My Baby Rolled Over in Her Sleep! A New Mom's Scary 'Rite of Passage'

I remember being pregnant a year ago and always wondering why some women sounded so panicked about every little thing that involved their child. I thought that maybe I wouldn't be one of those worrisome moms, and be easy going and carefree. But when my little girl was born in June 2009, my whole world changed. Suddenly, I loved someone so much more than myself, and I found myself ready to do whatever it took to keep her safe and healthy.

The feeling hasn't changed much at all, and I still feel overprotective and ever-watchful. I am have read a bunch of parenting books, magazines, and websites and know of a lot of methods to keep my daughter safe. Her sleep is no exception. I know so many facts about SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome) that it's left me terrified and worried. But I've followed the rules, and know that my daughter should be safe.

SIDS is the term used to describe the sudden death of an otherwise healthy infant under 1 year old. It's the number one cause of death in the US for babies under 1 year, and it's damn scary to a new parent. But there are guidelines we can follow to protect our children, and I've taken each precaution. I've put her in her own crib as opposed to co-sleeping, I keep the house cooler at night so she doesn't overheat, and, most importantly, I put her on her back to sleep. So what happens when one of those rules gets 'broken'?

A few nights ago, I got up in the middle of the night to get a glass of water. I have a video monitor for my daughter's room, so as is my usual habit, I checked it quickly...but had to look at it a few times to believe what I saw. Had my daughter actually rolled over in her sleep? I ran into her room, paranoia starting to creep up into my mind, but saw immediately that she was ok and she was breathing. She hadn't quite made it onto her tummy in her sleep, but was on her side. She looked comfortable, but I was definitely freaked out a little. Immediately I went to my computer and started researching what to do with a baby who was rolling over in her sleep. After all, I'd read in a few different spots that putting a baby to sleep on their tummy could cause SIDS. But I kept coming up with the same answers over and over.

Apparently, if an infant is strong enough and skilled enough to roll over on their own, then it stands to reason that they're strong and skilled enough to move their face to get fresh air if need be. That made me feel a little better, since I knew that my daughter did excellent with tummy time and knows how to move her head pretty well, if need be. Also, as I discovered that first night, unless you plan to be up all night and hold your child in place, there's no way you can control your baby or how she sleeps. I proved this first hand by rolling her onto her back, only to be amused by watching her slingshot right back to her side.

After talking to some of my fellow new mom friends, I discovered I wasn't the only one who'd freaked out when they saw their baby sleeping in a weird position. Some moms found their little ones with legs between the crib slats, arms above their heads and on their bellies. Other moms found their babies sleeping with their heads tilted to one side and their bodies tilted the complete opposite way. But no matter how you wake up to find your baby sleeping, the important thing is, they're sleeping. And the risk of SIDS drops dramatically after the age of 6 months old, which is around the time that infants start getting mobile (so to speak). I checked up with my daughter's doctor and asked about this, and even he assured me it was nothing to worry about and that I should just let sleeping babies lie.

So I survived another 'new mom' rite of passage by waking up to find something new with my daughter yet again. I'm sure I'll look back on this situation one day and laugh at how easily crazed I would get every time my daughter did something new. But at least I know I'm not alone.

Sources:

SIDS Facts

A pediatrician's answer

Personal experience