Controversy
I have search turned off on this blog. I don't like random folks finding me. I'd have it all private and invite only but my followers don't like having to enter a password. So that's all I do.
I am a hypocrite, we all know this. I tell everyone that will listen that formula is not the devil and I was formula fed and look, I turned out fine. But I'm a hypocrite. Giving my child formula gives me the ickies. I've done it, now, and it's not so bad - didn't do much - but it's not so bad.
When asked about bumpers I say oh young babies can't move anyway so it'd be surprising if they could get their face stuck. But I never let G sleep in his bed with bumpers - not once - and I didn't even buy them for Chalupa.
Blankets, same deal. I never used them with G and I've relaxed a little with Chalupa but mostly I subscribe to the sleep sack camp and nothing. in. the. crib.
Which brings me to sleeping on the tummy. And SIDS.
Research has shown that if babies sleep on their back, their risk of getting SIDS is cut in half. There are other factors involved of course, smoking, baby size, date of birth (gestation), breastfed or formula, etc. But before back to sleep, 1% of babies died of SIDS. After, .5%. So the AAP and pediatricians everywhere tell new mothers and old, put that baby to sleep on their back.
This is how swaddling came into vogue. My parents and my parents parents never did such a thing. They didn't have to. Babies on their belly don't startle and don't hit their faces.
Back to sleep has had some pretty interesting consequences, that I wonder what the parents my grandchildren will think about. Crawling has been removed from the chart. Crawling is no longer considered a crucial part of a childs development because so many are not doing it. And by "off the chart" I mean your pedi is not going to send you to OT or PT for not crawling, like he will if your child doesn't pull up or take first steps. I never crawled, and G crawled for a week before he started walking full time. I never worried because I never crawled. But there's a bunch of doctors now saying that crawling may be important.
Rolling over, has been moved. Used to be babies rolled over by 4mo. Now? Some as late as 6 or 7. G rolled at just before 4 months. Chalupa rolled just last week at just before 5 months. The doctor said not to worry, but I have to think the swaddling and the back to sleep played a role. But who knows, maybe it didn't.
As a generalization, back to sleep has delayed babies gross motor skills. It's also increased the instances of babies with flat heads. Why? Well because we're over programmed and over scheduled and babies sleep on their backs, spend all day in a car seat or jumper (also on backs) and spend maybe 2min every other day on their tummy. For some kids that's just not enough time to keep their heads from flattening a bit.
And as a mother of two, whose battled the "you have to sleep on your back!" idea, I think the number one reason SIDS deaths were cut in half is because now half of all infants are not sleeping at all. And I think, that if we did a study of adults that were born in 1992 (when BtS started) we would find more interesting consequences, like, oh the raise of ADHD and ADD. I'm not a scientist. I have no real research. I just have opinions. And everyone has those. I just would be very interested in a study that showed sleep habits and rises in ADHD and ADD and those sleep habits of those same people as infants.
Because "sleep training" a buzz word that's really only been in vogue for 20 some odd years. I mean babies the world over have always woken up at one time or another. But my mother doesn't remember every hour wakes up that lasted for weeks and months on end. And I have to remind her, because your babies slept on their tummies. One, harder for them to move and startle. Two, easier for them to just get tired, give up and close their little eyes.
All of this attitude I have on this ... G slept on his back exclusively except for two or three times at nap time because I was going to lose my mind. And Chalupa ... up until yesterday he slept on his back exclusively. Because I have the fear. The fear of my child being the 1%. The fear that something awful could happen and it would be my fault and I could have prevented it.
But the truth is they don't know what causes SIDS. Not even a little bit. They just know that babies that sleep on their backs are at lower risk, but sleeping on the tummy doesn't CAUSE SIDS. Otherwise the numbers of SIDS instances would be epic. And most of us wouldn't be here.
Last night, after about a week of no sleep (literally none) Lewis and I discussed it and we decided to try Chalupa on his tummy. He's healthy. He's breastfed. He lives in a smoke free environment. He's rolling over. He has great head control and can clear airways. So I put Chalupa to sleep on his tummy. He still woke up. It wasn't full proof. But he slept from 6-8 on his back, and then 8-1 on his tummy. Then 1-7:30. And actually he woke up at 630, fussed, and then laid his head back down for another hour.
I mean law of averages, G woke up at midnight throwing up and I was up until 2 dealing with that, but I got a solid four hours for the first time in over a week and I feel great.
