What is your feeling on babies sleeping on their backs? Here is my situation. I have always placed my babies on their stomach or sides, but now with current research and medical staff saying this has been linked to SIDS, I went against my better judgement, and my baby is sleeping on his back (which makes me nervous). Since being born three months ago, my baby has vomited in his sleep and choked twice, and just this past week nearly died when he had too many secretions in his mouth, we think he was unable to swallow due to a sore throat as his older sister was also complaining about a sore throat. He stopped breathing and lost consciousness, I had to do back blows, and suction his mouth out with a bulb suction I thankfully had in my bedside table because he had a runny nose issue going on previously... he started breathing - thank God! Now, I will not put him on his back, I think that the new trend of putting babies on their backs to sleep is dangerous, and being a health care professional who specialized in pediatrics I would like to see some new stats or research done, as I wonder how many babies have died or nearly died due to being on their backs to sleep since this new trend has started. I would like to hear your stories and opinions on this issue. BTW, if I did not know cpr, did not sleep with my baby (the family bed), and was a new young mom, this situation would have ended differently. If you do not know cpr, please, I urge you to take a class as soon as possible.
-Anonymous
4 comments:
When I had my daughter I was told by the nurses to swaddle her up and put her on her back but leaning to one side and that way if she did vomit, her head would be slightly turned. I had a friend that lost their baby not long ago to SIDS. The baby slept on stomache so that really scared me! I here that SIDS was more common when babies slept on their stomaches.
When my first son Jordan was born 5 years ago, I came home from the hospital and learned that a friend of mine's 2 month old had died from SIDS. I barely slept the first year of his life because I was up checking on him making sure he was still breathing. I only would lay him on his belly to sleep if it was during the day until he was old enough to roll over and sit up on his own.
My second son will be 5 months old next week and has been sleeping on his belly since birth, either snuggled on my chest, in our bed (we co-sleeped for about 2 months), in his own crib, or anywhere we happened to lay him down for a nap. His head and neck were very strong from birth and he could turn his head from side to side. I was paranoid of course, but I was just acting as any new mom would, wanting to protect and care for their child.
There needs to be more research done on SIDS, I really just think of it as a blanket diagnosis.. everything you do or don't do could result in SIDS. According to several websites and pamphlets I have read about it, it's more common between the ages of 2-4 months and during the winter. Some debates say it's caused by immunization at those ages, or from the baby being too bundled up. If this was the case, why do nurses bundle babies in 6 or more receiving blankets in the hospital, even so the blanket is around it's head?
The list of things to prevent SIDS are common sense.. and years ago using soothers was said to cause it, but now they're saying soothers can help prevent it?
It's confusing.. but I say it's up to the parent whether they want to put their baby on their back or not. Trust your mommy instinct! I don't think that how the baby sleeps would cause SIDS, if it's going to happen it will.
Good for you for knowing the necessary skills to save your baby! Taking first aid/cpr classes was the best thing I've done for my family.
Ok I am going to give my two cents and some ppl may not like this, but I dont go by research or what ppl tell me do. I go by what my gut tells me is right. Both of my children slept on their back, i was actually more paranoid about them being on their stomach do to them being able to move their heads so fast. I agree with Kat, I believe that if its going to happen, it will happen. Im sorry but Im a big believer that things happen for a reason, even if they dont feel fair. There are always going to be researchers changing things, but in the end, if you feel what you are doing is right who is anyone else to judge.
I am a young mother of 2 and I put both my kids on their bellies to sleep. They both slept with me for the first year it was easier to nurse them. I listen to what other tell me but I do what I think is best. At least when they are on their belly when they spit up it comes out. I really dont like the idea of back to sleep for 2 reasons 1 they could choke on their spit up and 2 because I feel bad seeing a baby with a flat spot.
I dont no any babys that died of sids so I guess I didnt worry about it as much as if I did no of someone, dont get me wrong its always on my mind but not as much as others.
I also think that every new parent should take a first aid and cpr course because things do happen and you want to no how to save your babies life. Even now that my kids are 3 and 5 when I get a babysitter I always show them what to do if one of the kids were choking and I have a first aid hand book I leave on the counter just in case.
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