Sleepyhead help please!

[Sittingintheshade]

We bought a sleepyhead grand and are using it with an angelcare monitor with breathing sensor. However since we got the sleepyhead the breathing alarm has been going off a few times a night. Tried to change the sensitivity of monitor but didn't then it pick up baby being in cot at all.

Baby seemed to be breathing ok but when the monitor goes off it just about gives me heart failure. Reluctant to stop using monitor as pfb.....

Then (definitely pfb) started worrying about baby overheating in sleepyhead. Room temp is usually about 18/19 C and baby wears onesie and 2.5 tog sleeping bag.

Can anyone help or tell me what you do with sleepyhead and monitors/clothing. I can hardly sleep at the moment with worrying about baby breathing or bloody monitor going off.

(Baby does seem to sleep better in sleepyhead as otherwise he rolls about and winds up horizontal in middle of cot, wakes himself up by bumping into bars)

As a couple of pps have said, research shows that the monitors don't actually work to prevent SIDS.
I would just get rid of the monitor, it sounds a bit stressful using it.

In a room that's 18-19 he only really needs a long sleeved beat with a 2.5 tog bag. We stopped using the sleepyhead at 6 months and never had an angelcare monitor but would imagine it won't work with the number of "layers" between baby and it.

I went down to a 1.8 tog (marks and spencer) or 1.5 when he was in sleepyhead but mine is a boiling baby! Does yours seem sweaty when you get them out? If not I'll assume they are fine (I tried a 1 tog and he was far too cold)

For the record, you seem pretty normal PFB crazy to me I'm exactly the same (and a mental health professional so I know about anxiety etc) I didn't get the angelcare for that exact reason. All first time mums I know said that they're over sensitive and make mum panic all the time.

I used a sleepyhead and an angelcare monitor really successfully for about 2 years. What is the pad of the monitor resting on, what is above it and how big is the cot?

We used it in a snuzpod under the mattress, and then in the cot, on the cot slats, under the mattress and sleepyhead. It was always in the middle of the cot under where DD slept. I think the instructions say to put it on a board but we never did that. You could try it on a board under the sleepyhead and sheet, on top of the mattress?

For everyone saying a movement monitor makes no difference re SIDS: as I understand it there is an absence of evidence, rather than evidence of absence of effect. I don't know of any large RCT of these things and would think such a trial would be impossible, but would be interested to read whatever evidence anyone knows of.

From my perspective, and it's horrible to think about, i used one as I wanted to know there and then if the worst happened, rather than in the morning. Also, DH and I are trained in paediatric first aid so felt like we could possibly intervene. I understand if you have no idea what to do if your baby stops breathing then a monitor telling you that they've stopped breathing wouldn't be very effective in avoiding SIDS.

Angel Care monitors aren't recommended as they give a false sense of security, they're also not at all like the proper monitors used in hospitals, they're a bit of a gimmick.

Monitor will not work if using a sleepyhead. Too much between baby and sensor for it to be accurate at all. Think it needs to be one or other. And I'd def pick the sleepyhead.

The cot is 120x60 with a foam mattress in. The sensor pad is on a thin piece of board below the mattress with the sleepyhead on top.

He is a warm baby and when it was warmer we had him in a vest and sleeping bag 2.5/1 tog depending on temp. After the hot weather went he was waking up a lot so we put a onesie on and he seemed comfort. But I do think the sleepyhead makes him cosier so I'll try a long sleeve vest tonight

Thank you sourpatchkid I definitely know I'm being pfb but it's hard to turn it off....I am trying though! 😉

That is the set up we had (though we didn't use the board as I never got round to getting one cut and it worked fine on the cot slats). I guess your mattress must be a bit different to ours. The only thing I can think of is putting the pad under the sheet on top of cot mattress, under sleepyhead. It might make a lump though.

If you want to use the angelcare, use it. I wouldn't worry about being pfb, this affects nobody else at all. I don't think there's any evidence to say it's a problem, and it's certainly reassuring, so long as you don't stop being aware of any sids risks and still check on your baby regularly as you would if you didn't hve the monitor.

Thanks bunloaf I think we'll have a go with it, have changed the settings so hopefully it will be better. Will give it a go anyway.

We still have baby in room with us and although he is ff no one smokes, we use sleeping bag and no loose bedding or toys in cot. Total pfb but we also have a video monitor (I know!) and have only started putting him in room on his own before we go to bed since he was 6 months. Up till then he was in Moses basket without us. So I think we've done as much as we can, we do check on him for the couple of hours he's alone.

We use a sleepyhead and it shouldn't make them hotter as it's all breatheable as long as you aren't using waterproof sheets. I use he grobag guidelines to decide what to put on my DD at night. They are very clear - on their website.
We also have an angelcare and I was under the impression that it wouldn't be accurate when using a sleepyhead? So we didn't use the sensor pad at all.

We have used a sleepyhead and angelcare monitor for our dd who is 7months old.
It's great. First in an inovi cocoon crib and now in travel cot. We did have slight sensitivity issues at times (gave me heart failure too) but managed to work it out and adjust the pad and sensitivity etc. Just by making sure it alarms when baby not in, and doesn't alarm when baby in iykwim.
We stuck with the sleepyhead as dd ended up all shapes without it. She's a great sleeper with it. We're currently considering the grand too as she just loves her sleepyhead!
Anyway, we use a piece of thick cardboard as a board, then the angelcare motion sensor pad, then the mattress. And this is perfect for us. Both items have been two of the best purchases for us. It gives so much peace of mind for our pfb. Hope that helps.
Oh and I also think you have a completely normal level of new mum worries 😉 it's completely natural op!
x

Meant to say also, our little one goes to bed in a 1tog sleeping bag and long sleeve vest in temps above 21 degrees. And for below 20 degrees- a 2.5tog sleeping bag with a long sleeve vest. Anything above about 23 I would have her in 1tog and short sleeve vest or no sleeping bag and just a onesie. Hope that helps.

Thank you kion glad to know I'm not alone with the pfb worrying!

I don't think those monitors really work once they move around in their sleep a lot.

Onesie plus 2.5 tog bag plus sleepyhead might be a bit much - try long sleeve vest instead of onesie. We used merino sleeping bags which worked well with the sleepyhead as they are thinner and more breathable than the thick padded ones (expensive but they last till 2 yrs old...)

Well last night we used long sleeve vest plus 2.5 tog bag. He went straight to sleep, no wake ups and no monitors going off. I had to wake him at 6 for his bottle! Hopefully it wasn't a one off but we all had a good nights sleep

Thank you to everyone who responded, it's good to know I'm not alone worrying!

I had to wake him at 6 for his bottle!

You woke a sleeping baby?!

Haha he slept ate and went back down till 7! It was a pretty good morning 🙂

Brilliant result

I had the same problem as this! Hopefully you've found your solution but I ended up getting a Snuza monitor thing which clips on the nappy have had a few false alarms where it's slid off slightly but otherwise love it!