4 month old with snotty/blocked nose and will only sleep on front - worried about suffocating/SIDS?

[maria199]

I know I am probably being very dramatic but my 4 month old suddenly has developed a really blocked, snotty nose tonight. She sounds very congested and due to being only 4 months I don’t think she is great at mouth breathing. I am worried because she has decided this past week she will ONLY sleep on her front* but whenever I look online it says they should sleep on their back to reduce suffocation / SIDS with congestion. She has been feeding fine (breastfeeding) although a little unsettled, mostly due to being so blocked up.

I would go out to get her some saline spray but it’s now gone midnight and we don’t have any 24 hour shops near us on a Saturday night.

I just want to check if anyone has similar experience and if there is anything I can do at home to help this situation?

• I put her to sleep on her back every time but she consistently rolls to her front.

My second ds only slept on his front, so we bought an Angel Mat. It goes under their sheet, and measures their breathing and alarms if it stops. It was incredible and I always recommend it. My best friend who is a senior midwife recommended it to me in the first place. Good luck.
We also used to put a bowl of very hot water (in a safe place) in the room with some olbus oil/vicks diluted in it.

Saline spray and a snot sucker for future use! Game changer for congested babies.

Advice is that once they can roll (as yours is doing) you do not need to monitor and roll her back every time.

https://www.lullabytrust.org.uk/baby-safety/safer-sleep-information/sleeping-position/

You can suck snot out with your mouth if desperate 🫣. Please don't use Vicks or other menthol on babies - there are rare stories of terrible outcomes.

As you're breastfeeding you may want to put her in the bed beside you -this is safe and this site has advice on how to do it https://www.basisonline.org.uk/sleep-health-safety/#safe-sleep-guidance

I drove myself into a lather on Sids fears with DC1. Also recommend Prof Helen Balls book on baby sleep - she is expert on baby sleep and SIDS and is very reassuring.

I forgot our snot sucker and saline spray at home, when we went on holiday. Ended up sucking it out with my mouth...

So that's an option if you get desperate! Also a nice warm bath before bed will loosen everything up.

I don't think there's anything you can do about her rolling onto her front. My dd was the same. It is safe for them to sleep like that, when they roll their themselves, but obviously the congestion does add an extra layer of stress.

Give her a nice bath. That will help the cold until you can buy saline spray.

Always put back to sleep - but if they can roll both ways so long as you put back to sleep; they can sleep anywhich way.