Moro Reflex

The moro reflex is the startle reflex in infants which usually subsides around 3 or 4 months.  Mr. Man has serious startle reflex. He wakes himself up all the time due to his hands hitting himself in the face or his legs snapping up to his stomach.  I don't remember Miss M having the startle reflex to the degree Mr. Man does.  It's frustrating and annoying.

He doesn't love the swaddle b/c he wants his hands by his face but by putting them there he ends up waking himself.  I have tried what feels like every sleeping mechanism on the market. I find myself researching the Amazon app in the middle of the night looking for a new item or something I have missed. I am fortunate that one of our friends has already been through this and she owns about every item that I have wanted to purchase (or have purchased and returned).

We have tried:

SwaddleMe
Swaddling with a blanket
Swaddling with one arm in
The Woombie
Aussie Swaddle
The Woombie for arms to be raised slightly
The Merlin Magic Suit
Filling a sock with rice for weight
Bjorn

None of them work consistently. We are currently working with the Woombie which allows for the arms to be raised slightly. It worked well last night but I don't know if it was a fluke or if it really worked. We will try it again tonight and see if we have another really good night.

Another deterrent to Mr. Man's sleep is digestive issues. I guess that's what they are classified as. He is unsettled after he eats. The acid reflux medication has helped with the thrashing around but he typically cries uncontrollably for a period of time.  Therefore, he doesn't go back to sleep as easily as he could or should but we're working through it. He's moved his bedtime up to between 8pm and 9pm which is helpful for me to get a decent amount of sleep before he wakes up between 1-3am.

It's easier the second time around to not go super crazy about Mr. Man waking himself up (although it might seem like I am crazy I am not nearly as crazy as I was when Miss M wouldn't sleep) because I know it ends and we'll be on to a new problem. We've made it through two months and we only have two more months before he gets control over his arms and legs.

This is what happens when he startles - legs and arms go crazy

The one arm out blanket swaddle with socks

 The merlin magic suit which makes him look like a marshmallow. It's really breathable and he seems to hate it the least b/c his arms are free he just can't get them to his face very easily.

 The bjorn. He is okay with it when he's not ticked off. If he's ticked off then it's game over.

We will survive.  I am not worried. I will let you know when I am worried. He's already an infinitely better sleeper than Miss M.