SIDS Risk and sleep position for 6 month old

[loewymartin]

Alia will be 6 months old on Saturday 11/16. She can roll in both directions, and while sleeping can be found on her side, back and stomach at various times. I have been using the AngelCare motion sensor monitor, but that has been going off lately because Alia sleeps on her side, and it can't get a good reading on her. Is it too early to not worry about SIDS any more, and put the monitor on the "sound only" mode, or should I be going into her room every time it goes off and roll her over? She moves around the entire crib, and the monitor was fine (i.e. it was able to detect her without going off) but now that she's doing this side sleeping thing, it has gone off the last few nights.

Also, we will be going away for Thanksgiving and using the PNP, which I can't really put the sensor pad into, so I won't be able to use the motion detector...

Thanks for any help and advice you can offer!

Michelle - Mom to Alia Jailin born 5/16/02

[Shirale]

Unless there is a real medical or other reason to worry about sids at her age, if she can roll over and does roll over, she will most likely be fine. My Ped told us that Sids peaks between 2 and 4 months, and the risk decreases after. As long as you keep her room cool, make sure no one smokes in the house, and don't put any plush bedding, pillows or toys in the crib, she will probably be fine! Check with your ped to be sure. My daughter has actually slept on her stomach since she was 6 weeks old b/c she couldn't sleep at ALL not even one minute on her back. Now (11 months) she rolls all around the crib all night, but mostly sleeps on her stomach. HTH!

[Rachels]

Abigail is 2 days younger than Alia, and our ped told us not to worry about sleep positions anymore. Abby usually rolls onto her side, too.

-Rachel
Mommy to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[JMarie]

My niece was the same way - she never slept on her back. My sister's ped told her to simply follow all the above directions as well and to use a sleepsack or warm sleeper instead of a blanket until at least six months. Since Abby was born in June, the light sleepers worked nicely. She also had the Angelcare under-matress monitor and that helped to alleviate some of my sister's concern. I think since your daughter is able to roll around, she should be fine.

JMarie
EDD 2/23/03
Aidan Christopher

[loewymartin]

Thanks everyone! No one smokes, we don't use any soft bedding, and Alia's room is always colder than anywhere else in the house, so I think we're ok! I just needed some reassurance that I was doing the right thing.

It's funny - Alia seems to be fine sleeping through the night (since August!) but I still get up in the middle of the night. Does anyone know when Mom's start sleeping through the night :-)

Thanks again-

Michelle - Mom to Alia Jailin born 5/16/02

[Shirale]

My Mother always said that Moms never sleep through the night again...:-) Alwasy something/someone to worry about...although at this point I am too tired to worry (most of the time!) Many, mony times I go over to Amira's crib just to make sure she is breathing...still!

[jojo2324]

Oh that's so reassuring! I was wondering when I would stop checking/worrying/scrutinizing belly movement/placing hand on belly to determine (and confirm) belly movement/etc :) I have become slightly compulsive about it the last couple of weeks, and we just moved him to his OWN ROOM two nights ago and I can't stand it! Of course, the first little peep and I'm off and running and he ends up sleeping with us anyway. So much for discipline :P And I'm sure you can imagine DH's thoughts on the matter ;)I can't even sleep when he's not there and now he's starting to wake up at 6:30, quite a difference from 11:00 and I am EXHAUSTED! Just rambling.

He sleeps on his back, but sometimes does end up on his side. There is a greater tendency for him to wake up when he's on his back because he starts kicking his legs up in the air like he training for a stomach crunch competition or something. When he's on his side he sleeps more soundly, but I still roll him onto his back, even though I know it means it'll probably wake him up. I'm just not comfortable enough for that yet.

[megsmom]

My ped told me at 6 months if Meghan was able to pick up her head and roll about all over the place at will then she could sleep on her stomach. The danger I think is that really young babies get rolled over and then can't keep their heads from smushing into the surface and could smother. My dd was so much happier on her stomach and sleeps that way still. Unless your ped really has objections, I would let her sleep the way she is comfortable. I had several friend's whose babies kept waking them up for some time to be rolled on their backs whenever they went on their tummies. Glad we didn't have that. One of my philosophies is to not mess with a sleeping baby! :)

Jen
mom to Meghan
7/13/01

[jojo2324]

Don't want to scare anyone, but we're always a little anyway, aren't we? I know 2-4 months is high risk time, but I've heard of several instances where it occurred in older babies (5+ months) kind of parallel to them beginning to roll over. They hadn't quite mastered it yet. That's why I've been so freakish about it lately, because he looks like he really really wants to roll over, and I'm a worry-wart.

[Rachels]

I know the feeling! Side-sleeping is really okay, though! Yoou can always try a sleep positioner if you're worried he'll tip by mistake. Some of them work for side sleeping.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02