound funny but I put the carseat in the crib. I have no idea why my son suddenly decided he would only sleep in either his car seat or his bouncy seat. But he was bound and determined to do it! LOL So I would put it in the crib with him in it. Slowely I would take it away until he was able to nap with out the car seat. And then eventually during the night too. I don't remember how long it took. This was all almost 10 years ago now. But good luck! I hope it all works itself out soon.
I would try a bouncy seat and see if that works too. In a bouncy seat they aren't so cramped up and can turn their heads better. You don't want him getting a flat head from the pressure on the back all the time.
Is he on Zantac? It worked wonders for my kids.
Jennifer
Mom to 4 and soon one more through another adoption.
I agree with one of the other postings, take your baby to the chiropractor. It's such a natural way to treat so many childhood conditions. Let us all know what part of town you live in and I'm sure we all know chiropractors who could help in your area.
Hi Kerri-
You need a Danny Sling. You'll need to ask your pediatirician about it, since it is considered a medical device. The Danny Sling is a fabric & velcro creation that ties into the crib that allows the baby to sleep in a crib that is at a 60 degree angle. (Head is at the highest point and foot is at the lowest point.) Once the baby is velcro'ed in, they are able to sleep more safely than in a swing or car seat and are at the correct angle to keep the acid reflux from blocking their airway.
I received my Danny Sling from Children's Hospital in St. Paul. We were referred there by Izzy's pediatrician. I can't remember which department we were referred to, only that it was in what seemed to be the basement of the hospital. The staff there taught us CPR & proper baby Heimlich, the best positions to hold and breastfeed Izzy, and installation and usage of the Danny Sling. We were also told that having her stay in a "bouncy chair" instead of laying her down during awake daytime.
Hi Keri,
If your baby is actually going to sleep in his crib, then waking up later, he is probably still struggling with reflux. My first baby had severe reflux, and actually the only way he would sleep in ontop of either me or my husband, on his tummy while we were propped up on the couch. For his first 6 months our couch was a second bed for us, we would take turns who slep with him on what nights. He was also put on Zantac liquid. It made a huge difference in his behavior, it did not stop his spitting up, but then at least it did not hurt him when he did spit up, he then was a very very happy little guy, and was able to sleep on his own. OUr son was on Zantac until he was 18 months old, then it all went away.
Best of luck!!
Ang
SAHM to Max 6, Aiden 4, and Owen 2
Having the baby sleep in the carseat is not addressing the causality of the situation. It's a way of avoiding the discomfort. There is a way of gently and easily addressing the neuromuscular pattern that is causing the refulx. I am an Advanced Ortho-Bionomy® Practitioner and instructor and intuitive healer and I believe I could easily address the pattern at the root of the problem. He could then go back to sleeping flat. I would guess that you would like him to develop more normal sleep habits, as well as no longer suffer from the reflux. My website is: http://www.thehealingpresence.com and my phone number is 612-202-5583. I'd be glad to discuss this with you, if you'd like. Good luck Keri.
As far as I know, sleeping in the car seat is fine. One of my 4 boys did it for several months, then finally switched to his crib. Kelly S.
I know this is going to sound strange, but have you tried putting the carseat in the crib? My sister went through this same problem and her little guy slept like that for a few months. Eventually she took him out of the carseat - starting with nap time and then transitioned to nights. I am happy to say he is a happy healthy 5 year old now that goes to bed by himself and sleeps all night!
Good luck! :)
Lori
I had exactly the same issue with number three. The pediatrician told me not to worry about the car seat that she would let me know when she was done. She would get more mobile and uncomfortable. Sure enough one night she kept trying to move around and wasn't sleeping so I put her in her crib where she has been ever since. If you are sleeping, go with it.
My 7 month old had the same problem. I put her in her car seat when she was 1 month old after she was diagnosed with acid reflux and had a bad cold. It helped her sleep and after the cold was gone I tried putting her back into her crib. She was not okay with that and was waking up every hour or two. So I let her sleep in her car seat until Christmas. I started introducing the crib again with naps and after a week I started putting her in the crib at night as well. I also reintroduced the swaddle and that really seemed to help. It took her a week or two of good nights/bad nights but she is sleeping through the night now in her crib. Also she started not wanting to be swaddled about a week ago. Try it, but if it doesn't work I would'nt worry. Do what works and if that is sleeping in the car seat let him do it. Eventually he will be ready.
Did you try swaddling your baby? When we brought our daughter home, she would only sleep in her swing or carseat. We found swaddling her and putting her in a corner of her crib made her feel more secure with out being in the carseat or swing. Hope it helps.