Crib Sleeping

The bumpers are fine, the wedge is fine but above the sheets not below.
If you are worried about smothering, get the angelcare motion sensor. If the baby does not move for 20 seconds an alarm goes off. It is awesome.

If your newborn has been used to laying slightly upright then either buy a wedge for underneath the crib mattress or put a pillow under the mattress. I used to do that when my children had colds. Also, I always used the wedges and they (all three) did great. Hope this helps!

I have a 4 month old baby wise baby who slept in her car seat for the first 2 months of her life because she hated to lay flat in her crib or bassinet. After much web research, I created a similar bucket set up in her bassinet that has worked perfectly. I bought one of those wedges to go under the mattress and a basic sleep positioner to imitate the snug feeling of her car seat. I added rolled blanckets on either side of the positioner to fill up the empty space of the bassinet. The first night I put her in, she slept through the night as she had been in her carseat. I am sure the experts would cringe at the set up, but she is tightly swaddled in a miracle blanket and cannot move near any of the blankets. I have slowly been removing one piece after another to get her laying flat on her back and eventually into her crib. The incline of the wedge is not significant and it may be just enought to help with the transition. Hope this helps and good luck!

Okay everyone will flip out how my DD slept in her crib, I moved her there at 3 months...I swaddled her, placed her on her back, with her head up in the corner of the crib so she could feel the bumpers on either side of her head, with wedges so she couldn't roll over. That way she felt closed in and safe and snuggly. She slept this way until she was too old to swaddle and then I removed everything but the wedge to help her feel secure, and then when she started rolling over, I removed the wedge. Even now she sleeps on her tummy (by choice at 10 months) with her head crammed up in the corner of the crib. She likes the way it feels. I did do "back to sleep" and started using blanket sleep sacks after she grew too big to swaddle. I just made so many mistakes with my DS he is the oldest. I didn't swaddle, or wedge...he would startle himself a wake a jillion times a night. He slept poorly, I slept poorly...he didn't sleep through the night until between 14 to 16 months. I didn't get good sleep until he was getting good sleep (Thank you Dr. Ferber!!!) I was a zombie and wanted to run away from home. Don't know if this helps...but here it is...

I have a two month old daughter. She has slept in her bed since she got home. She does sleep on a sleep wedge and positioner combo. The product is called Especially for Baby Inclined to Sleep. It was purchased at Babies R Us for about $20. I swaddle her and lay her down on it.

Below is the link to the product.
http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=226701...

Hi H. I have a 3 1/2 month old and she hasn't sleped in her crib yet she still sleeps in her boppy on the bed with me or in her bassenet if you feel he is ready to move out of the pillow then i suggest putting him a bassenet or the crib but my daughter won't sleep unless she can smell me or hear me. I would try to put him in the crib if he is unhappy then try to put blankets or cusions around him tho make him feel cozy it worked like a charm. My daughter had trouble getting to sleep so i ended up rocking her for 1 1/2 hours before she was out but then i just lay her down and now she can't go to sleep with out me rocking her unless she is just that tired. well good luck ;)

My youngest boy slept in his crib (actually still does), although we did not add the bumper pads till he became a little mobile, bc he kept hitting his head on the side rails and getting his leg stuck, we did remove the bumper pads when he got a little older. I was told when my kids were in the hospital and also by the pedi not to put any pillows or extra blankets in the crib with them bc they are more likely to sufficate on the blankets then on the bumper pads, all we did was swaddle him with the one blanket nothing else was in his crib except for his womb sounds bear, and that was attached to the crib. They also told me not to prop them up, but if we did, to put a folded blanked under the matress just to raise it up a little (we did this when my oldest was in the hospital for his asthma bc he slept better this way so he could breathe). If you want him to sleep proped up maybe you could try a cradle swing (my baby loved his) or a bouncer (my oldest loved his). I hope this helps you.

H.
The wedge is great until he gets old enough to throw it out of the crib. Like my baby did. How do you get into medical bill from home?? can you help I would love to work from home we want another baby. Help me please. H. K.

