Worried about rolling over

Tazz T

Our 4 month old has just this week learnt how to roll over. Great, you might think. But it's become worrying since everytime we put her down that's all she does and she can't roll back again, so ends up lying on her front pushing and shoving until she makes herself sick.

It's particularly worrying when we try to get her to sleep as, although we've removed blankets and toys, we're afraid she may suffocate. This rolling over means she wakes herself up in the night when she rolls and hits her hands on the bars of the cot.

Is this normal? Should we be worried? Should we let her sleep on her front, or should we turn her back each time she turns?

Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Shabadu

I had a similar mini-panic about this problem myself once. What I did was put a pillow on each side of the cot so he could only roll over half way and ended up sleeping on his side. You have to be careful about the size of the pillows though, so they won't fall onto her, or they won't push onto her face if she rolls over.

Those hard cylindrical cushions for sofa's might work.

Either way, she'll be rolling backwards and forwards in no time, now

Also, i'm sure you're already doing it, but you should be extra vigilant now she's mobile, especially if you have her on the bed or sofa with you.

Tazz T

Thanks for the advice. I've been trying the pillows, but she ends up with her face squashed in them. I'll try to get some smaller ones.

Hobbes

Its normal although at 4 months I am not sure if its ok to let them sleep on their front.

Our son (9 months) sleeps on his side, back and front. Was worrying at first but he seems to be ok. He only recently learnt how to roll back, prior to that he would stay there or cry or sing to get attention.

You can get a Gro-bag (name correct?). Its like a sleeping bag suit. Keeps the baby warm but stops them from kicking off the blanket or going under the blanket. We use that.

Shabadu

It's quite rare for Sudden Infant Death Syndrome to occur from the age of six months on. It's ok to let them sleep on their stomachs from then.

My son had one of those sleepy bags, but it was a horrible acrylic material and he got really sweaty at night in it. If I had found a cottony one i'd have used it.

Beruthiel

my daughter had clicky hips as a baby, so from the hips down to her ankles she was in a full plaster cast for a few months. The only way she could sleep was on her belly, don't worry about it, just make sure you buy a pillow that she can breath through

Sleipnir

Putting pillows in the cot would be more dangerous than letting your baby sleep on his/her front.

Tazz T

Hobbes wrote:

You can get a Gro-bag (name correct?). Its like a sleeping bag suit. Keeps the baby warm but stops them from kicking off the blanket or going under the blanket. We use that.

Thanks for all the replies everyone. We've got two of the gro-bags already ( a summer one and a winter one) and we aren't using a pillow. She can't sleep in anything else without kicking all the blankets off.

Victor

It is generally better that a baby is slightly too cold (they may wake) than too warm (the heat keeps them too drowsy).

Kevin_rc_ie

Seeing that the initial query has been resolved, may i ask, do any parents still sleep in the same bed as their baby? is this very uncommon? is it very unsafe?

I don't know where, but i've always had the impression some parents do this.

Victor

Kevin_rc_ie wrote:

Seeing that the initial query has been resolved, may i ask, do any parents still sleep in the same bed as their baby? is this very uncommon? is it very unsafe?

The general advice, regarding SIDS, is to let babies sleep on their own.

Some people disagree.

Nevyn

Mine slept in with me, esp as I breast fed.
Never any issues.

Tazz T

Ours usually spends the second half of the night with us, especially if she's rolling around too much.

She slept with us nearly all the time up to three months. There were no problems - you become aware of where she is, even when you're sleeping.

Hobbes

I personally wouldn't do it, as it can be quite easy to roll over and suffocate or crush the child.

Nevyn

It isnt easy to forget and roll over at all.
Studies show the only time that is prone to happen is
if either of the parents has been drinking.
Having the babe sleep nestled in the crook of your arm is very natural.
We alway did keep the moses basket and eventually the cot beside the bed
so after the late night.early morning feed they could be but into it
and sleep the 4 to 6 hours before coming back into the bed for a feed and more
sleep.

Shabadu

It seems so natural to sleep with your baby, especially when you're breast feeding.

I recall reading an article saying children were less likely to die from SIDS if they were in the same room/bed as their parents, with a few provisions:

1) Temperature. Heat is one of the biggest contributing factor to SIDS so if you are sharing a bed with your baby you should ensure they don't over heat.

2) Alcohol. As Thaed said, the real risk to a baby occurs when one of the parents is sleeping with a few drinks in them.

EDIT:

3) Smoking. The first link below shows how bed-sharing is very low risk if the Mother didn't smoke during pregnancy, but can be quite high where the mother smoked/smokes.

http://www.mothering.com/articles/new_baby/sleep/taylor.html

Some research indicates that babies who co-sleep may be less at risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than babies who sleep alone. (SIDS is the leading cause of death among U.S. babies between 1 month and 1 year of age). The key may be that babies who co-sleep keep their breathing in tune with their parents'.

(from http://www.babycenter.com/expert/baby/babysleep/3348.html)

Like all things though, there's conflicting evidence. *shrugs*

Talliesin

Some other risks are if an adult in the bed is severely overweight (to the point where it affects their natural mobility in bed, and hence how much they will adjust their position to accomodate the child while asleep), or on medication, recreational drugs or suffering an ailment that cause severe drowsiness.

Outside of such circumstances though I would definitely recommend co-sleeping.

Shabadu wrote:

1) Temperature. Heat is one of the biggest contributing factor to SIDS so if you are sharing a bed with your baby you should ensure they don't over heat.

True, but it's a lot easier to know the baby's temperature if they are with you. Again, it's something that you'll find you adjust for in your sleep (watching a sleeping parent adjust their own position and that of bed clothes to accommodate a baby is quite amazing).

Shabadu

Talliesin wrote:

True, but it's a lot easier to know the baby's temperature if they are with you. Again, it's something that you'll find you adjust for in your sleep (watching a sleeping parent adjust their own position and that of bed clothes to accommodate a baby is quite amazing).

True- I remember being able to make sure he was in a comfy position, adjusting coverings and breastfeeding while we were both mostly asleep

The first night we were all out of the hospital he fell asleep in the bed on the bf's chest. The feeling of seeing them sleeping like that was indescribable.

causal

Tazz T wrote:

Thanks for all the replies everyone. We've got two of the gro-bags already ( a summer one and a winter one) and we aren't using a pillow. She can't sleep in anything else without kicking all the blankets off.

You seem to have things sorted but fwiw:
It's important that she's at the bottom of the cot - that way she can't wiggle down under blanket/pillow etc. - but she can wiggle up away from them which isn't so bad.
One trick to stop the blankets causing a hazzard is to have them folded well underneath the bottom end of the mattress - so that if baby does kick them off then they are kicked downwards (since they can't move up because of the tuck) - rather than being kicked up over her.

causal

causal

Talliesin wrote:

Again, it's something that you'll find you adjust for in your sleep (watching a sleeping parent adjust their own position and that of bed clothes to accommodate a baby is quite amazing).

In addition to all the other risk factors outlined previously, the point you make about the parent adjusting the bed covers is very important. Ideally the duvet should be pulled downwards rather than simply folded back. If it is to be folded back then it should be folded underneath of the duvet, rather than folded back on top of the duvet where there is a chance that it will unfold onto the baby.

causal