I don't recommend sleeping on the tummy. It's scary and it makes me nervous and the experts all agree that back is better.
There is research that gassy, acid reflux babies do better on their tummy because it feels better. And he is both of those things. So maybe that's why. (I would actually swear that's why).
Again, I'm not an expert. I have done no research, I've actually not read any actual studies or documentation just media reports (not the same thing) so all I have are opinions and my mommy instincts. I'm a rule follower by nature so this breakage really bothers me (hence the blog post).
But I swear and I truly believe this ... that the reason SIDS deaths declined is because infants now sleep like crap, don't learn to connect sleep cycles, and that this generation of children are going to be at greater risk for attention disorders and weight issues, both of which can be attributed to poor sleep habits.
Seriously we all know both those things are climbing rapidly. Again, not a scientist. Just an opinion. And correlation is not causation.
**Clarification**
I just wanted to point out that sleeping on your back doesn't cause ADHD, ADD or anything else and I'm not saying it does. But parents that don't teach children how to sleep, that don't do the "sleep training" and help a child learn to sleep that way (which takes months, as I can attest) are allowing for sleep problems to persist and those sleep problems can persist for months and years and an entire life. G exclusively slept on his back and he started sleeping 7-7 at about 7/8 months and he sleeps great now. But I put in hard time with him. Doing these hourly wake ups and consisitent soothing and rigid structure and routine that helped him learn how to sleep. Well why not just do that with Chalupa? Because I have G. I can't get no sleep and put him in a swing and lay on a couch or drive around for a few hours mid day. I also can't be as rigid on the routine because G's routine doesn't include three naps and a 6PM bedtime. Chalupa has to learn to fit into our life as much as we have to make room for him, and if sleeping on his tummy does that, I think that's the way we will go forward.
And what I mean by saying parents that don't teach kids how to sleep ... parents that use the crutches (we've all done it - sometimes it's about survival - sleep is a basic human need) long term, that do the gimmicky things that can cause issues ... I mean we all hear stories about four year olds who can't fall asleep on their own and 16 year olds who have to have the television on or are up until 2AM because they just can't go to bed. Those are the folks I'm referring to.
I am a hypocrite, we all know this. I tell everyone that will listen that formula is not the devil and I was formula fed and look, I turned out fine. But I'm a hypocrite. Giving my child formula gives me the ickies. I've done it, now, and it's not so bad - didn't do much - but it's not so bad.
When asked about bumpers I say oh young babies can't move anyway so it'd be surprising if they could get their face stuck. But I never let G sleep in his bed with bumpers - not once - and I didn't even buy them for Chalupa.
Blankets, same deal. I never used them with G and I've relaxed a little with Chalupa but mostly I subscribe to the sleep sack camp and nothing. in. the. crib.
Which brings me to sleeping on the tummy. And SIDS.
Research has shown that if babies sleep on their back, their risk of getting SIDS is cut in half. There are other factors involved of course, smoking, baby size, date of birth (gestation), breastfed or formula, etc. But before back to sleep, 1% of babies died of SIDS. After, .5%. So the AAP and pediatricians everywhere tell new mothers and old, put that baby to sleep on their back.
This is how swaddling came into vogue. My parents and my parents parents never did such a thing. They didn't have to. Babies on their belly don't startle and don't hit their faces.
Back to sleep has had some pretty interesting consequences, that I wonder what the parents my grandchildren will think about. Crawling has been removed from the chart. Crawling is no longer considered a crucial part of a childs development because so many are not doing it. And by "off the chart" I mean your pedi is not going to send you to OT or PT for not crawling, like he will if your child doesn't pull up or take first steps. I never crawled, and G crawled for a week before he started walking full time. I never worried because I never crawled. But there's a bunch of doctors now saying that crawling may be important.
Rolling over, has been moved. Used to be babies rolled over by 4mo. Now? Some as late as 6 or 7. G rolled at just before 4 months. Chalupa rolled just last week at just before 5 months. The doctor said not to worry, but I have to think the swaddling and the back to sleep played a role. But who knows, maybe it didn't.
As a generalization, back to sleep has delayed babies gross motor skills. It's also increased the instances of babies with flat heads. Why? Well because we're over programmed and over scheduled and babies sleep on their backs, spend all day in a car seat or jumper (also on backs) and spend maybe 2min every other day on their tummy. For some kids that's just not enough time to keep their heads from flattening a bit.
