Please help with sleeping issues...

[jojo2324]

Gannon still isn't rolling over, but he's so close. He kind of flops himself to one side and hangs out. I think his head is weighing him down. I have noticed the last week or so that in his crib he tends to sleep on his side. I move him to his back, but then he usually wakes up. Ultimately he ends up in bed with us, where I can keep an eye on him. He sleeps on his back there.

Last night Shawn found him on his tummy and rolled him onto his back and he didn't wake up. But I still brought him into bed with us because I have heard of several instances where there were SIDS occurrences in babies who hadn't mastered rolling over yet. I know many of you have said that once a baby can roll from front to back and then front again, tummy sleeping shouldn't be a problem. But Gannon can't do that. I haven't even seen him roll onto his tummy during the daytime, so I was surprised when Shawn told me that's how he found him.

Any words to help alleviate my neurotic motherliness? We've taken out the bumper and lowered the crib. Just in time too because last night when Shawn went to pick him up at Grampa's, he found Gannon with his head between the crib and bumper. (They have a crib set up because they're expecting a baby in March.) But their bumper doesn't have ties on the bottom, and they took it out right away. And of course DS was awake and happy as a clam, smiling and laughing. Sheesh. Are we ever going to get this parenting thing down?

[jojo2324]

Ugh. Of course while I was typing that last shpeel, DS managed to roll over. From tummy to back, but a rollover nonetheless, which I missed! I'm a horrible mother.

[Rachels]

LOL!!! He will do it a few kazillion more times, don't worry. Abigail rolled over with major effort for a long time, then one day just started flipping around like she'd been doing that since the dawn of time. Now she rolls over while I'm trying to change her diaper.

Abigail also sleeps on her side most of the time. She just isn't interested in back sleeping now that she has any say in the matter. She's been doing that since before she could roll well tummy-to-back, but I just let her. If she had flopped to her tummy (and she never did), she never would have just lain there silently. Anyway, if Gannon can lift and crane his head, he can keep from doing an unsalvageable face-plant in the mattress.

If you're nervous, get a sleep positioner. They have some that are for side-sleeping that can keep him from rolling onto his tummy.

-Rachel
Mom to Abigail Rose
5/18/02

[daisymommy]

When we took Josh for his 4 month checkupo last week, the nurse and I were taking bets on his weight. I guessed 20lbs. and she guessed 21. We were both wrong, because amazingly he was "only" 18.5 lbs (which is still off the charts for his age percentage wise!), and 25.5 inches long (75%tile). She asked if he was rolling over yet, and when I told her "not even close" she said it was because he was so big and heavy! Poor thing! So I'm sure it's the same reason it has taken Gannon a liitle bit longer too.

Josh also sleeps poorly in his back, but loves to sleep on his side (especially if he's cradeled in my arms in bed--I know it will be a bad habit to break, but hey, I'm tired, and this way we all get some sleep!). When he is in his cosleeper I put a rolled up waffle blanket (receiving blanket when he was lighter) on either side of him to keep him from rolling face down (or onto his back which he hates). The Ped said this was totally fine, especially for a reflux baby who still spits up in his sleep, so he wouldn't choke on it. You may want to give that a try. Also, we still swaddle Josh too, to keep him from flailing his arms wildly in his sleep, bopping himself in the face, and waking himself up. He will sleep for about 5 hrs. this way (versus 1hr. at the most without swaddling).

Hope this Helps!

P.S. The Homedics White Noise Machine everyone has recommended ($12.00 at Target) has worked like a charm! One night he slept 8hrs! We had "backsliden" to 2hrs. for awhile and since the white noise machine are back up to 5. Hooray!

[newbelly2002]

The night before Christmas Dante discovered how to get from his back to his tummy. We heard it over the monitor in the middle of the night. It went something like this: "Crap, he's awake." (me); "wait, maybe he'll go back to sleep. Maybe he flipped himself over." (DH); "Don't be ridiculous, He hasn't even turned over from his back yet. And it wouldn't just 'start' like that in the middle of the night." Oops. Sure enough, I go in in the morning and find Dante smiling away, tummy down, and pleased as can be. Since then, he hasn't stopped. Every time he lies down, it's onto his tummy immeditaely. Then screams because he HATES being on his tummy. Poor guy.

Any suggestions on how to help him solve his dilemna? It isn't weight in his case, but rather his darn arm that keeps getting in the way? Or should I be concerned that I find him on his tummy every mnorning now?

Paula

[jojo2324]

Okay, so I just went to check on him and he was on his tummy, smashed up against the corner of the crib with his limbs bent every which way and sticking out between the slats and his face smushed into the mattress. I tried a sleep positioner and that lasted about 13.5 seconds. Of course when I flipped him over he woke up and started screaming. This is very frustrating. Also, I have yet to witness him actually roll over when he's awake!