Excellent book for parents of refluxers especially those who crave sleep!!!
Following a recent article in the Telegraph I have just purchased a copy of "The Sensational Baby Sleep Plan" it is written by Alison Scott-Wright who is a maternity nurse with special interest and knowledge in sleep and reflux. She has been campaigning for 10 years to push for more training for GP's and HV's in reflux and having read the book she has answered all the questions I have always wanted to know and many I have seen people ask on this site including, what happens in reflux, how each medication works and how to administer them and most importantly for me a plan for getting your baby to sleep through the night despite their reflux.
I also spoke to Alison in person as she works with families in person and via telephone consultations to help parents take control of their children's reflux and help with sleep issues. She was so helpful and I now realise that some of the behaviours I thought a bit strange are all signs of stress and sleep deprevation. She even gives a chapter on weaning and which foods to try or avoid.
Having spoke to Alison she is trying to get the NHS to commission her to write an information leaflet for GP's and HV's and any support she has from parents would all help the cause so she asks that as many people as possible find the telegraph article on the web and add a comment to support it as it may lead to further articles which will all help to raise awareness.
I cannot stress enough how glad I am that I purchased this book, it is the best £10 i've ever spent!
Look for it on the web, and if you need anymore info let me know.
Views: 17
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by TiredMummy on -
Thanks Wendy, I found the article but for some reason was unable to comment - my computer is a little slow at times! Will try again tomorrow.
Thank you for the recommendation, I have ordered the book mainly as I would be interested in the weaning advice.
x
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Permalink Reply by Hannah K on -
I have just bought the book aswell and have read it cover to cover. It is excellent as it really focuses on practical tips rather than what World Health Organisations (WHO) and Government guidelines say. I.e. she suggests putting reflux babies to sleep on their side or tummy (with a breathing monitor) rather than their back, putting them into their own room rather than keeping them in your room for 6 months, and weaning at around 16 weeks rather than 6 months and many other useful tips worth trying.
There's a whole chapter on reflux and the various medication and she has included a diary of how she got her grandson (who had silent reflux) to sleep through the night.
Definately worth buying.
Han x
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Permalink Reply by Wendy Marsh on
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Hannah
Glad to find someone else who has read it - have you tried any of it yet, we hope too but my little one now has a terrible cold so we will have to wait until he is better.
W x
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Permalink Reply by Hannah K on
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Hi Wendy,
some of the things she suggests we were doing already, more out of necessity than anything else, lol. For example I moved James into his own room when he was only 6 weeks old (he's almost 5 months now). I didn't realise at the time that he had silent reflux and he would grunt, groan and whimper all night long. I just couldn't get any sleep with him in my room so I bought a breathing monitor and moved him down the corridor at 6 weeks old. He was so noisy I could still hear him down the corridor though so I started to wear earplugs aswell. Sounds terrible, but it worked! I only woke up when he was actually crying loudly rather than tending to every whimper, and the breathing monitor gave me peace of mind that he was okay.
Two weeks later, when he was 8 weeks old, he was diagnosed with silent reflux and got put on medication, which he is still on now. He still struggles to drink his milk but doesn't groan, moan and whimper all night anymore. I know he doesn't groan all night anymore because I put him to bed at 7pm and he will sleep like an angel until I wake him at 11pm for a night-feed. I still have him in his own room with the breathing monitor and I still wear earplugs (I think I've just got used to them now! When I don't wear them the traffic outside wakes me up!), so I only wake when he cries. I'm glad I moved him to his own room so early because we both seem to sleep better that way.
When he cries I let him cry for around 5 minutes (Only if I'm sure it's not a pain cry from reflux! If he sounds in pain I go in straight away). After he's had a bit of a cry I go in, give him his dummy and re-assure him. He almost always goes straight back to sleep. He usually only wakes once in the night now, so it seems to work. I also find if I go in straight away when he cries he won't re-settle or he'll fall asleep but then wake half an hour later. I don't know why it works, but if I let him cry a bit before going in he seems to sleep better afterwards. I realised that about 2 weeks ago and have been letting him cry a bit for about 2 weeks and slowly he has started waking less and only wakes around once in the night now.
