Constantly moving arms and legs...

[Mondie]

My 7 week old boy has just started constantly moving his arms and legs practically all day long, he just doesn't stop. He struggles to sleep unless in my arms, if I put him down awake or asleep he just flails his limbs. He is also always hungry, I can't seem to satisfy his hunger and his naps are only 30 mins at a time.

Is this usual? Especially the moving arms and legs its got me quite concerned.

 

[DeeDee80]

My 7 week old daughter just started this too! I'm starting to wonder if she's colicky...Today I had to call in reinforcements because she was up every two hours last night. So my parents are coming in about an hour so that I can get a break and actually shower and clean up the house.

 

[polaris]

Have you tried swaddling? You need to do it much tighter than you think and there is definitely a knack to swaddling a wriggly baby so they can't break free - but I find it absolutely brilliant. I didn't think my first child liked being swaddled because he would always break out, but actually looking back I think he needed it even more because his limbs flailed about so much. I always swaddle Clara and she sleeps so much better. If I don't swaddle her tightly enough she will always wake up.

 

[bananaz]

My LO is the same way and has been pretty much since birth (though it got a lot worse at around 2 months) and swaddling was the only way I could get her to sleep longer stretches at that age. She didn't like it but she slept much better, and was much easier to put down since she still felt like she was being held tight.

 

[chubbin]

My son was like this as a baby, my mil would say 'look, he's riding his bike again'. He had gavison until a year old for reflux. he wouldnt let me sit down with him until he walked (thankfully at 11 months), so I constantly wore him in a sling and lost all the 5 stone I put on during pregnancy!. He has since become an extremely active, beautiful and happy toddler. I was worried about the flailing at the time too, but I think it's par for the course if you have an active and/or refluxy LO xx

 

[Bellybump89]

My newborn is like this. Looks like she's doing windmills with her paws (hands) lol it's funny to watch during the day but she HAS to be swaddled in order to sleep at night or it makes for a wriggly baby and a cranky mommy. She also has refulx not sure if that has anything to do with it..

 

[pompeyvix]

Assuming he is not in pain, then I am another who will say swaddle.

Anabella was always flailing her arms around, hitting her face, rubbing her eyes, her arms (and legs sometimes to) going all over the place. I assumed she wouldnt like to be swaddled as she seemed to almost love having her arms free and she would sleep with her hands by her head.

Anyway, we swaddled her Tuesday night and haven't looked back since. As soon as she is wraped up, she goes calm immediately and within 10/15 mins her eyes start to shut.

I put her to sleep tonight at 8.15 and she is still sleeping now.

We have used nothing fancy. Just a moses basket sheet with a muslin cloth wrapped around to ensure she stays in.

Give it a go!!

 

[greats]

My baby does this as well, we'll put her down and she'll be fine for the first 10 minutes but then she moves her arms & legs like crazy and she can't settle down unless we are holding her. We went out & bought a swaddle blanket that has velcro on it & we tried it for her nap earlier and it was brilliant! She was like a little tightly wrapped burrito & she napped soundly. Can't wait to use it for bed tonight!