[blparent] falling asleep?

Thu Feb 4 13:46:25 UTC 2010

Amen, sister!
Elise has fallen asleep in some very strange-looking positions. I figure she 
wouldn't remain asleep if she was that uncomfortable. Besides, I often think 
they're made of rubber or something - they're so flexible.
Dena

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Melissa Ann Riccobono" <melissa at riccobono.us>
To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, February 04, 2010 6:45 AM
Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?

> Isn't that the truth! Austin was known to nap in his highchair once in a
> while simply because he fell asleep there, he was strapped in and safe, 
> and
> if I tried to move him he would wake up screaming and be impossible to get
> back to sleep.  And, he would be crabby for the rest of the day!  So, even
> if he looked uncomfortable, I learned to let him sleep there.  Now, of
> course I did what I could to prevent this from happening in the first 
> place,
> but if it happened my moto was, let sleeping babies lie!
> Melissa
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
> Behalf Of Jo Elizabeth Pinto
> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 9:46 PM
> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
> Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?
>
> That's the craziest thing I ever heard.  Here's advice from the
> trenches--never disturb a sleeping baby!
>
> Jo Elizabeth
>
> Until lions have their historians, tales of the hunt shall always glorify
> the hunters.--African Proverb
>
> --------------------------------------------------
> From: "Melissa Ann Riccobono" <melissa at riccobono.us>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 6:12 PM
> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?
>
>> That is absolutely crazy!  I've always heard that as soon as a baby is
>> strong enough to roll him or herself over onto his or her tummy in the
>> crib,
>> then he or she is strong enough either to roll back over onto the back, 
>> or
>> to turn the head to help with breathing.  I am glad you didn't lose 
>> sleep,
>> literally, by checking her.
>> Melissa
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>> Behalf Of Pickrell, Rebecca M (TASC Inc)
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 10:40 AM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?
>>
>> I had a nurse tell me "Get up at night and check your baby and if she's
>> not on her back, roll her back onto her back". When I asked how and when
>> I was supposed to sleep, she said "I don't know".
>> I think the nurses and doctors too though more so the nurses deal with
>> the lowest common demonator in terms of patent intelligence, so they
>> have to doll out their guidance accordingly.
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>> From: blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blparent-bounces at nfbnet.org]
>> On Behalf Of DIANNA ALLEY
>> Sent: Wednesday, February 03, 2010 1:31 AM
>> To: NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?
>>
>> Well I don't know that the nurse is saying that.  a lot of doctors say
>> that
>> you should not sleep with your child on you now.  I don't agree.  They
>> also
>> say you should keep your child on her or his back to sleep.  If I did
>> that I
>> would have been up all the time and never slept.  I just watch her
>> really
>> well.
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Tammy, Paul and Colyn" <tcl189 at rogers.com>
>> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 8:00 PM
>> Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?
>>
>>
>>> Hi,
>>>
>>> Totally agree with you here.  This issue may be a long-standing issue
>> but
>>> being a new parent will make it worse, not better, and the
>> insensativity
>>> of some professionals due to their general lack of information or due
>> to
>>> their own inadequacies is very very annoying to say the least.  It
>> sounds
>>> to me like the nurse you're dealing with is trying to find reasons why
>> you
>>> can't take care of your child and this is not what she should be
>> doing.
>>> She should be trying to help you, or if she can't help you she should
>> find
>>> somebody who can.  Remember that you're not supposed to know all the
>>> answers right now, you're supposed to be the one asking questions and
>>> she's the one who should have all the answers.  If she doesn't, then
>> she's
>>> at fault, not you.
>>>
>>> hth
>>>
>>> Tammy
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Dena Wainwright" <dena at envogueaccess.com>
>>> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 6:17 PM
>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?
