# Talk to me about hypertonic babies



## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Daniel has been "strong" from day 1. He holds his head up, he likes to stand--sometimes he scares us because he just sort of pushes off our legs--, he flails and stretches a lot. We've been having some nursing issues where he arches and tries to take the nipple with him. He gets fussy and overstimulated and responds well to being swaddled with a cap on and then held close and rocked. This is corresponding with a lot of what I read about hypertonic infants.

OTOH, he sometimes likes being cuddled and loves the tub, which doesn't sound like a hypertonic baby.

Any thoughts on this? It isn't a huge issue, except when he nipple yanks and when he's inconsolable, but I'd like to know one way or another what's going on with him.


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## momma_monkey (Mar 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie* 
Daniel has been "strong" from day 1. He holds his head up, he likes to stand--sometimes he scares us because he just sort of pushes off our legs--, he flails and stretches a lot. We've been having some nursing issues where he arches and tries to take the nipple with him. He gets fussy and overstimulated and responds well to being swaddled with a cap on and then held close and rocked. This is corresponding with a lot of what I read about hypertonic infants.

OTOH, he sometimes likes being cuddled and loves the tub, which doesn't sound like a hypertonic baby.

Any thoughts on this? It isn't a huge issue, except when he nipple yanks and when he's inconsolable, but I'd like to know one way or another what's going on with him.

My ds, Owen, is this way exactly! He loves bath time and being in a carrier (most of the time.) What I have found that works during the nipple yanking and inconsolable times is to turn on white noise. For my ds it is the hair dryer, he is instantly calm. Again, this is most of the time







When he won't nurse, but keeps saying he is hungry, I turn on the hair dryer and he will nurse peacefully and fall asleep. Other times getting him completely naked, bouncing, and having the hair dryer on is what helps. Finally after he is calm he gives me a cue that he is ready to nurse/sleep. I have never labeled my son as "high needs" only because I work with students who are always labeled and I feel a high aversion to this sort of adult language. I think hypertonic just refers to babies who have strong personalities and not all are going to meet every bullet point on the list. FWIW, Owen rarely nurses in public b/c of being overstimulated/fussy. Most of the time he will only nurse in bed with my lying down. Our room is purposely darker and quieter than the rest of the house.

You have probably already read this article from Dr. Sears, but just in case:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/5/T050400.asp

There is also an article from LLL about cranio-sacral work. I had a few treatments with Owen, and they did help-- not a cure-all though









http://www.lalecheleague.org/llleade...gSep01p82.html

I hope this helps


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

Thanks, it does! And I hadn't seen the Sears article.

My midwife does CST. She actually did it right after the birth and a few other times, and he loved it. I'll have to give her a call.

I wonder if the difference in the bath thing is that he always bathes with me, so I'm holding him close? Maybe they meant they don't like being alone in a baby tub?


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## lactivist (Jun 14, 2005)

My ds1 was super strong and probably hypertonic. At times I would just position him in a arching back position to nurse. He would be attached to me but the rest of his body would be completely curved out. If I let him be like that he wouldn't fight me. He has always been strong and very physical. He is now an average 9yo boy. He is still big and strong but a gentle giant. He started crawling at about 4 months (well it was a straight legged drag but..) and that helped him a lot. He needed to get the energy out.
Wendi


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## User101 (Mar 3, 2002)

That's good to know, Wendi, because that was my other question--does it mean anything for the future? He's such a big strong active guy!


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## momma_monkey (Mar 26, 2007)

Quote:


Originally Posted by *annettemarie* 
Thanks, it does! And I hadn't seen the Sears article.

My midwife does CST. She actually did it right after the birth and a few other times, and he loved it. I'll have to give her a call.

I wonder if the difference in the bath thing is that he always bathes with me, so I'm holding him close? Maybe they meant they don't like being alone in a baby tub?

I think you're right about the bath, Owen bathes with me or dp all the time. At the very beginning he had a few baths in his own little bath, but really it was too much work for me







hehe. Sometimes Owen will nurse peacefully in the bath...

I am going to make a nursing necklace to see if that will help too, though that means getting motivated!

as for when the lo's get older I have only heard and read positive things, it is just a lot more caring and nurturing now.


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