Hi
I would take away the bumpers until your baby is a year. In Europe (which is where I'm from) they always say that bumpers are a cause of Crib death. They also say that swaddling beyond the first few weeks is not necessary and if it's done too tight can also be a cause of crib death. The wedges are good for some babies and some not. I never used them. My sister in law used them all the time and she liked them. You need to place the baby feet to the foot of the bed with the blanket around the waist that way if the baby moves - he will move out of the blanket and not slide in under it. Definitely take out any stuffed animals, bumpers etc so that they will not cause him to suffocate. He will look a little small in the beginning for the crib but he'll get used to it and will probably start enjoying the freedom whilst he's sleeping. The sooner you do this the better for your son. he needs the space to grow and he'll complain more later if you wait. Also, with the issue of him sleeping slightly upright...you can still do this but raise the feet of the bed on one side with proper raisers or place a flat pillow UNDER the mattress (only do this if the mattress is firm so it doesn't collapse downward.) Good Luck and I hope my advise helped you somewhat!

try using a pillow to have him sleep upright and see if that works. Bumpers are a choice, but with the pillow under the head it should be against the bumpers. The small child I have at my home sleeps in a playpen with a pillow under his head for breathing reasons and the playpen is great so that way he does not get caught up with the bumpers or crib.

As foster parents we are always trained to lay the babies on their back with NO bumper pads, no swaddling and no blankets. We are also trained to NOT prop them up with anything. hth

It sounds lilke it is time to move the baby out of the boppy and into the crib. Typically, you keep the crib bumpers on until your baby is older (at least 6 months). Your baby will begin to roll (around 2-4) months and could get his arm or leg stuck in the crib slats and may not be able to get them out by himself. It is best that your baby sleep laying down flat unless there is a problem with reflux. My pediatrician even recommended he sleep on his tummy during the daytime (while you watch him) so would not develop a flat head (typical of babies who always sleep on thier backs). There are many new books on the market that are more current than babywise. Babywise is not recommended by La Leche League. The book is so strict on feeding/sleeping times, it does not take into consideration many factors that will lead to more frequent feedings such as when a baby is going through a growth spurt or when the baby has a cold and is thirsty (not necessarily hungry). It is important to respond to your baby's needs and not get too caught up in a schedule. Once you get a schedule established, then it can change for several reasons. Your pediatrician may help answer some of your questions/concerns the next time you go in for a well-baby check. Good Luck!

Check out the web sight One step ahead. They have breathable bumpers. They are not the most fasionable but I really like them. I like how they attach. Changing the crib sheets is so easy compared to how you have to untie the other ones to change the sheets. It helps when the baby gets older to keep their arms and leggs from going inbetween the slats. They have great swaddlers and a wedge to put your baby on as well. Good luck!!

Hello,
That is wonderful you are able to stay home with your children. what a blessing it is to pour into them and shape them and mold them!!! Belssings to you and your family.
S. Bridgewater

First off...isn't BabyWise the best thing ever?!!! haha. Keep with it...I PROMISE it pays great dividends in the next few months.

I just laid my daughter in the crib swaddled and boom the went to sleep. However,...each case is so different. I suggest trying it at a nap time first so that you can monitor what he is doing. Also try this new transition when the baby is VERY sleepy a couple of times so that he can get used to it but still go to sleep. (since they will fall asleep at that age just from sheer exhaustion..haha). Someone will probably freak out for my having written this because of all the rules of our society,..but you might try rolling up a big beach towel and "creating" the size of his original sleeping space within the crib. Does that make sense? Sometimes going from the snug feeling of having the walls of a bassinet etc so close...to the wide open expanse of the real crib, seems strange for a baby. As long as he is swaddled and not moving much, I don't see any harm in making a crib within his crib for a few nights until he gets used to it. Maybe gradually move them outward until its the size of his real crib if he doesnt seem to like it.

Of course,...all of this is IF he actually screams and throws a fit about it,...if not. Then yes...just wrap him like you normally have been doing, lay him in the real crib..and walk out. It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen!

I know you got lots of advice but at first glance I didn't see anyone mention to put the boppy lounger in his crib with him swaddled. During the night, roll him off the lounger onto the mattress and he will wake up like that. eventually you can move the lounger out completely and keep swaddling him. He should do fine.

