My 1 month son sleeps, then twitches which causes him to wake up crying. Any solutions without using medicine? I swaddle him tightly with a variety of swaddlers and techniques but no luck. He sleeps in his own crib with the only light being a lamp.
2006-09-19 17:52:42 · 15 answers · asked by Gar B 2 in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Newborn & Baby
Their nervous system is immature and they have a startle reflex. You are doing everything you need to do. Light does not matter, except it makes it easier for you to see him. Swaddling is good. NO NEED FOR MEDICATION. Just help him go back to sleep.
2006-09-19 17:55:05 · answer #1 · answered by Oak18 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not sure I'd dismiss all that SIDS 'back to sleep propaganda' so quickly. Up to you, but a lot of research has been done here...
I know they say 'back to sleep' for a year, but according to my baby's ped. for a healthy strong baby once she could roll over and escape the positioner (at about 5-6 months if I remember correctly) then the 'back to sleep' thing wasn't so important. He said not to stress about it if I found her on her tummy at that point.
I think the first person that said startle reflex is absolutely right. They grow out of it. No need to medicate them for it. Just showing up and comforting/reassuring him is the best thing that you can do.
Do you use a sleep positioner so he can't escape the swaddling? (It also serves to hug a little too which might reduce the startle a bit.)
I also use a heartbeat sound at night and the constant beating seems to soothe my daughter back to sleep when she wakes.
(She's now almost 10 months old and I still ALWAYS use the heartbeat at night and music CD's for naps. It had an added bonus... with such a constant routine she seems to know the difference between the sounds and slept through the night pretty much immediately!!)
Good luck and congrats on being a new parent!
2006-09-20 03:26:51 · answer #2 · answered by Poopsie-Daisy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is a defense mechanism.
I am very aware of SIDS and the possiblity of SIDS, but I believe that they are actually safer from SIDS on their bellies. When a baby is on his/her back (s)he is upside down and helpless. When on his/her belly, baby is protected and has potential to become mobile and "run" (or crawl as the case may be) from any danger... or at least to try. Crawling develops the lower parts of the brain which are responsible for breathing, the medulla and the pons. When this is underdeveloped, the child has problems breathing. When the child is on their back then they have the startel reflex much more often because they have no real way of defending themselves.
I don't follow the "back to sleep" propaganda and I don't have to deal with the startle reflex and my babies sleep much much better. We also don't vax so I am not worried about SIDS
SIDS is an acronym for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. A syndrome is a collection of symptoms for which there is no known cause.... let me say that again... A syndrome is a collection of symptoms for which there is no known cause. (too many new diseases use the word syndrome improperly) You cannot say a baby died of SIDS because of something. Like "My nephew died of SIDS because of a rare genetic disorder." NO... your nephew died of a rare genetic disorder... not SIDS.
OK that is all.
2006-09-20 02:33:56 · answer #3 · answered by slingnmom 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It is just a reflex like when he would kick in the womb. My son grew out of it at around 3 months.
2006-09-20 01:32:11 · answer #4 · answered by baconsmommy525 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think that you should swaddle him. Release him and keep an eye on him for couples of days.
2006-09-20 01:03:08 · answer #5 · answered by Billy 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My son is 7 months old, he twitched often, it worried my husband, but it is normal for newborns, their little body's are growing and not mature yet. He will out grow it.
2006-09-20 00:58:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
my oldest did that he finally grew out of it and its perfectly normal!
Its just like when you are falling asleep and suddenly you feel like your really falling! and you jump and wake up (yeah i do this alot too)
it will be ok just comfort him and sooth him when he wakes up and eventually it will either A go away or B he will get use to it and stop screaming about it!
good luck!
2006-09-20 01:00:16 · answer #7 · answered by naightengale 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Turn off the light babies aren't afraid of the dark. I've always put my babies to sleep on their belly as my mom did with us. I know it's advised against these days, but if you do it while you're awake watching him or put him on the floor (with no pets around) it should be safe. I'll guarantee you he'll sleep well on his belly.
2006-09-20 00:58:34 · answer #8 · answered by tyreanpurple 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It is the baby's nervous system I believe. It hasn't fully developed so that happens (just like the quivering lip). He will outgrow it, so just be patient with him and try to soothe him each time. Love is best! :)
2006-09-20 00:56:45 · answer #9 · answered by staysee921 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's a startle reflex, my son gets it too sometimes. He'll grow out of it soon.
2006-09-20 01:29:15 · answer #10 · answered by Xander's Mom 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