extremely nervous of something happening to my baby at night as we sleep...?

Question

I dont know if its just raging horomones of postpardom but i am terrified of something happening to my 5 day old while im sleeping..whether its the dog somehow jumping into the crib (which is right next to us) or SIDS..i literally have been crying myself to sleep at night because i am so scared of waking up and finding her dead..i am losing sleep and dont know how to comfort myself? Is SIDS very common..should i worry this much? HELP!

Answer 1

It's perfectly normal for you to be worried about your precious new baby. She may seem tiny, fragile and helpless to you, especially if she's your first baby. On top of that, warnings about SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) may make it hard for you to feel assured that all's well with her when she's sleeping. It's important to accept your fears — and learn to live with them — while not letting them interfere with your enjoyment of your new baby.

Keep in mind that all babies have somewhat irregular breathing in their first weeks of life.
Your baby may seem to stop breathing for long periods, but almost always those pauses last just a few seconds before normal breathing resumes. If your baby's color looks normal (not blue, pale, or very red) while she's sleeping, then she's most likely just fine.

You might feel more comfortable if you keep your baby close by you at night, with a night light on so that you can see her easily without getting up. You might also calm your fears a bit by doing all that you can to protect your infant from harm.

To lessen the risk of SIDS, for example, always put her to sleep on her back, use firm bedding, keep her away from cigarette smoke, and don't overheat the room she sleeps in. Learning infant CPRcan help you gain confidence by giving you the skills to respond to any serious emergency if one does come up. Call the Red Cross or your delivery hospital to find an infant CPR class. Sign up your spouse and babysitter, too.

Finally, talk with your baby's doctor about your fears. He can help you understand what's normal behavior and what's worrisome in a baby and give you more specific advice whenever you need it.

Answer 2

Hi there,

I can TOTALLY relate. when my daughter was born I couldn't sleep, was terrified, constantly out checking on her. Then my friend who just had a baby as well told me about the Angel Care monitor. It will run you roughly $100 Canadian. They sell them at wal*mart, zellers, major dept stores. I don't know where you are from but if you cant get one let me know and you and I will work it out to get one to you!! The unit goes under the mattress, in a crib or bassinet. and if the baby stops breathing an alarm goes off!! We tested turning it on, and not putting the baby in there, and sure enough, within 15 seconds bells galore!!!! You can change the sensitivity settings as well. It also is a voice monitor that you can HEAR the baby if they start to choke. If there is no movement felt within the time frame you pick, the unit will give a loud chirp to startle the baby, then if still nothing within 3-5 seconds the alarm sounds, and I GUARANTEE you will not sleep through that alarm!!! There are two things we did figure out...if you have a fan near the unit, the vibrations will be picked up and the unit does not work properly because the unit is detecting movement, second, if you are putting it in a crib, when the baby begins to move around, make sure the flat unit is more central under the mattress or you are going to have a fright!!! I slept just fine after we got that thing, and it's all set up for when this baby is born, any day now (fingers crossed) Good luck.

Answer 3

Been there! It's a first time mom thing is all. I would wake up every 15 minutes just to check if she was breathing. My husband thought I was crazy....but my mom understood lol! If you are following the sleeping instructions (sleeping on back or in a positioner on her side, NO soft toys or plush items including pillows near baby and also try not to use a blanket or a wearable blanket if needed) and SIDS risk is rather low, especially if she was born full term with no health problems. It does get better with some more time, but you'll always worry! Good Luck!! Maybe invite Grandma over for a night to do night duty so you can get one restful night, that's what I did!

Answer 4

Relax. SIDS is very uncommon. You have a lot of first time mother anxiety. The first step is calm down and consult a doctor for yourself, as you are no good for your baby even during the day if you aren't sleeping at night. This can't go on very much longer.

Next, in the meantime. Take steps to calm yourself. Place a baby gate across the baby's door if your dog is small. If your dog is large you may consider installing a screen door on the baby's room at least temporarily. Next have a good baby monitor. They even have ones with video now, you might find yourself very reassured by this. Next know that there are steps you can take to avoid SIDS. Your baby must sleep on their back, have no extra stuff in the crib like decorative pillows or stuffed animals, swaddle them in a blanket but don't use extra blankets or cause them to be overly warm, and never tie anything onto the crib like balloons.

