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Q: Started a Bad Habit And Now I'm Scared
asked by: Bridget on January 26th, 2007
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For a long time now, I don't even know how long, i've been putting finn down to nap on his stomach. He goes to sleep on his own like that and sleeps great, nice long naps.

Then yesterday I read a really scary article on sids and now I don't want him to sleep like that anymore. I always knew it was "wrong" but did it anyway thinking as long as I checked on him frequently and only did it for naps he'd be fine. That article scared the crap out of me and I decided he can't nap like that anymore but he won't nap on his back! I tried putting him down awake and shushing him and rubbing his belly, I tried swaddling him (like I do at night when he sleeps on his back) but he was getting angry, I tried transferring him to his crib after he'd fallen asleep in my arms and he woke up immediately, I even let him fall asleep on his tummy and then rolled him over and he woke up 2 minutes later.

I don't know what to do. Maybe it'll just take time to get him into a new routine.

Once he starts rolling over on his own is he "allowed" to sleep on his stomach?
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Sunflower_pie81 replied on January 26th, 2007
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They didnt' tell you not to sleep him on his belly before you left the hospital?

Once he starts rolling then you cant' prevent it.
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tdr replied on January 26th, 2007
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If .Finn's napping and you go in to check on him (since you're not asleep) I think it'd be fine to let him nap on his stomach. I only slept on my stomach as a baby, even with the .S.I.D.S risk, because my mom is a pediatric/neonatal nurse so she knew what she was doing. And as you can see, .I'm still here!
But .I'd think once they can roll over on their own it's okay, because they may roll themselves into that position anyway...
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Bridget replied on January 26th, 2007
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gen wrote:
they didnt' tell you not to sleep him on his belly before you left the hospital?


no, they did and my doctor even asks at every appointment if he's sleeping on his back. I kind of had the "well I slept on my stomach as a baby and i'm fine" mentality going on. Now i'm regretting my cockiness.
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Bridget replied on January 26th, 2007
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nat wrote:
if .Finn's napping and you go in to check on him (since you're not asleep) I think it'd be fine to let him nap on his stomach.


that's kind of what I figured. I mean, i'm checking on him a ridiculous amount of times.

nat wrote:
I only slept on my stomach as a baby, even with the .S.I.D.S risk, because my mom is a pediatric/neonatal nurse so she knew what she was doing. And as you can see, .I'm still here!


i don't think they had the "back-to-sleep" campaign when you were younger, i'm pretty sure it's fairly new. They used to tell parents to put their babies to sleep on their stomachs.

I just read some really bad statistics though and i'm regretting it. I wish I hadn't read it.
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tdr replied on January 26th, 2007
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bridget wrote:


nat wrote:
I only slept on my stomach as a baby, even with the .S.I.D.S risk, because my mom is a pediatric/neonatal nurse so she knew what she was doing. And as you can see, .I'm still here!


i don't think they had the "back-to-sleep" campaign when you were younger, i'm pretty sure it's fairly new. They used to tell parents to put their babies to sleep on their stomachs.


I just read some really bad statistics though and i'm regretting it. I wish I hadn't read it.


they didn't have the campaign, but because my mom was in the field she was already informed about the potential risks. She worked on a study at a hospital in the .Philadelphia area (don't remember which one atm) when .S.I.D.S was first really recognized.
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AyaMiyaki replied on January 26th, 2007
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Once he starts rolling over, the risk of .S.I.D.S plummets. For now, if that's the only way he'll nap, do it that way. Just check on him often.
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Eyes Wide Shut replied on January 26th, 2007
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Ya know .Bridget, .Oni has always slept on her stomach.

She *refused* to sleep on her back.

In the hospital, they put her on her belly. When we left, they said I could do either, as long as nothing could constrict her air way.

Sids is something that is commonly mistaken for a deformity the child has in the brain. 75% of "sids" death is caused by an underlying problem. Not because they were on their bellies.

I was sooooo paranoid that she would suffocate, but if there's nothing around her, how can she?

They say to give the baby a noonie to sleep to prevent sids as well. It keeps them in the .R.E.M state of sleep so that they remember to breathe.

I asked her Dr. About it. He said, "as long as nothing is around that can suffocate her, she's fine."

many people are gonna tell you that it's "face up, and face up only!" well .Oni *just* started sleeping face up. It started when she got .R.S.V and couldn't sleep on her belly because of her congestion.