I also started weaning James when he was 10 weeks old, he was taking so little milk and would just scream. On the contrary he loved his food right from the beginning.
Alison suggests taking his dummy away and dropping the dream-feed at 11pm but I haven't got that daring yet. If he keeps on sleeping well I might try it in the next few weeks.
How about you, have you tried any of her tips yet?
Han xxx
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Permalink Reply by Wendy Marsh on
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We also have Harry in his own room from about 6 weeks for the same reasons as you really, he was very noisy and also my first son slept through once we put him in his own room at 5 weeks. I also weaned him at 12 weeks and he also loved his food and I also sleep him on his side, well he does it himself now he is bigger but he has got very dependant on his dummy and is showing all the signs of being over tired and I am reguarly up with him 3 or 4 times a night, I have tried leaving him and it has started to work but it is really hard when I have an older son sleeping next door to him. I plan to try her plan in full but lo has now got a cold so I have to wait for him to get over it before I can give it a go, I really hope it works as his reflux is so much better and he is a lovely little man except he doesn't sleep and I am exhausted so fingers crossed.
Wend x
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Permalink Reply by Hannah K on
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Aaargh, the same has started happening in the last few days. He's waking up 3-4 times a night and I'm having to put his dummy in. Not sure of I should try weaning him off it??
Han x
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Permalink Reply by Wendy Marsh on
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Han
I am trying to wean Harry off of his at the moment, we are now into our third day and I haven't given in yet but its not easy, the first night he went to sleep without it in about 5 minutes and slept until 11.30pm (he stirred a bit at 9.30pm but settled in minutes) he then cried for 2hours 7 minutes to be precise but I have to say it was an angry tired cry and as it went on the silences got longer until he finally gave in, I went in to do the reassurance about 4 times but once he went back to sleep he slept through to 7.15am so for us thats a bonus. Last night he went off without even crying, then woke again at 11.30pm but only cried in a half hearted way for 40 minutes and then went back to sleep he woke again at 5am and took 20 minutes to go back, so that is an improvement on the previous night so I would say it is working. Daytime nap has been a nightmare today but Alison does say in her book that they are harder but I would definately say things are getting better. So if our experiences help give it a go.
Alison tried to call me yesterday but I was out and I haven't been able to get hold of her yet but I will be interested in her feedback but I shall certainly persevere for now so it may be worth giving it a go. How old is your lo as I think that makes a difference as well, I think they get more attached to the dummy as they get older.
Hope this helps.
Wend x
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Permalink Reply by Hannah K on
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Hi Wendy,
I'm glad it's starting to work for you. How old is your lo? James is 4 and half months. I was reading today that between 4 and 5 months baby's sleep cycles change and they start to wake up fully when they come into the light sleep cycle. This probably explains why James has started waking up more frequently wanting his dummy to get back to sleep. He's got his next set of jabs on tuesday so I think I will have to wait until the week after before weaning him off the dummy to sleep.
Today a put him in his cot and gave him his dummy to settle, then just when he closed his eyes and started to nod off I took the dummy out. I might try that for a week and then once he's got over his jabs go cold tukey with Alison's technique.
Let me know how it goes over the next few days, hope it works!!
Han x
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Permalink Reply by Wendy Marsh on
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Han
My lo is almost 9 months, I would try and wean him off it if you can as they say that they habit form from 6 months so I wish I had done this earlier.
W x
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Permalink Reply by Hannah K on
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I think you're right, I will have to take it off him before it becomes a bad habit. Do you still give him his dummy in the daytime when he cries or have you taken it away altogether?
Han x -
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Permalink Reply by Hannah K on
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Here's the link to the article:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/6951227/How-the-Magic-Sleep-Fairy...
You can comment at the top and the comment will appear at the bottom.
Han x
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Permalink Reply by EmilyG on -
I also have this book, and have been speaking to Alison re my son Ben who has acid reflux and starting to have feeding issues - she is fab. I know her vaguely from a few years back, so as she has been so helpful to me, I am organising a talk and book signing with her, hopefully in about a months time in Bucks. (I also run an events company) I will let you all know more details in the next week or so when they are finalised but may be really helpful if any of you live within travelling distance.
Def worth buying the book though, so useful and full of tips and info about GORD, she really knows her stuff!
Emily x
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