SIDS- the most haunting words for a new momma. And the-acronymn-that-shall-not-be-named Is plastered on EVERY purchased baby item, informative pamplet from the doctors office and ESPCIALLY those frequent-yet-inevitable-paranoid google searches. So when it comes to baby sleeping, though the cause of SUDDEN-INFANT-DEATH-SYNDROME is unknown (how with our medical capabilities Is that possible?!), sleeping baby on his back is recommended to “reduce” SIDS. Oh and also other more obvious factors that increase the risk (which is included in all SIDS statistics not just belly verses back) such as co-sleeping, parental drug use, and soft plus items (blankets, pillows, animals, etc.) in crib.
My experience playing by the back rules:
So like all new parents pretending that we are actually good parents we prepared our son for the textbook safe sleep: wraped up in a swaddle to lesson the Morro effect (when baby‘s arms flail because they feel like they are falling), put a pacificer in his mouth to soothe him and laid him on his back.
The effect: peaceful calm for 10 minutes until he fell asleep and his pacificer fell out. Then we would let him cry for another 10 minutes to see if he would self soothe. He didn’t. So we even tried the forbidden side sleeping to no advail- pacify fell- he woke up screaming. An entirely sleepless night!
My experience down the forbidden belly sleep:
Belly sleeping is permissionable during the day when eyes are on baby; however the fear of suffocation at night makes belly sleeping for infants taboo. The fear of baby aspirating on spit up while sleeping on his back is a reality as well (this almost happened to our son who starting choking on leftover ambiotic fluid his first night) so pick your poison. Belly sleeping actually is a comfort for our precious little ones because it mimics the position of babies in utero. So to try and play it safe on a “risky” move we placed 4 cotton towels flat under a cotton fitted sheet, and place a cotton blanket tucked in to make air pockets over his little body laying on his belly (with his head turned of course)
The effect: our son sleeps longer and better without a pacifier. His head is perfectly round and at now two weeks he shows remarkably strength in lifting up his head. I feel like I am not fighting my son’s natural comfort.
Rumor has it!: The rise of SIDS correlated to the relase of the water-proof mattress pad in the early 90s. A convenience for mothers to not wash their cotton mattress after their little ones frequent leaks, this invention proved fatal. When a baby sleeps on his belly he inhale all those chemicals which causes drowiness and therefore an inability to turn his head. Furthermore, when an infant sleeps on his back, the chemicals seep through his skin which is why back sleeping “reduces“ not “prevents” SIDS. A study done in New Zealand in which mothers put breathable mattress covers in their cribs showed to greatly reduce SIDS- but I will leave it to ya to do your own paranoid research.....
So thinking about belly sleeping?: COTTON! COTTON! COTTON! 💯 COTTON! On baby, under baby, around baby- this sweet breathable fabric makes belly sleeping dreams safe. An unbunched thick layer of cotton allows for a safe belly sleep.
The Struggle is REAL: I wrestled for nights with this- first watching him like a hawk during an afternoon nap. Then suported by my husband family members who’ve been belly sleeping babies for generations in properly cotton-laiden cribs, I let my son sleep belly side. Staying awake listening to my son’s breathing I had a come to Jesus moment: my greatest act of faith is to surrender my little ones breathes to God who gave him breath.
DISCLAIMER: I am not a doctor just a mom sharing her own experiences. Please seek your own medical advice and follow your own parental common sense.
The greatest comfort given to me I give to you: a picture my infant son sleeping soundly on his tummy:
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