How to get 3 week old to sleep in the heat? Worried about SIDS

[SamG93]

Hi

My LO is 3.5 weeks old and doesn't like to sleep in his crib unless he's swaddled.. as soon as I put him down from being in my arms into his crib, his arms and legs start flailing and his eyes ping open then he needs to comfort feed for more than half hour and the same thing happens again and again.

We've recently discovered he needs to be swaddled to sleep well, either in his love to dream swaddle or Velcro swaddle wrap. Out of desperation I put him in the love to dream (1 tog) with just a nappy underneath last night as we'd both been awake for hours and it was the only way.. he didn't actually feel too hot or clammy when I felt his chest/back of neck but I'm worried that's not a reliable way to know..
I've just bought a 0.5 tog Velcro wrap to try tonight but I'm still worried it's too hot for him to be swaddled even in that.. it was 28.5 degrees in our bedroom last night.

I'm just so worried about SIDS and need any advice I can get.., shall I use the thinner swaddle wrap tonight seeing as he seemed ok in the 1 tog last night? Are there any ways I can cool the room down? We only have a standing fan which doesn't do an awful lot! I put ice blocks in front of it yesterday and that did nothing. TIA

I swaddled mine in a muslim last night and then loosend the bottom up to his waist so it was just his torso covered.

Muslin! Good grief.

You can get Velcro swaddle wraps made out of muslin. They're brilliant, they won't slip up over the face and work like a regular Velcro swaddle but they are really cool. I'll try to find you the link on Amazon...

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B07WJC6YN4/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttfabcA4289NBQ49ZJHKJ5W5CG??encoding=UTF8&psc=1

These aren't the exact ones, I can't find the ones we had, but I think they're pretty similar. I really liked them, secure and not hot at all. And he looked like a dear little burrito.

I have this huge muslin which I think was from Next, it's so thin, much thinner than the average ones you buy in packs that are half the size. Might be worth seeing if you can get one of those.... And I am also trying out using a cold mist humidifier alongside a fan.. Hoping the cold spray cools the air down a bit! Maybe you could put a damp cold flannel between you and the baby with a light muslin on top when you have to hold him perhaps?

@PatriciaBateman

"thanks that's really reassuring to know.. though the fan didn't seem to change the temp in the room at all so not sure if that makes a difference?"

I suspect it's actually something to do with the breeze stimulating breathing, the way if you blow on a baby's face they will hold their breath and then kind of gasp and breathe faster (Not that I go around blowing on babies).

The rotating sound also nicely mimics what mothers breathing may have sounded like in the womb, perhaps subconsciously stimulates steady breathing?

Air circulation in the room can reduce the risk of rebreathing carbon dioxide which can cause SIDS.

The muslin is an aden and anais one

It's a nightmare, isn't it? I think you need to get some sleep too, and if swaddling is gonna get you some sleep, then swaddling it is. Just maybe not all night. The coolest part of the night here looks to be 2am till 6.

Could you go to bed now and get a couple of hours? Your DH does till 11 awake. Then swap, feed change the baby, swaddle and it'll be pretty close to the coolest part of the night and you could all potentially get some sleep?

Keep the fan on, and windows open.

Good luck.

My babies ask dislike the hot weather so we resorted to buying one of these:

www.aircondirect.co.uk/p/1067749/amcor-sf8000e-slimline-portable-air-conditioner-for-rooms-up-to-18-sqm

It is expensive but it has been an absolute life saver in weather like these for the past 4/5 years and has cooled the kids bedrooms 16/18 degrees before bed time so it's much more comfortable for them to sleep in. We don't leave it on over night but I have in my room and it's lovely to be cold.

Swaddle with a muslin or a small piece of cotton sheet (just a nappy underneath).

A fan won't change a room's temperature, but it will cool a person down, by moving air (that is cooler than body temperature, or less humid) across their skin.

I haven't swaddled my DC. I take the approach to respond to them and not the thermometer/textbook, so don't feel bad about checking and using instinct (provided your actions are safe)

Downstairs is cooler and window open if possible

I didn't feel comfortable swaddling DD in this kind of heat. We co slept instead as that got her to sleep better without the Moro reflex.

Can you buy an air con unit?

These replies are so so helpful, thanks everyone. I've moved the room thermometer downstairs to see how much cooler it actually is.. it's 30 degrees in the bedroom atm so even warmer than last night!

I will try wrapping his swaddle just around his arms and if that doesn't work I'll try a muslin.. I just worry about it going over his face that's all. and I've either got giant ones or tiny ones 😂

I also swaddled DS in a thin muslin cloth. He was the same age in similar heat. It worked fine. I know how much of a worry it is x

Keep the blinds down & fan on even when you are not using the room so it maintains a cooler temperature suitable for sleeping. You could swaddle in just a muslin cloth maybe.

How did you all get on last night OP? Might it be worth cutting up one of the larger muslins if they're the thinnest?