Thoughts on sleep positioner?

[Anonymous]

We are expecting in four weeks, and a friend recommended that we get a sleep positioner -- has anyone actually used this for their baby or registered for this? Does the baby actually sleep on it, or does it roll off? A friend's baby didn't use one, and my friend thinks that's the reason for the baby's slightly flat head. What's wrong with having a flat head anyway (aside from cosmetic reasons)?

[Anonymous]

Bought one for our baby who had reflux. Used it a couple of times, but it did not work for us. It was a total waste of money.

Babies heads sometimes do get slightly flat from sleeping on their backs, but that usually corrects itself once they start rolling over. I would not buy a sleep positioner just because you are worried about a flat head. Just make sure that your baby gets enough tummy time.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't spend the money. They're not recommended by the SIDS Foundation or whatever it's called, if I remember correctly.

[Anonymous]

I borrowed one from a friend with both kids, and it ended up being very helpful. My first had reflux and hated being on his back; being tilted up on his side at about a 45 degree angle was much better. My second simply hated being on his back; the sleep positioner was the difference between holding him all night and being able to put him down. That said, it was helpful to us only as long as the baby was swaddled; after that, it just gets in the way.

And, of course, it's by no means a necessity for every baby. I'd see what your kid is like and then run out to Buy Buy Baby if you have a kid like mine.

[Anonymous]

We used a sleep positioner for our first child now 4yo. It was a simple Graco model with a vented tube on each side, not an incline. He's a very squirmy kid and our impression was that it helped him sleep better (kind of like swaddling). I've since read stories of babies that died as a result of suffocation on the foam in some sleep positioners and even though I don't think ours had any foam, I think I'll probably avoid using any sleep positione for my second child.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't. It's not recommended by the Consumer Product Safety Commission because it can be suffocation hazard. They recommend a bed without any blankets, bumpers, sleep positioners, stuffed animals, etc.