New SIDS Recommendations

[DVCLiz]

Did you see the American Academy of Pediatrics has come out with new recommendations to prevent SIDS? Babies should be given pacifiers, should sleep in the parent's room, but not in their bed, etc.

Boy, some of these are "hot button" topics. How does a parent who is against pacifier use or for the family bed reconcile these new guidelines?? Makes me glad my daughters are "big girls."

What do you think?

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

The only thing new really is the pacifier.

I was told to have my girls on their side---contrary to the "Back to sleep" campaign...but I know noone who was told that--so must have just been my doctor.

 

[golfgal]

The only thing new really is the pacifier.

I was told to have my girls on their side---contrary to the "Back to sleep" campaign...but I know noone who was told that--so must have just been my doctor.

When our oldest was born we were told to put the babies to sleep on their sides. By the time the twins were born, it was "back to bed" campaign. One nice thing about the side sleeping is that you didn't end up with the patch of hair rubbed off like you see now with kids that only sleep on their back.

The funny thing about all the SIDS guidelines is that premies with breathing problems are often placed on their stomachs because it is easier for them to breath BUT they are also on all kinds of monitors so if something happens they know right away.

 

[Towncrier]

Both of our kids refused to sleep on their sides or tummies. They were both back sleepers. Did you see that babies should not have any blankets in the crib with them as well? You are supposed to dress them warmly enough that they don't require a blanket. Isn't it amazing that our kids managed to survive all the dumb mistakes we made while raising them?

 

[pattyT]

 

[Lisa loves Pooh]

When our oldest was born we were told to put the babies to sleep on their sides. By the time the twins were born, it was "back to bed" campaign. One nice thing about the side sleeping is that you didn't end up with the patch of hair rubbed off like you see now with kids that only sleep on their back.

My girls are 5 and almost 3....my doc was telling me this while the back to sleep campaign was going on. Not sure his sources--but I did what he said for the first several weeks.

Did you see that babies should not have any blankets in the crib with them as well? You are supposed to dress them warmly enough that they don't require a blanket.

This is what I mean---this just sounds like a regurgitation of "old" guidelines b/c aside from that pacifier thing...this is how it has been for the past 5 years at least.

Was AAP feeling left out of the news?

 

[ZachnElli]

My 10 year old was told to be put to sleep on his side also. I even bought a wedge thingy to keep him in place! The back to sleep campaign has helped drop SIDS rates by like 50% or something crazy like that, so it must be working!

 

[JennyMominRI]

My 10 year old was told to be put to sleep on his side also. I even bought a wedge thingy to keep him in place! The back to sleep campaign has helped drop SIDS rates by like 50% or something crazy like that, so it must be working!

My youngest is 10 too and I think I was told to place him on his side...My 13 and 12 year olds slept on their stomachs.. Scary

 

[Nancy]

Well I think the bigest thing in the announcement is the fact that they recommend that babies have their own beds and do not sleep with adults. I see this as a HUGE hot topic button. BUT it is nice to know that 17, 15 and 12 1/2 years ago I was doing just what they recommend now. My kids slept on their backs, in a bassinet right next to our bed, with pacifiers. The only thing I did was make sure they were swaddled when they were newborns and they did have a blanket once they moved into their cribs.

 

[DVCLiz]

My girls are 5 and almost 3....my doc was telling me this while the back to sleep campaign was going on. Not sure his sources--but I did what he said for the first several weeks.



This is what I mean---this just sounds like a regurgitation of "old" guidelines b/c aside from that pacifier thing...this is how it has been for the past 5 years at least.

Was AAP feeling left out of the news?

Boy, I must really be out of the loop!!! It sounded to me like these were all brand new recommendations - I haven't had to worry about any of these for about ten years, so I've missed the most recent updates.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

Let's see, my 11 month old doesn't use a pacifier, co-sleeps, and sleeps on his side.
We did the same with DD.

 

[diznygirl]

I found DD with the blanket over her head twice - that was it for the blanket in the crib!