Just try and lay him on the crib and see what happens. Definitely remove the bumpers, they are not safe. You will see that he will sleep fine and you don't have to worry about it so much, just keep watching him from time to time so make sure he is doing good. I tell you something that was funny with my boys. The first one did not sleep in the crib hardly ever, actually slept with my husband and I until he was 8. He is 11 now. He finally starting sleeping alone after his brother was born and that was the only reason he saw necessary for him to sleep in his bed. My second son slept in the crib with no problem, off course he sleeps with us from time to time and he is 3. I was surprise to see that I didn't have to do much for him to sleep in his crib and up until he was 2 he slept there and never got out on his own. He was cautious. You will do fine, you will see. Good luck!!!!

H.,
When my son was 6 weeks old he developed a respiratory infection and had to sleep upright. He spent the next 3 months sleeping in his car seat. When he started to outgrow the seat, I transitioned him by placing his car seat in his crib for his naps so that he would be used to the crib. When I moved him to the crib without the car seat, I used a wedge to give him the snug feeling he was used to. It may take a few days but he'll adjust. Good luck!

H.,
I never worried about crib bumpers when my boys slept. Especially if he's not moving around too much (i.e. 3 months old). I did use the wedges to help keep them in place, but by about 2 months, my sons had outgrown them. I also had stopped swaddling them by 3 months old. Of course, every baby is different!! As far as laying him in the crib, place him in the center of the crib, put the side up, and you're good to go! They (the "experts") say to lay them on their backs, but I always lay mine down on their tummies, and never had any problems! In fact, I think they may have slept better. But that's just my advice! Good luck!

R.

Hey H.,
I had the same questions when it was time to go from a co sleeper by my bed to the crib. You know I just laid my son in the crib at 8 weeks and he did great. I didn't worry about the fact he had been elevated previously and he didn't seem to care. I was also concerned about the bumper situation so I did some reading and found what is called a breathable bumper. It is a bumper that has velcro so there are no strangulation risks and is made of mesh so air will pass through and your baby will not be breathing air that has a hard time ciruclating in the room. You can buy them at Babies r us or order online. I didn't want his little legs and arms to get stuck in the slats but felt the bumper could be hazardous. I love the breathable bumper and it looks great. Hope this info helps! :)

Hi i was just curious about your job. My mother has went through the school for medical billing and was wondering how you do it from your home. My dad passed away and she has trouble still being in a crowd of people. You dont have to tell me i was just curios. Thanks B. nutt

I actually had this conversation with my pediatrician at his 2 month check up:) I had been keeping him in his seat because he spit up so much...she suggested that if I was concerned about him sleeping on his back immediately that I could put phone books under the mattress of his crib or under the legs...just enough to give him some elevation (I guess this is where the wedges come in). As far as the bumpers, I wouldn't worry about that until he is more mobile. We also have a 2 year old and we put them in when she started getting her legs in between the railings because she moved so much when she slept. The best advice I can give though is to do what you feel best. Our children have been exact opposites from day one and what has worked for our oldest is not working for our youngest:)

Hi,
This is not about crib sleeping, but about working out of your home doing medical billing. I have been thinking of
doing this for some time. How did you get started? I have
looked into some technical schools that take 9 months.
Any ideas?

Hi H.,

I have two boys ages 2 and 7 and naps are the hardest for the moms to adjust to but my advice would be to pick a routine and stick with it. Babies are all about the routine and familiarity of their environment to feel comfortable. I take my son to his room for nap time and rock him for 2-3 minutes and then lay him to sleep. Also if you could find a toy or blanket that he likes put it in the crib with him so he feels the familiarity. If he is a good napper he will really enjoy his naptime once the routine becomes familiar. I hope this helps.

My 8 month old has slept in his crib his whole life and I really don't think there are any big issues with it. The doctor told me to put him on his back to sleep and I did for awhile, but then I tried putting him on his belly just once, and he started sleeping longer. Try elevating the head of the crib with just a blanket under the mattress. A doctor told us to do that for my son when he had a runny nose to help with drainage. It's great that he still enjoys swaddling, my son kicked out of it within the first month and got mad when he couldn't. Ha! My sugggestion, just TRY him in his crib. You work from home, so you are there with him. Put a monitor in there and you can probably hear him breathing. Go check on him every few minutes at first, or just stay in there after you lay him down, just to make yourself feel more comfortable with the idea of him having a new sleeping place! Good luck! I'm sure everything will work out just fine!

hi,
when I switched my daughter to her bed I found that she slept better just laying her in there. In her pack n play is another story. I have to form a V with two small pillow(that she can easily push away) or she won't go to sleep.