Jun 3, 2009

Don't Try This at Home

You're probably looking at the picture in horror thinking it belongs on a SIDS informational pamphlet under the section "What NOT to do to prevent SIDS." But before you turn me in to the AAP, let me explain.

#1. The tan pillow to the left: You see, Silas has recently become quite the professional "flipper." Seriously, he flips more than a Mickey Dee's hamburger... stomach to back, back to stomach, stomach to back, you get the picture... I put him on his activity mat and next thing I know he's under the coffee table! So how does this translate into having a pillow in his bed? Well, if the pillow wasn't there to prevent flippage, Silas would spend the entire night waking himself up every time he flipped (aka his parents would get no sleep!!) Thus the pillow... at least it's a firm one... and by the way, it's known that the risk of SIDS is reduced significantly once babies begin to roll over on their own consistently- and Silas definitely fits this description.)

#2. The stuffed puppy cradled under Silas' right arm: Just for the record, the puppy (who needs a name, by the way) is only utilized during nap time, not nighttime (I realize that this is something that should be monitored closely since Silas is still very young). The puppy has actually become quite multi-purpose, believe it or not, and we've only been using him for a couple of weeks. We first used the puppy to put over Silas' BODY (not his head :) while he slept to trick him into thinking someone's hand was on him (the puppy's legs are filled with beads so it's a little heavy). Then we realized that the puppy's weighted limb's could also be used to help hold Silas' pacifier in until he falls asleep at nap time. This makes it easier to put him in his crib for nap time and let him fall asleep on his own instead of having to rock him. (REMEMBER, we monitor this closely during the day and don't use the puppy at night.) Well now it seems that the puppy has become a form of comfort for Silas in that when he feels the puppy's soft fur near him he closes his eyes as if he's associating the puppy with sleep time. Needless to say, this is making the transition from the rocker to the crib a little easier. So anyway, we all love the puppy now and are hoping that he sticks around for a while! By the way, if you have name suggestions for the puppy, please submit them by clicking on the "comments" link under this post (and don't forget to identify yourself... if your puppy name is chosen there may just be a special blog post dedicated to you :)

#3. Silas is side-sleeping, not back-sleeping: Silas never liked sleeping on his back. Even as a newborn he wouldn't sleep on his back. He would constantly wake himself up. We even swaddled him (he hated that too), but he would always work his way out the swaddle. He slept (and still sleeps) much better on his side and even better on his stomach (every pediatrician's nightmare). Apparently Silas didn't read the SIDS handout before entering the world.

So anyway, these are the things that are helping the Celestin's get sleep during Silas' third month of life. Don't get me wrong, we're still sleep deprived at times, but definitely seeing progress!

Disclaimer: Please don't try these things unless you're aware of the risks! We monitor Silas very closely and are confident that he's past the point of danger. If you're a new mom or an expecting mom, please read this Guide to Safe Sleep to ensure your child's complete safety at sleep time!!

P.S. Don't forget to submit your puppy name suggestions by clicking on "comments"!! And don't forget to identify yourself!

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...

Blog Design by Get Polished | Copyright 2016