SIDS risk- over cautious?

[Smerlin]

Hi all

Am a new parent to a 2 week old and I'm confused about the risk of SIDS. I have read everything about feet to foot, overheating, lying on back etc and have bought a bednest which my newborn sleeps in overnight next to me.

However I'm confused about daytime naps. She often falls asleep on me e.g. on my chest/shoulder after winding, curled round my body under my boobs, in my arms, on my chest when I'm lying down etc. However none of these positions involve her being on her back so is she at risk of cot death or is this just a natural thing for a newborn to do?

If I transfer her into her carrycot, she wakes up immediately and I can't put her in the bednest as it's in a different room.

I have fallen asleep with her on me a couple of times which I know is really bad so if I feel tired I'm going to go and sleep with her in the bedroom but if I'm wide awake watching tv, is this ok??

Yes.

Congratulations

It's natural and normal.

If you think you may fall asleep never sit on the sofa, as this is very dangerous. It is much safer to lie in bed, all set up for minimal risk co-sleeping.

D you have a sling? Babies often love napping in a sling while you move around

Safe co-sleeping habits

Congratulations on your wee one :-)

Her sleeping on you is absolutely fine. As others have said you falling asleep on sofa with her is a risk. If you feel sleepy go to bed with her in a bed set up for cosleeping.

Yes what they said.

Actually having her on you is good in that you can monitor her temperture easily and obviously you would notice if she was having any problems breathing (turning a funny colour I mean, not that weird pause-in-breathing thing they do to freak you out).

One theory is that by keeping them in the room with you when they have all their sleeps, your breathing and little noises will keep them from falling into a too deep sleep (or whatever it is that happens with SIDS) so obviously by being in contact with your body, you will be giving them little bits of stimulation through tiny movements that will keep them in a light sleep.

If you are tired and feel like you are going to sleep, go to bed. It's not safe to sleep on a sofa with a baby

Ok glad it's normal!

I knew it was a problem if I fell asleep too so will definitely take her back to bed if I think this is likely to happen.

The ISIS site is packed full of evidence-based info on normal sleep in babies. The fact sheets on this link are great and cover daytime sleep

Just to add, when I had DS2, five months ago (can't believe he's five month old now - time goes *so quickly!) the postnatal ward had various grumpy babies on them and DS2 owuld only settle on me (I tried 3 times to get him into bassinet, but I was in pain from teh stitches/swelling and getting on and off the bed was very painful, so after third failed attempt I stopped!)

So, I put up the bedside barrier in the hospital bed, put a pillow between the barrier and me, raised the head bit of the bed and settled down for the night with DS2 asleep on my chest with my arms round him, I got no sleep at all (whenever I started to doze off, I'd startle awake or one of the other babies would cry) but he slept like a dream (through all the other babies crying).

During the night I had noticed the midwife peek in at me and leave.

In the morning she said she'd had a look to see how I was doing, noticed he was sleeping on me but that he was 'safe' (e.g. wasn't going to fall out of bed) and so was happy to let me carry on - no mention of SIDS at all...