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Wow, you have four kids and three out of the four had reflux! Tell me about your one that didn’t have it? How did they sleep and act and all? I would love to have more children, but am afraid that all my children will have reflux.
You are describing Justice to a T. He did, and I do mean did everything you are talking about. We did go through a time at around 5 months with him that he was only getting 5 hrs sleep max in a 24 hour period. He actually started having tremours he was so tired. I have no advice on how to get him to sleep better. Justice did the same thing and I still have no idea what I could’ve done any differently. Justice also slept with me and bf all night long. I personally don’t think it’s a bad habit at all. Dr. James Mckenna has been doing baby sleep studies for years and all his research shows that a baby should sleep with you in your bed or at least near you. There have been no studies to prove other wise. 92% of babies that died of sids were not in the room with their parents. I think that is why they used to call it crib death. I totally understand why someone would not want to sleep with their baby in their bed or even in their room, but I don’t think anyone should tell you you are wrong for sleeping with your baby. However we all know that a least one person will tell us it is wrong. Heck my whole family thinks I am wrong, but I don’t care. For once I have research on my side. Besides all that Justice is now almost 11 months old and he is sleeping in his own crib all night long.
Oh, and I did it without letting him cio all by himself. I tryed not letting him cry at all, but that didn’t work. Now though he goes to bed without crying. Naps are another story, but here was a baby that woke every hour or two and now he is sleeping all night long. Of course, as usual everyone thinks I am spoiling him because I decided to not let him cio. I feel like getting them some books for Christmas. 
Okay, sorry about all that. I just want you to know that you are not wrong. You do what you feel is right. When he and you are ready for night weaning, I am more than willing to share with you what Justice and I did. When I say that please know that I know he is too young for night weaning. Oh, and he probably is just tired. I still don’t know why Justice didn’t sleep better, but now he is. As far as reflux meds go, Justice was on 60 mg of Zegerid and still didn’t sleep well. 
you described shanes sleep to the T as well
… he still does do the 3 or 4 hours stretch at night..than wakes often every hour there after..but the thing is is that he put himself back to sleep now.. but when he was your sons age..he would cry because he was woken up.. the acid meds didnt help him sleep either.. but maybe it might work for you .. i would try another type … to really see. the gaviscon would also help if it was acid..because its an antacid as well.. soo if you did try it.. i guess it would only answer if it is reflux bothering him.. not just nonacid or acid reflux.. soo i guess it wouldnt help answer your question too much
.. i hope you figure it out soon somehow which one it is.. and let us know how it all goes! Shelby,
Thank you so much for your encouraging post. I have so many family members that would be against my sleeping arrangement that I won’t even tell them about it. I just don’t want to hear it! My mom told me that he wouldn’t learn to be independent with me sleeping with him, and that was when I decided I wouldn’t tell any more of my family about it. I already know my MIL would have a fit! She is so old school and believes in letting baby cry, etc.
So, it’s nice to have someone encourage this type of loving parenting rather than be negative about it. I’ve even had to convince my husband that it will all turn out OK and he will eventually sleep independently, etc.
He supports it, because it helps ME sleep right now. If it weren’t for that, I don’t think he would support this at all. But, with reflux (as you know) you have to do what you have to do to survive!
To answer your question, yes we have 4 children. The oldest one I am not 100% sure had reflux, but I now suspect he did since I know more about it now. He was VERY colicky and projectile vomited as a newborn. Our pediatrician at the time told us, “Yes, babies do cry a lot – it’s normal.” When I asked him if it was normal to cry ALL the time, he still said, YES. So, being a young, inexperienced parent, I thought we had to just ride it out. It was 6 months of HELL, but once he outgrew it, he was fine. He slept horribly and fussed constantly for about the first 6 months. We finally did CIO with him at close to a year since he was still waking every hour at night to nurse. However, I now regret doing that and would not do it again…he doesn’t seem to have any lasting effects from it, but I just can’t go through that again.
With our second son, we thought we were the luckiest parents in the world (especially after our first experience) because he slept ALL the time and had to be woken every 4 hours to eat! However, at his 2 week check up, our doctor was concerned, because he noticed that his lips looked “dusky”. A sleep study was ordered, and we discovered that he had reflux and apnea. He had to be put on an apnea monitor for 6 months. His sleep was great – TOO great I guess, because he didn’t always wake when the reflux came up, and his lungs shut down to protect themselves from aspirating the fluid. So, as you can imagine, the STRESS was just as bad with him due to our constant fear that he would stop breathing. It was a nightmare. We actually decided at that time that we might now have any more children. We just didn’t think we could go through either of those experiences again. Also, at about 8 weeks of age, he “woke up” and became colicky 🙁 He was fussy until about 6 months old when he apparently outgrew his colic too. Not coincidentally I’m sure, he was also taken off the monitor at 6 months since it hadn’t alarmed in so long.
Our third and ONLY non-reflux child is adopted! So, obviously for us it runs in our family!
Our fourth, Caden (who I keep writing about here), was fussy from DAY 1! He wouldn’t stand for being put down even in the hospital as a brand new born. I had to let him sleep on my tummy even in the hospital or he would wake up immediately. Once I got home, I noticed that each time he was placed in his bassinet, he woke immediately. I thought maybe he didn’t like the bassinet and tried his crib – same reaction. I finally learned that if I wanted him to nap, I would have to wear him in a carrier. That helped with naps. He was probably our most colicky one. I thought it would never end! Now, at 5 months he is MUCH improved, but he is still fussier than other babies. Part of it may be temperment too, because he gets frustrated so easily (ie if a toy drops when he’s holding it, etc), but I now believe that all 3 of them had reflux. Caden hasn’t been tested, but he has so many of the symptoms, and with our others being so similar in their behaviors, etc. we believe he has it too.
BUT, with all of that being said, I’m sure you know that we wouldn’t change a thing! I’m so happy to have 4 beautiful children. If you want more children, go for it! Just don’t be shocked if the others have reflux too…I don’t mean to scare you, but I know in some families it really runs in the family (like ours). For you, it may be different. I have heard of people having one child with reflux but not other children, so it IS possible. At least you will know what to expect next time if it is reflux, and maybe you’ll be quicker to get him/her on the right meds from the beginning, etc.
Have a great day
Argh! I thought you might be the exception to the rule. I have yet to hear of anyone that had two reflux babies back to back that didn’t have all their children have it. We had decided to adopt our third and possilby fourth, but then I have started to get baby fever again. I know I’m crazy. Anyway, I have started thinking about having another biological and maybe adopting another later on. I would adopt first, but my pregnancies are not fun and the older I get the worse it will be I’m sure. I had really hoped on having one child without reflux.
God can do anything I know, but I can’t count on the next one not having it. I do know that we have been through it before and can do it again. I just don’t want to do it again. <Whining here. Like you said though, I wouldn’t give up my babies for anything. About the sleeping with your baby. I know everyone told me my babies would never sleep on their own, but both are and I slept with both. I also have friends that have slept with their babies and their babies are sleeping on their own too. Like I said their is research on our side.
I hope all gets better soon. Your little ones seem to outgrow their reflux 3 months earlier than mine. Both of mine outgrew it at 9 months. I know a lot of babies outgrow it at 12 months. It is so interesting how that is. Especially that our children outgrow it at the same time as their siblings. Justice’smom2007-4-1 14:46:58
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