im so scared

[dinkydo]

hey there,

im just so scared that my baby might die that i want to get all the help i can,  I am trying to get her to lay on her side when she sleeps so that if she vomits she wont choke.  Is there anything else i can do, not that she sleeps all night on her side.

[chatting in chatroom]

Hey there,

What youre doing is good.  Basically they dont know what causes cot death.  They have a good idea what could help to prevent it.  One of them is to lay your baby on her back or side.  If youre going to lay her on her side roll up a small blanket and put it under her sheets behind her back. When she rolls on her back this will keep her at an angle.  Also pull out her lower arm so she doesnt roll foward.  Ive done this with both my children and they have never rolled from the postition i left them in.  Obviously when the get bigger you cant do this.  Aslo, keep an eye on the temperature, not only of the room but of your baby.  The room temp might be fine but she might be sweltering cos she is wrapped up in so many blankets.  Never leave a bib on.  Some ppl say that soothers help to prevent SIDS as the teet pushes down on their tongue opening up an airway.  One last thing, never leave your baby alone with animals, cats love to sleep on their faces as its very warm, they can sufficate them. 

Most importantly enjoy your baby, try to relax as much as possable.  A stressed out mother is a stressed out baby.

[skatterbrains]

A friend of mine lent me one of those under cot mats that monitors the babys breathing, heart rate and temp.  I found i was forever checking the monitor instead of looking at the baby.  I got alot more sleep when it wasnt on, plus they are very expesive.  But if you are really worried about it you could try one, see if it helps you sleep at night

[dinkydo]

ty for this i will try it all

[Annabell]

Hi Mum,
Well another thing to mention is not smoking during pregnancy and after birth not to smoke in the home and don't let other people smoke around your baby either.Research has shown that exposure to smoking significantly increases the incidence of cot death.

ANother tip is when putting baby in cot have babies feet at the bottom of the cot so that baby can't slide down under the bedclothing.

Also,if baby is unwell and has a temperature,reduce the amount of bedclothing,give the recommended dose of paracetamol to reduce the temperature,give tepid baths(not cold water,luke warm water),And if concerned follow your instincts and get the advice of your doctor.

Also some babies may have MILD heart defects that can go unnoticed.If you ever notice your baby goes blue around his/her mouth or has episodes of suddenly becomming pale or greyish in colour,seek medical advice IMMEDIATELY.

Also dont use blankets with tassels in the cot, the baby may take them in its mouth and choke.the same goes for toys.

One last tip is to check if the mattress has airation cells.THese are highly recommended in young babies.

Best of luck to you and your wee one.
Annabell