Finn is at the age where his neck is strong, and he can control it waaay better.

I don't think it's ok to lie to his Dr. About it. He might give you some good tips to help him.
Like, try laying him on his side. (put a blanket against his back, and put him on his left or right side.)

i slept on my belly, .Baron slept on his, so on and so on. And so did .Oni.

Sarah
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Kia replied on January 26th, 2007
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Do you know the most important thing...

Feet to foot!

Baby should be in the crib so his/her feet are near the bottom of the crib and then the covers only pulled up to baby's shoulders.

This is so that if baby wriggles up - no big deal and they can't wriggle down.

If baby is near the top of the crib he/she can wriggle down and risks being caught up under the covers - a sufocation risk.

So long as you have a suitable mattress (ie one that is "breathable" and won't suffocate baby) and baby is clear for breathing, then the risks are greatly minimised, when baby is sleeping on his/her belly.
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Bridget replied on January 26th, 2007
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Yeah, I just need to stay away from the internet and not read scary things.

He sleeps with a binky, he wakes up if he loses it, he moves his head from side to side a lot and picks it up if something startles him, there's nothing in there to smother him. He's almost rolling over anyway so maybe I should just go with it.

Oh, and our neighbor is a pediatric nurse so if (god forbid) something were to happen she's right there!

Thanks everyone!
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Bridget replied on January 26th, 2007
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kia_breizzze wrote:
do you know the most important thing...


Feet to foot!




i have never heard this!

He doesn't have blankets unless he's swaddled in his velcro blanket (there's no chance of him getting out, it's like a baby straight jacket) and then he'll have another blanket on top but tucked under him and no higher than his elbows. But that's only at night when it's freezing.
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Kia replied on January 26th, 2007
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*giggles* @ baby strait jacket Laughing
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tinkinpink84 replied on January 26th, 2007
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I would think nappin like that is fine if he sleeps that way since u are able to check on him often, some babies find it more comfy. Jordynnes a side sleeper but I got one of those things with the sides u can put in a bassinet or crib u can make it close or farther so like she can sleep on her side without being able to roll to her tummy. But eh tummy u cant do much but keep an eye on em. Also if u put em in like a playpen with that thin mat its not as bad as say the couch or on a bed or something like that. Since playpens dont have sheets that can bunch up ya know
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Sandbox Party replied on January 26th, 2007
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Jacob always slept on his tummy as a baby.. Still does to this day.

Caty used to also until she got an allergy to the fabric and her face started getting heat rashes really easy.
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ThriftyGal replied on January 26th, 2007
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Rowan does not want to sleep on her back! And i've been wondering if I should give in and let her sleep on her stomach. I let her take her naps on my chest and lap like that becuse i'm watching but I still try to put her to sleep at night when i'll be sleeping too on her back because i'm too scared i'll be asleep and something will happen. It takes sooo much longer and she wakes up so much more and she is more fussy that way.
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Bridget replied on January 26th, 2007
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Yeah, i'm much too paranoid to put finn on his stomach for the night. He sleeps great at night on his back though, as long as he's swaddled. It just seemed like when I tried swaddling him for his nap today he was like "what the hell are you doing, woman? It's not bedtime! This isn't right!" and was struggling to get out and getting mad.
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Sandbox Party replied on January 26th, 2007
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Lmao aww cant u just imagine hearing them actually saying that??
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Mommy35 replied on January 26th, 2007
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When my daughter was a baby they didn't want kids on their back. Then it was a risk for sids and for them to spit up and choke. Funny how things change.

I'm sure he's fine. He's getting to an age where he's at lower risk. I still understand being paranoid about it. The internet is the worst for scaring people.
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Sandbox Party replied on January 26th, 2007
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The peak for .S.I.D.S is 14 weeks for full-term babies... He's fairly close to overcoming that hurdle, so I wouldnt worry.
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Idony replied on January 26th, 2007
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mommy35 wrote:
when my daughter was a baby they didn't want kids on their back. Then it was a risk for sids and for them to spit up and choke.


i remember that, when they changed it I was like Shocked what? Wasnt it just the back was bad? Funny thing is I still remember it and it was like 1995 I think, somewhere around there when they changed it lol

im still paranoid about the back, when ever I use to watch little kids (and I did a lot, there were a few that were with me more then their own parents) I always put them on their side cause I was afraid of the back but everyone said belly was bad too

~alicia~
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