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Restless baby at night - coughing & straining noises

Hi,

My DS is 7 weeks old and for the last few nights (usually after the last feed at 4am ish) has been making a lot of straining and short coughing noises. Has anyone else's babies gone through/going through this? Of course, it's very difficult to sleep and most of the time it doesn't sound like he's in pain but I do worry as last night it was pretty constant going on (on & off) from midnight onwards. It's so loud that I know that he's not asleep hence why he is so crabby in the mornings. He doesn't have a runny nose and generally has a bowel movement every other day (in which there is a lot of). He was born premature by 2 weeks - is it just his digestive system/lungs maturing? Is there anything I could give him to help him?

Thanks xx

Replies

  • Hi there, I havent experienced this but my sister's lo had breathing problems which developed at around this age - you shld speak to your GP and HV to make sure everything is ok xxx
  • Hi,

    My LO also makes a lot of noise when he sleeps, and like you it's generally in the middle of the night. He's 4 weeks old. He goes down fine when we put him to bed at 9 or 10ish and he sleeps quietly. But he starts making lots of grunts and straining noises as he starts to wake up for his nightfeed. He then makes just as many noises when he's settling back down after the feed. I don't go to him unless he's actually crying. He'll quite happily lie there making noise until he wakes up or falls asleep. I did worry a bit at the start but he seems fine and now I just think it's something he does.

    Hope that helps!
    Elle
  • My lo makes noises as well. M W said he's vocal because we talk to him a lot. He'll settle early part of the night. When it comes to the morning after his early feed, he'll start with a cry and some grunty noises, as well as moving about. Then he'll settle again and do it all over again! It seems to be when he really doesn't want to wake up but he has a full nappy! I don't know why it is only the mornings, but I know he's fine just keeping me awake! If you think it is related to your lo's breathing you should really get it checked out. With James it's one time, usually the same time of night so it doesn't worry me. xx mithical and James 3 weeks 1 day old.
  • Hi Mithical and Little Flower,

    Your Lo's are exactly like mine!!! That's re-assuring that he's not unique.....It's just a little distressing to hear because he is SO loud and it can go on for several hours (on & off). It doesn't happen every night, just noticed it these last few nights. He doesn't cry so I do leave him, I just don't sleep whilst he's like this - unlike my husband!!

    Gi & Thomas 7 weeks today!
  • With James it does sound like a sort of straining sound most of the time. He does this cry, and I wait to see if he is going to cry properly, if he doesn't then I too leave him. As you say this wriggle, cry, strain noise can go on for a while, and I can't sleep while he's doing it either! x
  • Hey hun, my little boy Fred was like this from about 9 weeks to about 18/19 weeks. He went down fine but from about 10pm onwards would be awake every hour making straining noises. he was bf until about 14 weeks, then mixed fed. He basically had lower wind and all the straining was to help him to fart!

    It was so exhausting cos he woke so often. My HV showed me some massage techniques to relieve the wind and it def helped. More often than not I would pump his legs and massage his tum and he would fart loads or poo and then would settle back and sleep for longer. He was refered to a paediatrician just to check him out but all was fine and he has gradually grown out of it. he still gets wind, but now he is more mobile he seems to be able to wriggle and squirm until he farts!

    Good luck! I hope it passes soon, it is absolutely knackering! x
  • Thank you slippers- maybe that's what Thomas has.....what massaging technique did you use? I have a baby massage class coming up end of Feb so will definately attend. Come to think about it, he does pump a lot and maybe that's why he strains. He had a bowel movement today so hopefully tonight will be a better night. He does burp quite well, do you think I'm maybe not burping enough which is why he may have lower wind problems? x
  • Hey hun, I really don't know about how burping them may affect lower wind, it's definitely possible tho I guess. The paediatrician said its so so common so I think it's prob just one of those physiological things while they develop,

    It's good that you have a massage class, I also did baby massage and they def show you techniques there. essentially I would rub freds tum in a circle starting around the groin on his right (your left as youlook at him) and rub up and round under the tummy button and down and round to the other side of the tummy, as if you're drawing a C shape on its side. Does that make sense? I would do this a few times then push his knees gently up to his tum and hold them there, then repeat the process. Quite often he would start to strain when I pushed his knees up and eventually after a while out would come the trumps! You have to be patient, sometimes it comes straight away, sometimes it takes a alot longer!

    Good luck hun, I feel for you. I was beside myself with tiredness while it was going on.

    But if it is just wind, it does pass.

    Oh, I also changed to Dr Browns bottles when formula feeding and that seemed to help too, took about a week to notice a difference.

    xx
  • Hi, my 9wk old daughter has done these straining noises from birth, always worried me, but reading here has put my mind at ease now thanks.. Defo must be lower wind trapped, she never like her legs laid flat when putting her down.. Just tried putting a folded blanket under her legs to relieve the strain on lower tummy.. It's seemed to of done trick, she's sleeping peaceful now!! Hope this helps any of you sleepless people, worth a try.. image
  • My breastfed baby made straining noises following night feeds and seemed gassy, we had a dramatic improvement when I cut dairy from my diet, she has gradually started to tolerate it again now after several months of me avoiding it - it was a relief to find that it helped and to suddenly be able to get more sleep - if anyone is struggling definitely worth a trial.

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