Sudden Infant Death

[Chasingcars]

I had the biggest panic last night when checking my 5 month year old in bed....i couldnt see her breathing and couldnt feel her chest going up or down, when i felt her face it felt quite cool and when i touched her hand it was quite soft and for a moment my blood ran cold as only that morning i had watched an article on tv about sudden infant death. i must admit i panicked for a moment until my little girl, who must have been in a very deep sleep signed, and turned over.
However, it got me thinking, i follow all the safe guidlines to reduce the risk of cot death (sleeping on back, feet to foot of cot etc) but if sudden infant death was to incur in a baby,is there a moment when you could tell its going to happen and therefore prevent it? For example when someone has a stroke there are key signs to look for and therefore treat so wondered if the same applies to sudden infant death - with a child who may be about to stop breathing, could you wake them up at a certain moment to prevent the worse? Not a nice thing to think about but my panic yesterday has out my mind into overdrive and im checking my little one every few minutes as well as using my monitor....

[bednobs]

hI CC, sorry i don't know the answer. Just to let you know tho, 1) we have a movement monitor which works fantastically and despite there not being much research that they prevent cot death, it makes me feel bbetter (and allows me to sleep) 2) after six months old, the main risk has passed

[2sp_]

You poor thing. My oldest daughter did this one night too. I can still remember the fear gripping at my throat as I tried not to panic and slapped the bottom of her foot to try to rouse her.

Thank all the Gods that she was fine, just in a deep sleep like your daughter was.

We used one of those movement monitors that went under her mattress. Like bednobs, I found it gave me peace of mind.

Sorry I can't give you any actual advice, just know that I think we all have these fears and your wee one will be getting past the risk period.

[MyBlackHen]

Sorry to read you had such a scare.
In my child rearing days we didn't have all the info you have now.
Yet I can recall waking up many times a a night to check on breathing.

[Chasingcars]

Thankyou both, yes i forgot the risk does reduce after 6 months - though knowing what im like im probably still going to worry! (dont we all!) I may well look into the movement mat monitors you mention, a couple of my friends use them too x

[sherrardk]

I had all mine either sleep next to the bed in a crib (with the light on v low and with them holding one of my fingers) or they slept in the actual bed with us (can't remember how old they were when they went into their own beds - got more laid back with each one, the thing 1 & 2 are practically dragging them sleves up). Try not to worry (although easier said than done), x.

[2sp_]

One word of warning about the movement mats - your baby can (and probably will) roll off it at some point. The alarm WILL sound and you WILL have heart failure.

It's a bloomin' minefield this having kids lark.

[chrisgel]

If it's any help I think every parent goes through this panic at least once with their children. In fact I'm sure Billy Connolly does a skit on it. The gist of it is that babies do it on purpose just to panic their parents.
I'm not trying to make light of what happened because I have been through it too and I know that feeling of panic.
Unless there is some underlying medical problem that you're worried about then I wouldn't stress too much about it. If you have a baby monitor then I think that you have done all that is needed.

[Chasingcars]

You're right 2sp, its a minefield that for sure, and if im not worrying about this, there will be something else! Is there ever a time you can just relax? Im so worried about everything all the time, im worried these early years will pass me by in a cloud of stressing about everything!

[sherrardk]

You will stop panicking about this and then there will be something else to worry about (are they walking when they should, is their speech as it should be, do they have friends at nursery, are they doing all right at school, are they getting bullied, etc, etc). It's never ending but I wouldn't swap it for anything.

[whiskeryron]

Have a look at this & read customer reviews.

KNUU/ref=sr_1_1?s=baby&ie=UTF8&qid=1365888212&sr=1-1&keywords=infant+movement+monitor

WR.

[MyBlackHen]

My babies are 39 and 34, and NO, you never stop worrying.

[tamborine]

Oriental way of rearing is to have the babe constantly within sight and feel. Mine slept with me when I went to bed or near me while I was awake. Soon as they could walk they left me to do their mischief ;)

[2sp_]

#1 is nearly 3 and heading to nursery this August. So I'm worrying that she won't like it or make friends.

#2 will be 1 next week and I still check that she's breathing in her cot at night.

Can't even begin to think about when smelly boys (or girls) will be calling round for them with designs on my girls' virtue...

[whiskeryron]

Amazon.co.uk User Recommendation

[FredPuli43]

What a relief! The mother of ours always says "The umbilical cord is never broken !". A mother never quite learns not to worry, however old, or adult, the child is. Fathers may but mothers? Never.

[Sycamore3House]

We all panic. I can remember giving mine a poke to make sure they were OK. One thing my 1st born did was snore very loudly. He was in his own room pretty pronto but I could still hear him which was comforting in a some sort of mother like way.

[Sqad]

No.....almost all SIDS deaths occur without any warning or symptoms when the infant is thought to be sleeping.

Sorry.

[sy1990]

i lost my son to cot death on oct 2nd 2008 he was born a normal healthy beautiful boy and i got the honor of being his mum for 10 days, ive got to say in all honesty losing my son was the worst pain i have been through both physically and emotionally, i didnt sleep much after and when i did i use to dream about him being with me again, i use to hate waking up from them dreams ... its a pain that slowly gets better but never leaves even now four years later i still find my self getting up in the night and checking on my partner and my daughter. anyway i was told that cot death is not something that shows signs and there isnt really anyway to prevent it unless u have a monitor, sometimes when a new born sleeps the baby will dream about being back in the womb and because when a baby is in the womb you breath for them the baby just simply forgets to breath .. i was told i wouldnt of been painful and he passed peacefully sleeping.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IM1p-Tn-jA

[sy1990]

i dont know why that like popped up to :/ thats very strange

[sy1990]

LINK** for god sake :)