And as a mother of two, whose battled the "you have to sleep on your back!" idea, I think the number one reason SIDS deaths were cut in half is because now half of all infants are not sleeping at all. And I think, that if we did a study of adults that were born in 1992 (when BtS started) we would find more interesting consequences, like, oh the raise of ADHD and ADD. I'm not a scientist. I have no real research. I just have opinions. And everyone has those. I just would be very interested in a study that showed sleep habits and rises in ADHD and ADD and those sleep habits of those same people as infants.
Because "sleep training" a buzz word that's really only been in vogue for 20 some odd years. I mean babies the world over have always woken up at one time or another. But my mother doesn't remember every hour wakes up that lasted for weeks and months on end. And I have to remind her, because your babies slept on their tummies. One, harder for them to move and startle. Two, easier for them to just get tired, give up and close their little eyes.
All of this attitude I have on this ... G slept on his back exclusively except for two or three times at nap time because I was going to lose my mind. And Chalupa ... up until yesterday he slept on his back exclusively. Because I have the fear. The fear of my child being the 1%. The fear that something awful could happen and it would be my fault and I could have prevented it.
But the truth is they don't know what causes SIDS. Not even a little bit. They just know that babies that sleep on their backs are at lower risk, but sleeping on the tummy doesn't CAUSE SIDS. Otherwise the numbers of SIDS instances would be epic. And most of us wouldn't be here.
Last night, after about a week of no sleep (literally none) Lewis and I discussed it and we decided to try Chalupa on his tummy. He's healthy. He's breastfed. He lives in a smoke free environment. He's rolling over. He has great head control and can clear airways. So I put Chalupa to sleep on his tummy. He still woke up. It wasn't full proof. But he slept from 6-8 on his back, and then 8-1 on his tummy. Then 1-7:30. And actually he woke up at 630, fussed, and then laid his head back down for another hour.
I mean law of averages, G woke up at midnight throwing up and I was up until 2 dealing with that, but I got a solid four hours for the first time in over a week and I feel great.
I don't recommend sleeping on the tummy. It's scary and it makes me nervous and the experts all agree that back is better.
There is research that gassy, acid reflux babies do better on their tummy because it feels better. And he is both of those things. So maybe that's why. (I would actually swear that's why).
Again, I'm not an expert. I have done no research, I've actually not read any actual studies or documentation just media reports (not the same thing) so all I have are opinions and my mommy instincts. I'm a rule follower by nature so this breakage really bothers me (hence the blog post).
But I swear and I truly believe this ... that the reason SIDS deaths declined is because infants now sleep like crap, don't learn to connect sleep cycles, and that this generation of children are going to be at greater risk for attention disorders and weight issues, both of which can be attributed to poor sleep habits.
Seriously we all know both those things are climbing rapidly. Again, not a scientist. Just an opinion. And correlation is not causation.
**Clarification**
I just wanted to point out that sleeping on your back doesn't cause ADHD, ADD or anything else and I'm not saying it does. But parents that don't teach children how to sleep, that don't do the "sleep training" and help a child learn to sleep that way (which takes months, as I can attest) are allowing for sleep problems to persist and those sleep problems can persist for months and years and an entire life. G exclusively slept on his back and he started sleeping 7-7 at about 7/8 months and he sleeps great now. But I put in hard time with him. Doing these hourly wake ups and consisitent soothing and rigid structure and routine that helped him learn how to sleep. Well why not just do that with Chalupa? Because I have G. I can't get no sleep and put him in a swing and lay on a couch or drive around for a few hours mid day. I also can't be as rigid on the routine because G's routine doesn't include three naps and a 6PM bedtime. Chalupa has to learn to fit into our life as much as we have to make room for him, and if sleeping on his tummy does that, I think that's the way we will go forward.
And what I mean by saying parents that don't teach kids how to sleep ... parents that use the crutches (we've all done it - sometimes it's about survival - sleep is a basic human need) long term, that do the gimmicky things that can cause issues ... I mean we all hear stories about four year olds who can't fall asleep on their own and 16 year olds who have to have the television on or are up until 2AM because they just can't go to bed. Those are the folks I'm referring to.
Comments
I also think the ADD/ADHD idea is interesting. I would think there is merit to the idea.