Sleep Positioners

My little man is a terrrible day sleeper. On Tuesday when I was at a friends, he fell asleep in my arms and I laid him on the lounge next to me - on his side. He slept for 1 1/2hours!!! - but I was sitting right next to him. I was at another friends today and did the same thing and he slept for a hour -again I was sitting right next to him. I know the SIDS recs say sleep only on their backs....but would a sleep positioner keep him safe on his side during the day? I would keep him on his back for his really deep night sleeps. I have an angelcare monitor as well - not sure if this actually makes a difference tho...

Has anyone used one? Opinions?

sids guidelines are only that, GUIDELINES... in the end you have to do what works for you and your baby.... if only i had of realised this about 5 months sooner, i may have saved myself alot of sleepless days and nights, as soon as my little one could roll in the cot i realised she wanted to sleep on her tummy..... i was always so scared to try tummy sleeping because of all the sids stuff, so stuffed my baby around trying to enforce her to sleep on her back or side not realising it wasn't working...

look its up to you to do what you are comfortable with, but i know what i will be doing with this next bubs on the way.... the fact that you have one of those monitors though makes me think it wouldn't be a problem.... just my opinion.

Is it because he is sleeping on his side or because he is so close to you? I know Hayley sleeps a lot longer if I'm next to her than if she is by herself in her cot. I often pop her on our bed of an afternoon if I'm tired and need a sleep- she'll usually sleep for at least a couple of hours, whereas in her cot she'll only sleep for an hour max.

i don't think it would be a problem to put him on his side though. Years ago the 'guidelines' were to sleep them on their sides...mum drove me mad when she was down here just after Hayley was born, she kept putting her in her bassinette on her side even though I said I'd prefer her to sleep on her back! whatever you feel comfortable with really.

A rolled up nappy/cloth on each side of him should keep him on his side though, cheaper than a sleep positioner and you can adjust the cloths to how you want them if you didn't want to spend the money on a positioner at first.

Thanks Emma and SS

SS - He will only sleep for 10-15 mins in his cot usually - so the side possie seems to be better. I have tried the rolled nappies - but he is so big (he's porker :lol:) they seem to move out of the way.

I don't mide spending the $$ if it works :lol:

I have used a sleep positioner for DD2 to sleep on her side for day sleeps and it worked really well. She ended up being a belly sleeper and still is. DD3 sleeps on her belly during days sleeps but I monitor her continuously.

I would say give it a go. I must say that all my girls have had excellent head control and could move their heads from side to side from birth.

yes I have used one of those sleep positioners, ds loved to sleep on his side aswell. However, i too used the angel care monitor (still do use it :) ) and I don't think I would be comfortable using the positioner without a monitor. But thats just me. You said you have one, so no worries there. I say go for it.

I bought one today and so far so good! It seems to reduce his waking himself up abrubtly so he goes back to sleep/stays asleep :crossfingers: it keeps working so I can get some housework done (or have a nap...)

I slept DD on her side from 3/4 months (without a sleep positioner) for similar reasons much better sleep she just liked it that way (that and she had a flat spot on the other side of the head and it was the only way to keep her off it) The Paed told my cousin once the baby can lift there own head and turn it they are fine. But yeah, it's a personal decision. DD never rolled onto her tummy in that postiion until 6 months so I was never worried.

yay, i'm glad its working for you!! its good when you can just get some stuff done isn't it. You kinda feel a little better even if you just get to tidy up a bit or even have a nap :)

I tried the sleep positioner and Lachie hated it... I now (only during the day because he is unwrapped) sleep him in his cot in a boomerang pillow and I check on him every now and then. Admittedly I would never use it at night when he goes into a deep sleep and is wrapped because he wouldn't be able to use his arms to stop himself rolling onto his tummy and possibly suffocating - but he loves it during the day because it wraps around both sides of him and it sort of elevates his shoulders and head where he lays on the top part of it.