>>>
>>>
>>>>I get that. My only point is that if you are worried about falling
>> asleep,
>>>>there are precautions you can take to make the environment/situation
>> safer
>>>>so that when it happens, it isn't as dangerous for your baby. It makes
>> me
>>>>mad when nurses and other "professionals" try to terrify us into
>> thinking
>>>>we can't take care of our children. We have enough doubts about that
>> as it
>>>>is - both because of our blindness and our lack of experience as new
>>>>parents. I'm not saying the nurse's concern isn't valid, but she could
>>
>>>>have offered solutions, instead of just saying that it should never
>>>>happen. I mean, get real. Anyone who has a newborn knows that you are
>> like
>>>>the walking dead. I think we'd wonder about someone who didn't fall
>> asleep
>>>>at the drop of a hat :). I know the issue is a long term one in this
>> case,
>>>>but I'm sure it's compounded by new motherhood and the body trying to
>> make
>>>>breastmilk. I was hoping to put some of her fears at ease by giving
>> her
>>>>some things she could try for when it does happen.
>>>>
>>>> Dena
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "sharon howerton" <shrnhow at att.net>
>>>> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 3:51 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> Dena, I think your points are well taken and great; however, it
>> sounds
>>>>> to me, and I don't know this for sure, like Leslie has had a problem
>>
>>>>> with this sort of thing long before she had Michael. I don't know if
>>
>>>>> it's a blind thing, but it's happened to me, kids or no, and I know
>> it's
>>>>> definitely happened with my significant other who was sighted until
>>>>> about 14 years ago. He can knock off at the drop of a hat and
>> attributes
>>>>> it to getting up early (4 AM routinely) and having worked early
>> mornings
>>>>> for many years requiring that he get up at 2:30 AM, but he hasn't
>> done
>>>>> that in many years. I have been better with this in recent years but
>>
>>>>> will admit that I have had this sort of problem even at work; it was
>>
>>>>> just something I could not control and needless to say, it was
>>>>> embarrassing.
>>>>> Sharon
>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>> From: "Dena Wainwright" <dena at envogueaccess.com>
>>>>> To: "NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 2:42 PM
>>>>> Subject: Re: [blparent] falling asleep?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>> OK...First, falling asleep while holding your baby isn't
>> necessarily a
>>>>>> bad thing if you prepare for that possibility. Yes, you absolutely
>> must
>>>>>> be more careful initially, both because he is extra tiny, and
>> because
>>>>>> he lacks head control. Yes, you could smother him - if you fell
>> asleep
>>>>>> with blankets over you both, tons of fluffy pillows all around you,
>>
>>>>>> with his face smushed into your body or clothing so he couldn't
>>>>>> breathe, etc., but falling asleep with your baby in your arms does
>> not
>>>>>> automatically equate to a suffocation hazard.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> For the first several months of Elise's life, the only way she
>> would
>>>>>> sleep is literally on my body. Maybe there are those who would
>> disagree
>>>>>> with this strategy, but if you've never had a child who absolutely
>>>>>> would not sleep without physical contact (I mean for more than 10
>>>>>> minutes at a time...ever) then I'm not really interested in hearing
>> how
>>>>>> horrible you think it is. I thought (before I had this kind of
>> baby)
>>>>>> that cosleeping was stupid. I couldn't understand why anyone in
>> their
>>>>>> right mind would want to do it, especially when their child had a
>>>>>> perfectly good crib or bassinette... Then I found myself in the
>>>>>> situation where I probably wouldn't have gotten more than 2 hours
>> of
>>>>>> sleep a day if I wasn't holding my baby, and suddenly it didn't
>> seem so
>>>>>> dumb.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Here are a couple of things you can do.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> If you do want to sleep with him:
>>>>>> First, you can lay in the middle of your bed (with every blanket
>> but
>>>>>> the fitted sheet taken off of it). You can place a very firm pillow
>>
>>>>>> under your head (no other pillows of any kind should be on the
>> bed).
