The Taboo of Sleeping on stomach

[TORino]

It's interesting this, luckily for me I don't have a baby who prefers to sleep on their tummy.

I do lay T on her side to get her to nod off at night because that's the most effective way to have her drop off. Plus I'm paranoid about the vomiting and her choking after she's put down after a feed.

Little miss - I've read before that babies with severe reflux may sleep better on their tummies but it says discuss with your doc which you obvs have

http://www.askdrsears.com/topics/childhood-illnesses/ger/ger-hidden-cause-colic

When we were in the hospital, the nurse rolled up a towel and laid it in the bassinet in a U shape and put a sheet over it to make a sort of hole for T to sleep in, she often buried her face into the side of the towel and it made the crib snuggly for her but I did worry about it and SIDS.

I have replicated it at home as it stops her rolling in the crib as we have a cushion elevating the mattress.

I'm pretty sure you aren't meant to do that as per the official advice but then why would they do it at hospital?

 

[littlemiss83]

Rolled up blankets aren't too bad, its only a worry when they are able to unroll them with their hands & pull them over their face. Your right to be worried if its actually at LO's face. We use a rolled up blanket but its at the bottom of cot which was advised by pead.

Here's a wee bit about blankets & front sleeping....

A healthy baby can easily be placed in a situation where they are breathing in a confined space that traps their breath. They are essentially breathing the same air over and over - almost like being in a plastic bag. With every breath, the oxygen content drops and the carbon dioxide content increases. Gradually, there isn't enough oxygen in that air to sustain them and they die without as much as a whimper. The process is slow and this pamphlet includes a mathematical model that shows what can happen.

Contributing Factors
Parents who take special precautions to protect their newborn infants may make matters worse by being so careful. Their special precautions sometimes inadvertently create the very conditions that could injure and actually kill their infants. Infants that suffer near-SIDS events may suffer some form of brain damage from a lack of oxygen. Although the death of a healthy infant is the most noticeable effect of a stagnant air space, other less drastic effects may be widespread.

It is not obvious that infants can be so vulnerable that their own breathing can kill them. We all take for granted that there is always enough oxygen in the air we breathe. This is why adults sometimes suffer the same consequences when they enter a confined space such as a tank. One family suffered the loss of a husband and two grown sons when the father collapsed while cleaning a septic tank. When the father was overcome the oldest son went in to rescue him and was also affected. His younger brother then went into that tank to rescue the other two. This kind of tragedy happens all too often.

The best way to prevent a pool of carbon dioxide (CO2) from forming around a baby is by providing air currents and eliminating any possible "dam" conditions.
Blankets, pillows, clothing, or even hats can create shallow "dams". Wide-open space around the baby is the best situation. Well meaning and caring people inadvertently create the "dams" as a means of protecting the precious infant that they so dearly love. It is unfortunate that this special care and concern can create the very conditions that can lead to the death of that infant.

http://www.sidsprevention.com/co2andsids.html

 

[Maria1977]

Oz was always a side and tummy sleeper, he couldn't be on his back at all until he got bigger.

Once he could lift his head I felt more confident about tummy sleeping.

A sound and movement monitor is a great investment.

I think as long as you make informed decisions and have confidence in your choices you'll be fine.