Baby won't be put down. Like at all. Help!

[Anonymous]

DS is 5 weeks and will NOT be put down. I'm not exaggerating, sadly. If he is not being held, he goes completely hysterical. I can manage with him in the moby for most of the day, but the nights are killing me. I end up falling asleep holding him, which I know is not safe (although I have a Snuza on him).


He does have reflux and is on Zantac, which is doing squat. We have a GI appt in a few weeks, but I'm not sure this is linked - his reflux crying is very linearly traceable to 15-20 m after a feed. We've tried everything to get him to sleep in a bassinet - in cline, tummy sleep (hence snuza), swaddle (when on back). We've also tried the swing and a rnp. I am on an elimination diet for all major allergens and he gets probiotics (gerber soothe).

But the problem just seems bigger. When he's alert and not crying, putting him down makes him cry. If he's asleep, putting him down wakes him up and makes him cry. He also won't really engage with toys although he does seem pretty engaged with the world when he's awake.

I am at my wits end. DH thinks we should be putting him down regardless but still patting/ soothing him so he knows we're there, just not picking him up, but I have to think the degree to which ds gets upset is just not ok.

This is pretty abnormal, right? What the heck do we do? At wits end!!!

[Anonymous]

My DD was like this. I could have written this exact post. She started to grow out of it around 3 months and it got progressively easier from there. I remember taking a shower with her in a bouncy seat for the first time around 3 months. I spent a lot of time wearing her in a carrier for naps. At night it was challenging and I ended up co-sleeping because I could not trust myself not to fall asleep holding her in our glider. She transitioned to her crib around six months and has been sleeping there since. Hang it there! It will get easier.

[Anonymous]

A 5 weeks old is not yet ready for toys. What do you mean?

And my son had severe reflux so dh and I took turns holding him asleep at night. 3 hours shifts for each of us.

We shared the bed so slowly we started lowering our bodies until we were laying down with him. Our bed was on incline.

[Anonymous]

Get him on Prevacid. Night and day. Also get a rock n play and swaddle or double swaddle if you have to.

[Anonymous]

Perfectly normal, even without reflux IMO. I have three kids and not one of them liked being put down much at five weeks. That's really young.

[Anonymous]

Ugh can your ped add in the Prevacid now before GI? My refkux babies couldn't go down either but with meds they could - also mine were dairy and egg sensitive - it was silent reflux laying down - woukd go half way up their throat and burn it with no spit up
Sorry mama - it's gets better but is soooooo brutal

[Anonymous]

Both of mine were like that at that age. We held them. I took them to the doctor but everything checked out. No meds.

It got better gradually.

[Anonymous]

Med chandelier, look at diet and take baby to store and try every swing and bouncy and see what they like. Some are particular with the angle.

[Anonymous]

Ring sling stat.

[Anonymous]

If you are a breastfeeding nonsmoker, read up on safe bedsharing practices. Much safer than falling asleep while holding the baby. Notre Dame has good information.

[Anonymous]

No, it is far from abnormal. My son was the same way. I met many people along the way who had the same experience. Get a ring sling. It will save you. Ditto for bedsharing -- do your research, be safe, and hop in bed to get some sleep.

[Anonymous]

Normal. This too shall pass.

[Anonymous]

Normal even for infants without any reflux. It really sucks. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Are you BF-ing? You could try cutting out dairy, which may clear up the reflux.

Also, I've heard people rave about the rock 'n play for kids with reflux. Seems to be a good angle. Maybe try one?

[Anonymous]

The technical term for this is 'unputdownable'. It's rough.