 

[va32h]

How does a parent who is against pacifier use or for the family bed reconcile these new guidelines??

By ignoring them. The AAP isn't going to come peeking in our bedrooms (although it wouldn't surprise me if that did happen in a few years!!)

I listen thoughtfully to whatever advice my pediatrician gives, and then do what I think is best, whether it jibes with his advice or not.

My ped. thinks my 2 year old should still ride in a rear facing carseat, but I am not turning her back around. And all my babies have had pillows and blankets in their cribs. But my 2yo also has a bottle at bedtime. EEK! Did I admit that!

 

[minkydog]

I'm glad that something as simple as putting a baby on it's back can make such a difference. I can understand leaving the blankets out of the crib, although that poor baby on the news looked so lonely with nothing in the bed to comfort him. I didn't get the point of the pacifier though? All my kids slept on their stomachs and none took a pacifier--couldn't make them(believe me, I tried!) Not when they had their own human pacifier sleeping next to them.

 

[robertsmom]

Both of our kids refused to sleep on their sides or tummies. They were both back sleepers. Did you see that babies should not have any blankets in the crib with them as well? You are supposed to dress them warmly enough that they don't require a blanket. Isn't it amazing that our kids managed to survive all the dumb mistakes we made while raising them?

Tell me about it. My son slept on his tummy, with a blanket, in his OWN ROOM. I'm surprised he survived infancy.

 

[DawnCt1]

This past weekend a Springfield, Mass. mother rolled on her infant (2 to 4 mo old) and killed him. No charges will be filed because it was clearly a horrific accident. I think that is a major risk of co sleeping.

 

[MosMom]

There is a huge study that links e.coli to SIDS and I'm surprised they didn't emphasize washing hands after diaper changes, going to the bathroom, etc.

 

[Kermit]

How does a parent who is against pacifier use or for the family bed reconcile these new guidelines?

We have a family bed, and we don't use pacifiers. There haven't been any new studies that actually show that cosleeping is dangerous. (There are studies out there that people claim do prove that point, but they were extremely poorly done.) In fact, studies show that cosleeping reduces the risk of SIDS because it keeps babies from sleeping too soundly. The movement of the mother next to the baby is good, and the fact that the baby smells his mother's milk throughout the night and therefore wakes more often to nurse also keeps him from sleeping too deeply. Additionally, having the CO2 the mother exhales prompts the baby to breathe.

Pacifiers aren't necessary when you cosleep. Why use a rubber imitation when the real thing is right there? I was excited when the AAP revised its breastfeeding guidelines a few months ago to make it more clear that babies shouldn't have any solids until 6 months and to specifically point out that breastfeeding past a year is a good thing. I see that the new recommendations say that pacifiers shouldn't be used until after a month, when breastfeeding is well-established, but most babies won't take a pacifier if you wait that long.

I have mixed feelings about these new recommendations. I'm excited that they're emphasizing breastfeeding and specifically nursing at night (rather than training babies to sleep all night from a young age), but I wish they'd do some good research about cosleeping. Cosleeping can be dangerous if done improperly, but it can also be really safe when done correctly.

 

[Jenn Lynn]

This past weekend a Springfield, Mass. mother rolled on her infant (2 to 4 mo old) and killed him. No charges will be filed because it was clearly a horrific accident. I think that is a major risk of co sleeping.

Was she on medication or intoxicated? One of those is usually the cause of a death like that. It's also not taken into account in co-sleeping statistics.

I was prescribed Tylenol with Codeine after having my 4th degree tear repaired at the hospital after DS's birth. Funny that the Doctor prescribed me a medication that would make me drowsy and affects breastmilk when she knew that we co-sleep and BF.

 

[inaminute]

There is a huge study that links e.coli to SIDS

My sister lost her six week old to SIDS about 10 years ago. I'd be really interested in that study. Do you have a link? I could just Google it, but if you have something specific, that would be great.

There has to be some reasonable explanation. Perfectly healthy, well-cared for infants shouldn't just expire in their sleep. For no apparent reason.