Terrified of SIDS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I got the owlet. I was like you and high anxious.

I know the pediatricians don't recommend it but it brought me some peace. I stopped using it every night once baby turned 6 months.

Baby is 10 months now and I will use it if they are sick just to make sure they are getting enough oxygen.

I would also recommend the Owlet. I had the older version and I only got a false alarm once or twice (I think after not using it for a period of time). The new one is supposed to be better at preventing this. It gave me such peace of mind while I slept. For what it’s worth, my pediatrician actually said she would have used it for her kids if it had been around when they were babies! She just wanted to make sure we still followed safe sleep practices and but had no issues with us using it. It’s great you’re getting help for your anxiety but I do think people who don’t suffer from PPA (I didn’t) also get anxious about SIDs too. It’s scary! But as every said, it is so so rare and you just have to keep reminding yourself of that.

[Anonymous]

This is definitely a symptom of your anxiety. I would NOT get the owlet, as it will make your anxiety worse with false alarms. You might need your lexapro dose increased.

[Anonymous]

If your baby has no risk factors the SIDS stats don't apply to you.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different take - this sounds like PP anxiety. It is a real thing. SIDS is also a real thing but when the fear is consuming to the point that you can't enjoy your baby, that is something else.

Can you get a therapist or get on a low level med for a bit. Stopping b feeding was the only thing ultimately that helped my hormones even out and me to feel myself again.

Therapy + anti-anxiety meds are the standard of care on this.

Call your OBGYN and ask for an appt to screen for PPD and PPA, and ask for a referral to a therapist, your OB can prescribe meds to start out with (zoloft is often helpful and is completely safe if you are breastfeeding).

Treat your anxiety. You deserve to enjoy your baby.

OP here - Yes, I was diagnosed with PPA and PPD at 3 weeks postpartum. I've been in therapy since before I was even pregnant, with both a psychologist and a psychistrist. I'm taking 10mg of Lexapro daily. I also have a low dose prescription for Xanax which my ped was surprisingly OK with me taking while breastfeeding, but I have not taken it yet as I worry about the effect of that on the baby. My psychiatrist prescribed it when I told her that I was having bad panic attacks thinking about finding the baby dead in his crib.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are practicing safe sleep, SIDS risk is exceptionally low.

Yes. People don’t like to admit this because it fees like it places blame on parents who do go through SIDS deaths, but nearly all deaths classified as SIDS are actually either suffocation or positional asphyxiation, due to unsafe sleep practices. If you’re following all safe sleep guidelines the chances of your baby dying from SIDS are statistically zero.

I work in funeral service and this is true. Many people co-sleep and/or use unsafe positioners, and the baby is fine, but when it goes wrong it is always asphyxiation (unless the baby had a health condition). Babies don’t just die, unexplained.

Never co-sleep with an infant. You aren’t, OP. Your baby will be fine. Big hugs.

[Anonymous]

I had bad anxiety with my firstborn about this too. I used the owlette monitor for this reason.

[Anonymous]

Crib in my room. Safe sleeping practices. I actually slept on the floor in front of the crib my first night home from the hospital with DD2 because I was so worried. Have a monitor over the crib (which is in my room). Check on her multiple times a night - but my kids don't sleep through the night until after a year and I am ok with it because it means they wake up.

It is not fun and I wish I was wired differently but checking and knowing I am following all the "rules" helps immensely. I don't relax until a year. In fact, just wiggled DD3 (who is ten months old and in the crib in my room) because this thread jacked my anxiety up.

My sympathy and understanding OP.

[Anonymous]

I had similar anxiety, though not as severe, OP. Instead of using the Owlet, we purchased the Miku - same concept but without needing the sock - and it's honestly been really helpful. No false alarms, but I'm able to see his breathing stats and that helps me immensely. Just wanted to share another option. Big hugs to you as you navigate this tricky time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you are practicing safe sleep, SIDS risk is exceptionally low.

Yes. People don’t like to admit this because it fees like it places blame on parents who do go through SIDS deaths, but nearly all deaths classified as SIDS are actually either suffocation or positional asphyxiation, due to unsafe sleep practices. If you’re following all safe sleep guidelines the chances of your baby dying from SIDS are statistically zero.

I work in funeral service and this is true. Many people co-sleep and/or use unsafe positioners, and the baby is fine, but when it goes wrong it is always asphyxiation (unless the baby had a health condition). Babies don’t just die, unexplained.

Never co-sleep with an infant. You aren’t, OP. Your baby will be fine. Big hugs.

