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I just got a lecture from the health nurse! (no flaming please)
I took DD in for her 2 month shots today. The health nurse went through all of the basic questions with me including DD's sleeping habits. When I told her that DD sleeps on her tummy, in the swing or elevated on the breast feeding pillow or wedge, due to her severe reflux problems, she got all irratated with me. She went on to tell me that it is not safe and implied that what I am doing makes me a bad mother. She mentioned that I am putting my DD's life at risk about 5 times. At that point, I almost got up and walked out b/c I was so mad and insulted.
I had already spoken to DD's Pedi last week about her reflux issues and he told me that she will out grow it in the near future and that if she had enough head/neck control( which she does now), that it was fine for her to sleep on her tummy or elevated. I'm well aware that back sleeping is the recommended method for sleeping babies( which we always did with DS) but when you have a baby with medical issues like DD's this method is out the window unless I decide hold her in my arms, all night while she sleeps.
So if you had a baby who wouldn't sleep on their backs at all, would you do what we've been doing or would you just tough it out and be up every 30 minuted throughout the night, every night until they are older?? BTW, DD has STTN right from birth using the sleeping methods that we use.
Re: I just got a lecture from the health nurse! (no flaming please)
I totally agree with what you are donig. I know I'm not there yet, but right now I firmly believe that if the baby has the control and is more comfy, then they can sleep however they want so they and me are well rested.
There are so many "rules" now about babies and their care that I just don't see how you can be expected to follow allof them. As long as you are confident in what you are doing and everyone is happy as a result, I say keep doing it.
It's ridiculous how people get up on their high horses due to these recommendations. I know my grandma was shocked that we tried to keep our son on his back; her generation was told that sleeping on their back was dangerous as babies used to choke on their own spit-up that way. Current recommendations change every few years, it seems like, and while some of the recommendations are certainly accurate, IMHO you have to take everything with a grain of salt and see how it applies to your situation.
Our son learned to roll over quite early (one month) and so he was always on his stomach- he preferred to sleep that way. I wasn't about to turn him over twenty times a night and wake him up.
My mom has a friend who had twins with severe reflux issues and she had to sleep sitting up for months, with both her babies sleeping upright against her chest. It was the only way they could sleep- as soon as she would lie her twins on their backs they would lose their entire meal.
You do what you gotta do.
DS has always slept on his tummy. I just never told the pedi or the nurse about it. What they don't know can't hurt.
In my opinion, the mother still knows best in most cases. Unless they are there living with you, they really don't know and have no right to judge.
My DS slept in his car seat or swing for the first 3 months. He just would. not. sleep. anywhere else. He had very premature nasal passages and got so stuffuy unless he was elevated.
DD slept in the bed with us for 6 weeks b/c when she did she slept for 6-7 hours straight.
Do what you think is right. And if the dr. agrees with you then tell the nurse to stuff it!
I agree that mother knows best. You would never do anything to harm your child - as you said, the way you have her sleep now, has her resting better and she's not having reflux issues when she sleeps that way PLUS the pedi said it was fine. IMHO the pedi is WAY more qualified than the public health nurse, so screw the nurse's opinion.
Like pp said, the sleep position recommendation changes every few years. When SIL laid her DD down on her back to sleep, her mother FREAKED out and said "no! Babies go on their tummies to sleep! That's what the doctor told me to do with you!" and my mom told me that she was told by her doc to lay me sideways when I was a baby. See... there will never truly be one TRUE method.
I'd be pissed too, Betty. It's not like you're trying to hurt your child or anything - it helps with her reflux! Geeeeez