Baby should sleep on a flat surface

[PrettyCandlesAndTinselToo]

but he has a cold and as he's co-sleeping with us we can't just raise the mattress, so for the last 10 nights or so he's been sleeping on the wedge I used to tuck undder my bump when I was pregnant. Add to that all the time he's spent in the car seat, whether because he couldn't be laid flat even while he was awake, or because of my having to ddo errands.

Am I condemning him to a lifetime of expensive osteopathy? Does anyone know what happens to a baby who isn't laid flat to sleep, or is it all specualtion?

dd didn't sleep flat after about 8 weeks old and before that would not settle flat due to undiagnosed reflux so was often in car seta or bouncy chair. She has no associated physical problems at 5 afaik. However recent, and not so recent, research has highlighted a highrer statistical incidence of SIDS among infants in car seats etc

How big is the wedge prettycandles? My babies have actually both slept on an angle from bith on the advice of my HV - I looked it up online a lot too and there's no problem with that. The only thing really is that you should only use the car seat when travelling - do you mean you've been using it indoors?

It's not his whole body on the wedge, only from chest upwards, plus he generally sleeps on his side. And yes, I've been using the carseat indoors and as a buggy too. Needs must, unfortunately.

A cheap bouncy chair would be better than a car seat - any chance of using one of those instead? Really do reconsider the use of the car seat - it's not safe.

Hopefully he won't have a cold much longer and it won't be an issue. In the meantime you can help his noe using a 'nasal aspirator' and/or 'sterimar' which is a nasal spray available from behind the pharmacy counter safe for babies.

The bouncy chairs aren't tilted up high enough. It's not his nose that's the problem, but his chest. He's so phlegmy and coughs so much that he could't breath easily lying on his back, nor could he cough freely.

dd had the Chicco one and it went very upright .

how old is he?

And is he coughing up green stuff? Been to a doctor?

His cough is wet but normal, the only phlegm I've seen has been milky or clear. He was seen by a dr last week, and has not had a temperature since Monday. It's just a cold, he is on the up, coughs less, and toleratates some time on his back.

He's 2m old.

As long as he's on the up. If it goes green, he gets a temp or starts grunting get help quickly.

You can also get the shower going with plenty of steam and sit in it with him to loosen it up before bed - though obviously not so hot as to scald him! I used a small amount of menthol with mine too which seemed to help.

Hope he gets better soon and enjoys his first Christmas!