>>>>>> You can wear warm (but non-bulky) clothing to keep yourself from
>>>>>> getting cold. If you really want to, you can put a bed rail on the
>> bed,
>>>>>> but I found that given that I was a good couple of feet from the
>> edges,
>>>>>> I didn't really need to. However, if you don't have the luxury of
>> your
>>>>>> own bed (we have a guest room, which made shift-taking easier in
>> the
>>>>>> beginning), you might want a rail on your side. Then you can place
>> your
>>>>>> baby on your stomach. He will be laying tummy to tummy with you,
>> with
>>>>>> his head between your breasts. This is very soothing for mom and
>> baby,
>>>>>> and can increase milk production if done skin to skin. You won't
>> need
>>>>>> to put a lot of clothing on him if you're doing this, as your
>> combined
>>>>>> body heat will keep him very warm, and it is actually better to
>> keep
>>>>>> babies on the cooler side as opposed to the warmer side.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Another thing you can do is wear him in a pouch on your front. This
>>
>>>>>> would allow you to sit up with him, but still be able to hold him
>>>>>> securely. I will preface the pouch suggestion by saying that you
>> should
>>>>>> *never* *never* put a newborn baby with no head control into a
>> sling of
>>>>>> any kind in the cradle position. The cradle position is where he is
>>
>>>>>> laying on his back across the front of your body (like he would be
>> if
>>>>>> you had one of your arms behind his head, and one under his bum and
>>
>>>>>> knees. This is an extremely dangerous position for such a young
>> baby,
>>>>>> because their chin can be pushed forward into their chest - cutting
>> off
>>>>>> their air supply. Because they are not able to move their head to
>>>>>> accommodate this decreased air supply, they can literally suffocate
>> to
>>>>>> death in your arms. If you think I'm being overly-dramatic, my
>> friend
>>>>>> saw a 2 week old baby die in front of her because of this exact
>> thing.
>>>>>> If you want to use a pouch, the safest way to wear your baby is to
>> put
>>>>>> him in so that his body is parallel to yours. His stomach will be
>>>>>> against your chest, his head will be under your chin, and his legs
>> will
>>>>>> be folded froggy-style (with his heels resting against his bum and
>> his
>>>>>> knees bowed outward). Even very tiny babies have the ability to
>>>>>> minimally shift their head from side to side, even if they can't
>> lift
>>>>>> it up on their own. This position makes it less likely that his
>> chin
>>>>>> will be pushed down into his chest, and it will also make it easier
>> for
>>>>>> you to hear him breathing, because his face will be about 8 inches
>> away
>>>>>> from your own. Again, he won't need more than a onesie if he's in a
>>
>>>>>> pouch, as they are very warm. I got mine from
>>>>>> www.kangarookorner.com
>>>>>> Their staff is very helpful at describing their products, and
>> assisting
>>>>>> you with placing your order. They actually apologized to me that
>> their
>>>>>> site wasn't easier for me to use.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Hope some of this helps.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Dena
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>>>> From: "Leslie Hamric" <lhamric930 at comcast.net>
>>>>>> To: "'NFBnet Blind Parents Mailing List'" <blparent at nfbnet.org>
>>>>>> Sent: Tuesday, February 02, 2010 8:54 AM
>>>>>> Subject: [blparent] falling asleep?
>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Hi All.  I was wondering if you could give me any ideas, as I'm
>>>>>>> running into
>>>>>>> a problem that could be potentially serious.  Its happened a few
>> times
>>>>>>> where
>>>>>>> I've fallen asleep with my baby in my arms.  The first time it
>>>>>>> happened, one
>>>>>>> of the nurses saw it and she informed me that I could potentially
>>>>>>> suffocate
>>>>>>> my baby by doing this. The problem is that I don't always know I'm
>>
>>>>>>> getting
>>>>>>> sleepy unless someone tells me I am or until I start nodding off.
>> I
>>>>>>> had a
>>>>>>> sleep study done in 2004 and the specialist said I have a non 24
>> hour
>>>>>>> sleep
>>>>>>> cycle and the only way to remedy that is to get a full 8 hours of
>>>>>>> sleep at
>>>>>>> the same time every night.  Well, we both know that's virtually
>>>>>>> impossible
>>>>>>> now that I'm a new mom.  Have you ever had this problem and if so,
>>
>>>>>>> what
>>>>>>> kinds of things did you do to stay awake while holding your baby?
>> One
>>>>>>> thing
>>>>>>> I've tried was having the radio on and that doesn't seem to help.
>>>>>>> Andy's
>>>>>>> really worried about me too. He doesn't want me to fall asleep and
>>>>>>> accidentally smother the baby.  I don't want that either.  I'm
>> just at
>>>>>>> a
>>>>>>> loss of how to solve this issue.  I've heard other blind people
>> having
>>>>>>> the
>>>>>>> same problem since they don't get the light stimulation.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Leslie
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>>>> blparent at nfbnet.org
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>>>>>>
>>>>>>
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>>>>>
>>>>>
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