By golly, he did it!! He slept for 4 3/4 hours straight!!! YEAH, BABY!!!
Now, that may not seem like a massive achievement, but keep in mind that Cooper has been waking approximately every 2 hours (that means only 1.5 - 1.75 hrs sleep between re-settling a baby) for 7.5 weeks now... not that I'm counting ;) He has managed up to about 3hrs a few times, but has also been shorter many times, even as short as 10 min. So, after almost two months of such incredibly broken sleep, this seems like a sleep marathon to me! I got over 4 hours, by the time I'd finished up in the kitchen and made it to bed myself.
So, what brought about the sudden blessing, you ask? I did one of the unforgivables, in the eyes of the maternal health nurses... I put him to sleep on his tummy.
I've had it drilled into me ever since I got pregnant... "you NEVER put a baby to sleep on their tummy! Even if you put them to sleep on their side so you can rub their back, you roll them back on to their back once they are asleep. This is the ONLY acceptable and safe way for a baby to sleep."
So I was somewhat terrified about breaking the rules. I know that Cooper can easily roll over, so I'm sure he could reposition his body if he was having trouble breathing, but there is always that fear. I've heard the risk of SIDS is highest between 2 and 6 months, and he isn't quite 6 months yet. But I know he likes sleeping on his tummy... that's how he sleeps on his dad in the evenings. And a friend said that the first time her unsettled bub slept through was when she put him on his tummy. So, with much fear and trepidation, I did it. And it worked!
Wohoo!!! Fingers crossed we do well tonight, too! Keep your eyes on the lookout for a more human Heather again soon! :D
Yipee!! My kids never followed the rules, so do what suits you and Cooper!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Linda...you do what you have to do. I lost a lot of sleep with Gavin, he never slept more than one hour at a time at night until he was able to roll over himself around 4-5 months and then he slept through the night (5 hours). Liam would never fall asleep on his back so I broke the "rule" long time ago. I feel better now that he's a bit bigger. I also felt a lot better after reading that the highest risk for SIDS are for babies who are exposed to cigarette smoke, are covered with blankets, are overheated, not breastfed, or are sick.
ReplyDeleteHi Heather, I'm not trying to be alarmist here, and I really do sympathise with your craving for sleep, seeing as we're still not getting much ourselves, but I sort of see it as my duty to remind you what's at stake here. We tend to get blazay about the phrase SIDS risk.
ReplyDeleteThe truth is- SIDS means your baby is DEAD. There's no second chances.
I follow two blogs of women who have had their healthy, loved babies die of SIDS in the last year, one at 6 months. Plenty of babies who sleep on their tummies are fine, but some aren't, it's a terrible lottery.
You are Cooper's mum, it's your decision, but I would have great diffuculty if something happened, and I hadn't said something.
http://kandjstaats.blogspot.com/2011/02/my-princess-went-to-heaven.html
Hey Hope, thanks for your concern, but rest assured, I value my little boy's life far above my sleep! I've long suspected that Cooper was more comfortable sleeping on his tummy, but have not done it until now, when I feel it is more safe. Although I am, of course, still anxious about the risks, I feel that the risk is now low enough to warrant it, not only for my sleep benefit, but for his as well... I don't believe it is good for his development to have such broken, uncomfortable sleep if it can be avoided.
ReplyDeleteThe SIDS organisation does, of course, promote sleeping on the back as a preventative measure, but it also does talk about what to do if your baby starts to roll on his tummy in the cot (give him lots of tummy time during the day so that he is able to roll back again if he needs to). Cooper has been rolling back and forth for quite some time, and does so now with great confidence. SIDS and Kids also says that once a baby is old enough to be rolling around, they've passed the 6 month worst danger period anyway, so not to worry... I think Cooper is just a big, strong baby, and has reached this developmental stage earlier.
They do still say to put bub on his back and let him roll over onto his tummy if he wants... I'm not quite sure what the difference is, except perhaps to show that they are definitely ready?? Cooper has rolled onto his tummy while sleeping and had quite a good sleep after, which is what prompted me to think that he must be ready.
Experts also say to follow as many of the guidelines as you can - we certainly do what we can, such as providing a smokefree environment, breastfeeding, sleeping bags rather than blankets, etc.
I am quite terrified of the idea of losing a baby to SIDS, even more so that it would happen at a time when I hadn't done everything by the book and so would blame myself. But when it comes down to it, babies still die when parents do everything 'right', and other parents do just about everything 'wrong' and their babies turn out just fine. The guidelines are risk reduction tips, they don't eliminate the risk, and nor does going against them guarantee death.
I think (and hope like mad!!) that it comes down to using a bit of common sense and sending up a prayer that my baby won't be one of the unlucky ones.
I am happy wih putting a rolling baby on it's tum to sleep (like you need my approval, lol!) but interestingly I have read research that says tummy sleeping HELPS some bubbas breathe. If mr Cooper dooper is happiest there then woo! I suspect you'd have a hard time keeping him off his tum soon, if you don't already. Both my girly-whirlies like to sleep on their tums, with their bottoms in the air. It's the cutest!!
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