Thursday, May 22, 2008

A Mother's Confessional

So, Miss J. sleeps better on her belly than on her back.

I have the fear of her dying of SIDS scared into me if I lay her on her belly.

Am I overreacting? Did all of you sleep your infants on their backs?

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I have a friend that went through the same situation. She let both of her kids sleep on their stomachs. It was just what they needed to sleep better. We even tried it with K. I let her nap downstairs where I could keep a close eye on her to see how she handled it.

Lori said...

My mom always laughs at me about how the rules have changed since I was a baby. Back then, they were told to put us on our bellies so that if we spit up, we wouldn't choke on it. Now, they worry about your baby face-planting the mattress and suffocating. Either way, you're going to worry about your baby and check on them constantly through the night!

Rhys has always had a strong neck, from the day he was born. So I have laid him down both ways. He has fallen asleep lots of times on his belly. I didn't think too much of it because he slept in a co-sleeper hooked to our bed for the first 3 months.

Even the food allergies have changed since we were babies!

Malissa said...

i just googled co-sleeper. ; )

Ky • twopretzels.com said...

I googled it, too.

t.w.i.t. - do you use that co-sleeper now? I'm intrigued.

Lori said...

A co-sleeper is handy. It's like a bassinet that butts right up to your adult bed. The baby sleeps in it, plus there's enough room to set up a little changing area. When the baby wakes up every two hours or so to be nursed/changed, everything you need is right there. You don't even have to get out of bed.

Rhys slept in his co-sleeper until he was three months old, then we moved him into his own room. I was ready to move him at two months, but his crib wasn't in yet.

Jill Marie said...

Both my children slept on both their backs and bellies. I feel that They became stroner because of it. If it makes you nervous do it only when you can monitor her. But, after three months the chances of SIDS is greatly reduced.

Jill Marie said...

I ment STRONGER

freckleface said...

Once my boys were able to turn over on their own I sometimes would put them to sleep on their tummies (for naps). We don't use a crib bumper, which they now say is dangerous. I think back in the day, 70's, my mom put me to sleep on my tummy as well. Heck I used to sit in the front seat when I was young with no seat belt. Oh my gosh, my mom was terrible! ;o)

Anonymous said...

When my 1st was born, the directive was back sleeping; after the 2nd, it was stomach. After the 3rd, the hospital gave me this double wedge-thing to insure she slept on her side. Each directive was a result of research on SIDS. By the time #4 was born, I let him sleep like he wanted. All are fine and I wasted a lot of energy worrying about it. Go with how Miss J sleeps and get some sleep for yourself :)

Lori said...

Freckleface--your mom letting you sit in the front seat without a seatbelt is completely acceptable parenting. I do that with Rhys all the time. I simply justify it by saying "we're country."

Dri said...

HA! Twit, you crack me up.

There are many things in life that could be justified by, "We're country!"

www.thecrazydaisies.wordpress.com said...

I'm always scared of my kids dying so I check on them like 50 times. I started freaking out when my son started flipping to his stomach around 5 months or so. But he was determined he would sleep on his tummy. So I had to let him.

My sister-in-law puts her kids on their tummy. They always slept better that way.

I'm sure "they" will change the rules in a few years to "must put them on their tummy" again. Its a vicious cycle. To make all of us crazy!!!