Am i increasing the risk of sids...?

I have just read that wrapping a baby that co-sleeps in your bed can increase the risk of sids due to overheating...

If DD doesnt settle well in the early morning i will let her sleep next to me in her grosuit and sleeping bag (sometimes she is wrapped as well).... i sleep under a wool doona and a blanket and she is often near me....

I do notice that sometimes she is pinkish and a little clammy...ACTUALLY HER HANDS ARE OFTEN CLAMMY even if she falls asleep on my chest on the lounge during the day....

Am i increasing the risk of sids... should i strip her when in my bed?

Help!

First of all, don't panic!

It is so tricky at this time of year, when the weather is so chilly........

But I would say bring her back into bed in one less layer, or leave her on top of the quilt tucked into your arm next to you?

Lexie is a clammy baby too, so I empathise.It is tricky knowing how much/how little at this time of year..........my best advice would be "how many layers have I got on?" and then add another thin layer for a baby..........

I am no expert, but I have heard it is better for babies to be cooler rather than warmer in relation to SIDS, but please don't stress, and maybe dress her down a little?

Lucy,

I usually wrap her in a thick bunny rug, i also didnt know this was a no-no...
Should only muslins be used?

What about when she is in the sleeping bag - she will have a singlet, bonds grosuit, beanie, mittens and then sleeping bag, then i wrap her and will have a sheet and bunny rug over the top.

It only gets to about 10-13 degrees overnight so it isnt like i live in an overly cold climate anyhow...

It is hard because her hands are either like ice or clammy.... Oh i feel like such a bad mum not knowing this!!

I was told no beanie on babies.

I have bonds wondersuit, socks, singlet, sleepin bag, then sheet, summer blanket, winter blanket.

Do not feel bad hun.....we all have to learn! You are doing a fab job raising Ashley!!!

And that is usually enough for you kim?
Do you live down south?
I live in tropical weather so maybe i have been over doing it a little.

I just went and got my muslin wrap and have changed the bedding....

Why no to beanies? I thought they were to stop heat escaping from their heads so they dont get cold? Is there another reason?

Hey Princess :)

That is actually the reason for no hats, because it stops heat from escaping, thus increases the chance of overheating.

It's really hard to know what to do in this weather...I feel the cold badly, so I overdress my baby according to DP. I think it's colder than it is and have about 3-4 blankets doubled over at night on him, one bonds wondersuit and also a heater running in our room. This does not appear to overheat him though. Then he co-sleeps after his first wake up of the night as he's usually very cold and I have him next to me with a doona over him up to his chest. We have two doonas on our bed, so I'm careful only to have one on him and he snuggles to me so that usually makes him warm enough.

Don't be hard on yourself at all, it's very hard to know. Having a winter baby is harder than a summer one for this reason.

I was thinking the same thing tara!
Next time i am aiming for a summer baby!!! at least they can lay there with a nappy and singlet and i wont be worried!

Oh wow... Ok need to change all my things around now.

I am so glad i read that now, i feel bad but yes we learn by our mistakes dont we..

Hey talking of temperature... any ideas on how hot the bath should be, i got a thermometer because DD screams every bath and i am not sure if it is because it is too hot or cold or she doesnt like it... does anyone else temp the water first?

Babies regulate their temp via their head as well.

I find Chelsea is dressed in anough clothes...any more and she would over heat. Im in Melbourne so the temps are much colder here then where u are in QLD.

If DD comes into our bed i take off her sleeping bag so just has suit and singlet on....

Ideally a babies room should be kept at 18-22 degrees where possible too.

With bath temp... test the water with ur wrist... if its to hot for u... def to hot for bub...i dont use a temp thing for chels....but she likes her baths warm.

how do you measure the room temperature?

My other two kids were summer babies and it was much easier!

Just an air thermometer to measure room temp. I use the wrist method like Kimbaz for a bath too.

Hi Princess!

I have a baby monitor with the room temp on it - which really helps me judge how many layers for my little one! I recommend getting something so you can tell the temp in your room! This also helps me adjust the blankets in the middle of the night when I see the temp drop!

When she was first born we did the same thing too! We were worried about her being cold and had no idea that over heating increased the risk of SIDS. Now whenever she comes into our bed I take her out of her wrap and she sleeps in my arms under my doona (with a singlet and bonds suit on) and she keeps at a happy temp! If I ever notice she is too hot I pull the doona down a bit as I know my body will keep her warm.

At night she has a sheepskin under her cot sheets and she sleeps in a singlet and bonds suit, wrapped up in a muslin wrap. Then she has a sheet (doubled over) over the top and a blanket (doubled over) on top of that! I find for our room temp. that this works really well for her!

I like really really hot showers, So when i feel the water it seems so very cold!!!
I thought luke warm was the way to go - but i did it to 37 degrees yesterday (body temp) and she still cried... lol

Maybe she is one of these that dont like baths?

I forgot to say that I also have a water thermometer for her baths! She likes her baths on the hotter side of the temp. scale on the thermometer - I think all babies are different and it's a bit of trial and error!

Aidens room is between 20 -25deg. He sleeps in just a singlet and his suit, wrapped in a cotton blanket, and then another blanket tucked in over top. Sometimes, after his early morning feed, about 3- 4ish, i will double the blanket, as to combat the earlier morning drop in temp, but, mostly he is just fine like that. I guess.

His bath, we where told to have it warm, but no stingy type feel to the water. Last bath had a tiny bit of a sting to it, not very much, and i do think he enjoyed it abit better. Was in there for longer before he cracked the woopies.

Hi PM, yes, maybe Ashley just doesn't like the bath. Does she prefer a birdbath? You could do that for a while and try the bath again when she's a bit older (and gets dirtier ;) )...
And yeah, don't feel bad. Its important to use your judgement with the SIDS thing. Do what you're comfortable with. I know that wrapping in bunny rugs is a SIDS and kids no-no, but I wrap Natalie in a fleece and I figure its the same temp as a fleece sleeping bag - it is tight around her arms and chest, but loose around her legs - to my sensibilities it seems the same.
I also agree with Lucy - see how many layers you're comfortable in and judge it from that.

i was told that bubs needed one more layer than their parents. eg if i had pj's and a sheet and blanket, then bubs would have the same plus another blankie. my kids always had singlets on, summer and winter and i never really could classify it as a 'layer' in winter.

good luck, sounds like you are doing a wonderful job.