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SIDS- risk factors

9 replies

Satstar · 04/10/2020 00:00

Baby has recently started to roll onto his front during the night. I started to turn him back but he instantly turned back to front.

My main concern is baby cannot yet roll back onto his back. He is 4months old ans started rolling onto his tummy at 3months but still can't roll back onto his back.

So we do always put him down onto his back but sometimes he will only be on his back for a second if he tries to turn.

As far as I'm aware we have no risk factors.

No smoking, empty cot, sleeping bag and no loose blankets. Will always have him cooler rather than warmer. Baby is breastfed and was born at 41+2 so not premature and was 7lb1 so not classed as a low birth weight I don't think

To help me stop worrying and get some sleep! Are there usually other risk factors involved in sids? So if a baby rolled onto dummy and god forbid something happened is there usually another risk factor at play?

Finding it hard to sleep as sometimes when I wake up he is on his tummy and his face is pressed right into mattress. I worry that because he can't roll back onto his back, that he wouldnt be able to if he needed to.

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lovescaca · 04/10/2020 00:05

Get an angel care breathing sensor. My wee one done the same and the may gave a better piece of mind

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nhsnamechange · 04/10/2020 00:17

Once they start to roll them elves onto their fronts you're ok to leave them to it. He will sort himself out. Continue putting him to sleep on his back, roll him over if you notice him on his front but if he's just flipping back then leave him.

Presumably he's able to move his own head by himself if he's able to flip over? If anything changed in his breathing or any airway issues he would be able to self adjust, he will do this naturally. This is a normal developmental stage and he is fine.

The sensors and things aren't really recommended, they often give a false sense of security but I understand why parents want them. If it reduces your anxiety and you don't rely on it 100% I don't see a problem.

If you want more info, look at the lullaby trust.

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peakotter · 04/10/2020 15:32

Is he in the same room as you? One of the key things is that you will be aware of any change in his breathing, especially for a bf baby. As long as he is close by I wouldn’t worry. Your instincts will kick in if anything is wrong with his breathing.

I agree with pp that it’s a normal stage and not to worry. If he is ill then you might want to make sure he isn’t alone in his cot all evening while you are downstairs, but that is the case regardless of how they sleep.

I did masses of research as I ended up cosleeping with all of mine (including preemie once over 10lb). I had to compare the risks of cosleeping with the risk of falling asleep somewhere dangerous due to exhaustion. Sometimes the worry about SIDS and constant checking can actually make the situation worse as you are so tired.

You sound like you’re doing all the right things. Hope you can relax about it ok.

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Ohalrightthen · 04/10/2020 20:05

@peakotter

Is he in the same room as you? One of the key things is that you will be aware of any change in his breathing, especially for a bf baby. As long as he is close by I wouldn’t worry. Your instincts will kick in if anything is wrong with his breathing.

I agree with pp that it’s a normal stage and not to worry. If he is ill then you might want to make sure he isn’t alone in his cot all evening while you are downstairs, but that is the case regardless of how they sleep.

I did masses of research as I ended up cosleeping with all of mine (including preemie once over 10lb). I had to compare the risks of cosleeping with the risk of falling asleep somewhere dangerous due to exhaustion. Sometimes the worry about SIDS and constant checking can actually make the situation worse as you are so tired.

You sound like you’re doing all the right things. Hope you can relax about it ok.

This just isn't true. Breastfeeding doesn't give you supernatural powers - if your baby stops breathing while you're asleep, you are highly unlikely to wake up in time to do anything about it.

OP, your baby will be absolutely fine, but if you're worried get a sensor mat.
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peakotter · 04/10/2020 21:10

I disagree. Because I was waking regularly to feed a baby in the same room (maybe bottle feeders have the same, although feeds are less frequent?) I could tell differences in their breathing very quickly. I was often awake before they were.

Being close by saved the life of my sister’s baby. She noticed her baby’s breathing had changed in the night and got him to hospital in time to be ventilated.

After my prem baby was in nicu and home on oxygen the paediatricians recommended not getting a sensor mat, and instead keeping baby close by at all times.

For the facts rather than anecdotes:

This paper is about lighter sleep for breastfed babies and possible links to reduced SIDS adc.bmj.com/content/89/1/22?ijkey=c98cc0df11118130b14a00d9e2fb707bcf28d14b&keytype2=tf_ipsecsha

There is less research on the mothers, but here is one comparing bf mothers with baby nearby, and then moved to a different room. They had multiple synchronous arousals from deep sleep (within 2 seconds of each other) when sleeping nearby, which the authors suggest may be why it protects against SIDS pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/9346985/

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Hellothere19999 · 04/10/2020 21:14

My daughter did the same and at first I found it really concerning and constantly checked her but she is now 9months old and even if I try and move her back she gets annoyed and goes however she is comfy lol.

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peakotter · 04/10/2020 21:15

Oops forgot the obvious link to sleeping in the same room until at least 6 months. I’m sure you know this OP, but it wasn’t on your list so just wanted to check

www.lullabytrust.org.uk/safer-sleep-advice/room-sharing/

Or NHS site

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Satstar · 04/10/2020 22:15

Thanks for the replies.

Sorry forgot to write that yes his cot is right next to the bed

I hope I can stop worrying at some point. I know it is extremely unlikely

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nhsnamechange · 04/10/2020 23:43

You won't stop worrying! It's normal to worry, it probably will reduce with time though.

Just remember, this is a normal stage of development, once your babe can roll, they are also less likely to stop breathing while sleeping.

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