Stressed as.. tried everything I can think of... exhausted

SingleMumOf2_3

My almost 6 month old keeps waking every 5 to 15 minutes for the entire night. He i teething.. but I have tried all the remedies such as calpol, teetha satchels, bonjela, dentinox, teething rings etc.

Last week giving him milk would soothe him and send him back to sleep. Though this meant he would be having a few mouthfuls at a time and was draining as I was getting no sleep. Now he is even rejecting the milk. I do not think he needs milk in the night.. or if he does 1-2 bottles. But he never ever takes them in full feeds.

I have tried a bedtime routine, but he just screams in his cot and gets more and more hysterical. I also have a 2 year old so I end up constantly running upstairs every ten minutes to try and soothe him.

In the day he doesnt sleep more than ten minutes either. Unless we are out in the pram and walking a good pace. Or I put him in the swing and keep it swinging. The moment it stops he will wake.

He is no long happy in his walker, jumperoo, swing when not moving, bouncer, on the floor having rolling space, on his play mat, in his cot.
Sometimes he is happy on my knee or in my arms, but half the time will still cry.

I have tried letting him cry for small amounts of times but he gets worse and worse the longer you leave him. It is now effecting my 2 year old because the screaming is waking him over and over and my 2 year old is now also tired all the time and grumpy.

I have tried giving water but he will just take the same amount of water instead of the milk. And I worry you can give a baby too much water?

I have tried a musical mobile over his cot, have tried having him in bed with me so he is near me and has contact etc. Have tried different room temperatures. In and out of sleeping bag. Have tried about 6 different dummies and bottles and teats.

I just do not know what to do anymore. Took him to the doctors and they have referred him to a dietician but doubt it will help.

The health visitor said to force him to go a certain length of time between feeds and stop offering milk at night. But he just screams and screams.

He is on hungry baby milk.. he was on 2 meals a day but has started to reject them or not take much at all. he takes about 5-7oz every 3 hours. but alot of the time will not take his full feed and will take 2oz then go to sleep.

Please help!! I will try anything right now!! I am getting 10-30 minutes of sleep a night and am beyond exhausted.

jackomdj

have you tried anbesol if you think it is due to the teething. you have to get it from behind the counter & ask for the liquid version, I used it on me when I had toothache & it numbs your gums. Worked wonders on my pair!

mirrorimage0

hiya, hun hugs to you
we used to give our sons medised when they were teething but only in the evening as it aids a restful sleep, really helped them (and me a lot)

SingleMumOf2_3

I keep forgetting to ask for it. Everytime I get near a pharmacy I forget the name. I cant go out tomorrow, but will get some on friday. TY

got-it-spend-it

Having you tried having him in bed with you? I know some people frown on it, but I have found it a lifesaver when LO is teething and not sleeping well.

Also how ling has he been on the hungry baby milk?It is harder to digest than normal formula so do you think that might be giving him tummy pain? Have you talked to your HV about it?

I'm not really sure what else to suggest, but hopefully other people will be more use. I really sympathise with you and I hope it gets better soon as it must be really tough for you and the 2 year old too.

SingleMumOf2_3

mirror I have that.. but instructions say do not give for longer than 3 days. Which I have done. And can only get him to take medicine if I add it in his bottle.

SingleMumOf2_3

got-it he was in my bed the last 2 nights and made absolutely no difference at all. he has been on hungry baby milk now for over 2 weeks. he was perfectly fine on it for the first 3 days. slept for 4-5 hours and was really settled. then all of a sudden changed. I can only think it is teething that is causing it, but I can't say for sure that it is. But pain killers and teething remedies have no effect on him. He falls asleep with help, but it is as if something if constantly waking him. As he seems to try to get himself back to sleep straight away.. but is unable to.

Js_Other_Half

I'd wonder if the hungry baby milk took a while to upset his digestive system? Might be worth going back to his original formula for a week or so to see if it helps.

We used an amber teething necklace on DS which really made a difference with his teething; he wore it from about 7 months? Up until then we'd needed specialist bibs to absorb the amount of saliva he produced. Within 24 hours or so after starting to wear the necklace he didn't need them again. Something like this:
http://www.amber-teething-necklaces.co.uk/

SingleMumOf2_3

Js after he had been on it for 5 days I did revert to the normal milk and it made no difference. I asked the hv should I go back and she said no. Told me to wean him (even though hungry baby milk says to delay onset of early weaning) and told me to stop giving milk in the night. But I cant just let him scream for 8+hrs

conradmum

You could try baby fish oil capsules in his milk. I'm not sure if they're allowed them that young, but I found they made a big difference to my son's poor sleeping and I wished I'd tried them earlier.

Good luck -it's awful I know. Just take a day at a time and only do what's absolutely necessary around the house. Could anyone take him for a few hours so you could get a rest?

shelley_crow

They might not sell you medised if they know it's for a child that young, I got a grilling at Tesco pharmacy when i tried to buy it for my 5 year old last year, they refused the sale in the end saying it's no longer recommended for children under 7 years old, even though the instructions on the back give the dosage info.