You should stick to your expertise. Babies do die for unexplained reasons. That is the LITERAL definition of SIDS. Youre compounding SIDS and SUID. SIDS is unknown cause. SUID has causes like suffocation and positional asphyxiation. SIDS compromises 37% of SUID and a further 35% is labeled as unknown.

https://www.cdc.gov/sids/data.htm There are risk factors for SIDS. There are risk factors, including environmental, for SUID. There is also not a national/large-scale agreement on how to classify and report SIDS and SUID so the data isnt super reliable when it comes to reporting cause and risk factors.

Im not a huge fan of the way AAP and CDC emphasize unsafe sleeping practices as a major contributor to infant death because its only 1/3 of known causes and not all of those are from bedsharing. Unsafe crib environments can include blankets, stuffies, loose items, padding around the crib, hanging items near the crib, blinds, etc. Strangulation and suffocation do NOT happen in bedsharing environments only.

And for all of the proponents of safe sleep who yell on here about ABCs, SIDS risk is cut by 50% by room sharing.

Smoking (by any caregiver, family member, etc. including mom), premature/low birth weight, and overdressing are suggested risk factors for SIDS. As a reminder, a diagnosis of SIDS is made if the baby’s death remains unexplained even after a death scene investigation, an autopsy, and a review of the clinical history. Babies who die suddenly but whose causes of death are later explained (infection, brain abnormality, cardiac dysfunction, etc.) are categorized as sudden unexpected death.

[Anonymous]

I would still do the owlet sock. The worst I have heard is that they can give false alarms, but I dont understand why that is such a big deal. If it goes off, you go over to your baby, check them and if they are breathing and look ok- maybe just reposition the sock. At least it notified you to check, right?

Still seems worth it to me. Im a nurse and a O2 saturation dropping a little isnt an emergency- just a warning go check the baby, maybe wake them up a little, reposition them, reposition the sock and then if the numbers are still not going back up then call for help. But you have time, its not like you should panic anytime it goes off.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Different take - this sounds like PP anxiety. It is a real thing. SIDS is also a real thing but when the fear is consuming to the point that you can't enjoy your baby, that is something else.

Can you get a therapist or get on a low level med for a bit. Stopping b feeding was the only thing ultimately that helped my hormones even out and me to feel myself again.

Therapy + anti-anxiety meds are the standard of care on this.

Call your OBGYN and ask for an appt to screen for PPD and PPA, and ask for a referral to a therapist, your OB can prescribe meds to start out with (zoloft is often helpful and is completely safe if you are breastfeeding).

Treat your anxiety. You deserve to enjoy your baby.

OP here - Yes, I was diagnosed with PPA and PPD at 3 weeks postpartum. I've been in therapy since before I was even pregnant, with both a psychologist and a psychistrist. I'm taking 10mg of Lexapro daily. I also have a low dose prescription for Xanax which my ped was surprisingly OK with me taking while breastfeeding, but I have not taken it yet as I worry about the effect of that on the baby. My psychiatrist prescribed it when I told her that I was having bad panic attacks thinking about finding the baby dead in his crib.

I hope you’ve shared with your therapist and psychiatrist that your symptoms are persisting, and that you are afraid to take the prescribed Xanax and ask for another short acting anti-anxiety med.

PPD/PPA are really hard. I’m sorry you’re struggling. You might consider weaning to see if that helps your hormones even out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would still do the owlet sock. The worst I have heard is that they can give false alarms, but I dont understand why that is such a big deal. If it goes off, you go over to your baby, check them and if they are breathing and look ok- maybe just reposition the sock. At least it notified you to check, right?

Still seems worth it to me. Im a nurse and a O2 saturation dropping a little isnt an emergency- just a warning go check the baby, maybe wake them up a little, reposition them, reposition the sock and then if the numbers are still not going back up then call for help. But you have time, its not like you should panic anytime it goes off.

The foot that wears the should be changed frequently to avoid Burns that's one of the drawbacks to owlet.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you are practicing safe sleep, SIDS risk is exceptionally low.

Even if you don't, it's very low for healthy babies without risk factors (not preemies, nonsmoking home,etc.)

[Anonymous]

Op---you got this! You are doing everything right. You are practicing safe sleep for the newborn. You are attentive and checking (albeit it's annoying you). You are being a great mom! The monitor should help you. Would you feel better if the crib was in your room at night for a few months? Keep working with your docs/therapists. This will lessen once the baby is stronger. Hang in there.

[Anonymous]

^^ I wanted to add: keep doing the breast-feeding. This has been linked to lowering the chance of SIDS. Again, focus on all the amazing things that you are doing for this precious little one.
https://www.google.com/amp/s/mobile.reuters.com/article/amp/idUSTRE75C2V220110613