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Sleep discomfort in a preterm baby.

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  • 05-03-2012 3:04pm
    #1
    Bub.W
    Registered Users Posts: 8 ✭


    Hi There,

    We brought our little boy home on Friday:D, he was 7 weeks early and in special care for just over two weeks. As 1st time parents we are jumping at every sound.

    He is on 4 hourly feeds and feeding well on EBM, but when we put him down after a feed and winding he sleeps soundly for a while but then groans and strains loudly in his sleep repeatedly until his next feed. This can last a few seconds and then back to peaceful sleep or be more regular and accompanied by a short, sharp cry. Oddly, it also seems to stop if he wakes up, he just lies there looking around.

    If I lift him out and rest him on my chest it usually goes away after a few minutes and he goes back to sleep, but starts again after he is put back down. Wind and other functions are normal.

    I phones SC unit and was told its probably colic, not sure about that, he is not crying or awake during this. We are waiting on a call back from the district nurse, but in the meantime has anyone else experienced this? Any advice?

    Hopefully this is a normal developmental thing and I'm just being an overprotective, amateur parent, but I just hate seeing the little man in discomfort.


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    #2
    wmpdd3
    Registered Users Posts: 9,624 ✭✭✭wmpdd3


    Both my babies are the same, my first daughter did have colic and acid reflux and lying down was uncomfortable and she acted just like your little guy. If I put her on my chest, she might sleep soundly for hours. She was 3 weeks early.

    It sounds like he might just have a little bit of wind in him. I could spend 5 minutes winding my daughter before I put her down. I ended up doing it the way the nurses do, sitting the baby forward while holding the head between your index finger and thumb. Then put her on my shoulder for a few minutes.


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    #3
    How Strange
    Registered Users Posts: 6,339 ✭✭✭How Strange


    Bub.W congrats on your little boy. I'd let him sleep on your chest for the next while if it helps. They grow out of that grunting and groaning. Would you consider a sling for during the day?

    http://www.carrymeaway.com/pages/Baby-Slings-Newborns.html

    Also he may be hungry as 4 hours is a long gap between feeds especially as he's preterm so his tummy is even smaller than a full term. As you're using expressed breast milk feeding every 1-2 hours would be 'normal' for want of a better word


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