Finally, consider yoga, relaxation tapes, herbal teas, and mediatation. Play calming music for you and your baby very softly at night and dim the lights. You will be counting sheep in no time.

Your doctor will let you know if you have anything more serious, like major post pardum depression, in which case you may need prescription medications or counseling.

Good luck.

Answer 5

SIDS is not all that common, but you need to be sure you DONT OVERHEAT HER as that is linked to SIDS.
Though being a new mom brings more worry than you may expect, it sounds like you may be suffering from "the baby blues". You need to talk to everyone about this. Talk to your doctor, the babies doctor, a counselor, everyone in your own personal support group, other moms, etc. Write out your emotions and thoughts in a journal. (This makes an interesting gift for your child on her 18th birthday-- or at her wedding.) Keep an eye on your feelings if you start feeling too emotional seek immediate help. Research PPD and SIDS so you know what you are (or in the baby's case may) be dealing with. PPD can range from a slight worry to something very dangerous. Be alert!

Answer 6

Poor thing! I went through exactly the same thing. I also know 2 people that have lost babies to SIDS, so I was extra paranoid, and just bawled when I would even start to think of it! So I bought a monitor called Bebe Sounds Angel casre monitor. It was $74 online at Walmart, and has been a God send for me- it blares an alarm whenever there is no movement (like breathing) detected for 10 seconds. It blares so loud that it will startle your baby into breathing again, and also gives you plenty of time to run in there and save the day! My husband also said something that really hit home for me. All you can do is love your baby- if something bad is going to happen, it is just going to happen and all the worrying in the world is not going to help that. Just leave it in God's hands! (I know it's not P.C. to mention God, sorry if I offended). Emjoy your new little one, and try not to spend too much time worrying! And congratulations!

Answer 7

I worried that much too. NOt crying of course but very nerve wracking time that was. What I did was put her carseat beside our mattress which was on the floor at the time and I was very reassured by her breathing ( they breath loudly at that time) or else I would put my hand on her to feel her breathing as I fell esleep it helped alot. Also when we finally put our bed up she was in her carseat that hooks into the stroller so I could do the same thing and be level with her. I also put her to sleep in her swing right beside the bed..and she did not go into her crib until just over two months. It was just as much for my reassurance as for hers because she did not like her crib. You can also buy a monitor that will alarm if her breathing stops that you can put into her crib. You can also make sure you dont smoke around your baby and dont leave blankets and alot of stuff in her crib. Also always put her to sleep on her back and give her a pacifier because that also reduces the chances of sids.

Answer 8

Calm down mom. All new mothers experience some anxiety in this direction sooner or later. The baby should be sleeping on her back to help prevent sids. Close the door so the dog can't come in the room. Your mother's ears will develop shortly, anytime the baby makes a sound you will hear it. You may be suffering some post-partum depression as well as anxiety. Bring this to your doctor's attention. Its normal for new mothers to feel overwhelmed by their infants. I'm sure you'll be a wonderful mom and you baby will be healthy. Good luck, enjoy your baby!

Answer 9

i was just as nervouse the first few weeks, and we had the crib right next to the bed too. as for the dog, just keep your bedroom door closed to keep him(or her) out.

otherwise you will most likely start to feel better in time. and then it starts all over again when they move into their own room.

to decrease risk of SIDS, dont smoke around the baby, and dont let anyone else, even smoke on ur clothes can raise the risk. keep all blankets and pillows and toys out of the crib. the make sleeping sacks for infants, so you dont need to use a blanket.

the glass of wine is a good idea. if your over tired, you wont be as alert when you do need to wake up.

Answer 10

This is probably a normal feeling, but you should talk to your doctor. Some things you can do to make you feel better are 1. have the baby sleep right next to your bed and 2. purchase one of those sensor pad things that the baby lays on in the crib (they are between 65 and 100 dollars). If the baby doesn't wiggle for 60 seconds or so, it will alert you.