The new adventures of Houdini Baby...

aka Miss Erin Bird.

Our 'new' routine has been going well, with her now sleeping from 7:30pm to 6:30/7am.

We ran into a hiccup last night though, where I woke up twice to her having houdini'd out of her wrap AND trying to turn over inside her safety sleep.

I'm not 100% sure I want to pin her to it, although I'm ok with not wrapping her as she seems to get her arms free anyway.

I guess my "question" is whether putting her in a sleeping bag would help, ie: minus covers and / or safety sleep? And in the end, if she manages to turn over (sans safety sleep), should I just let her sleep on her tummy? She has no problems holding her head up or turning it from side to side etc...

Ultimately, I'm just trying to find the solution that will allow all of us to get unbroken sleep, as even though I am up for just a couple of minutes at a time to resettle her, I still have to get up in the morning and feel like death warmed up.

Your suggestions are greatly appreciated ladies, TIA !

james started sleeping in a sleeping bag at that age aswell jax and he sleep fine but he never rolled in his sleep but now the prob is that hes to long for his sleeping bag its a tigger one and i still cant let it go

my girls are both tummy sleepers no matter how much i tried for them not to be, Paris would roll over in her safety sleep and i started worrying that myabe that would actually hinder her being able to get back onto her back or lift her face if she needed to, so stopped using it, but started again when we moved her to a bed to stop her getting out, lol. (didn't work, she managed to houdini out of that one too!) With Ayja we didn't use a safety sleep, but she tummy sleeps all the time too. usually when i go to bed I just go and roll her back onto her back or side and put her back under the covers (for my own piece of mind so i can sleep) but she always is on her tummy when we got to get her in the mornings, same as we used to do that with Paris too, they almost never wake up - if they do it was probably likely that they were going to anyway. I think my girls were a teency bit older though when they started that, maybe 9/10 months.

I think that sleep group sounds like a good idea.

My 'personal' Plunket nurse would be of no help, although there is a family centre reasonably close by.

The thing is that I know what the problem is - Erin wants to roll over. The reason that I'm so anxious about it though (besides being prone to anxiety) is just because it is so drummed into us that babies need to sleep on their backs - and I *do* understand the SIDS risks and all that.

The sleeping bag / safety sleep combo didn't work - about an hour after I'd put her down (this avo) I started to hear whimpering, and she was trying to turn over ! I swear I'd done the safety sleep up as tight as I could (without making her too uncomfortable), but she was trying hard out anyway - and not sleeping in the process. I know re-wrapping her is no good, no matter how well or tightly we've tried to do it, in the last few days she will always get out of it.

There is one more 'nap' to come today before overnight bedtime, and I will just take the safety sleep off the cot altogether. If THAT doesn't work, then I'm off to the parents centre, or the worry over this will eat me alive (and that's bad ! LOL). Broken sleep just doesn't work for me, and it makes Roland grumpy too - which I hate just as much !

I'm sorry if this sounds like a neurotic ramble, in my head I can work things out ok, but then my emotions and hormones get out of control and it's all downhill from there...

As I mentioned, all advice is VERY much appreciated, and I will definitely keep you all updated.

Sorry i have no advice Ella has always been good and stayed on her back i hope you get answers soon.

Hey Jess, so you're saying babies who prefer their tummies are not good?

from my tired memory form antenatal the problem with stomach sleeping with young babies is that they can't lift or turn their heads as they have no head control so to speak. If Erin can lift her head, she will should she run into trouble I would think. I am no expert however and haven't even been through all this!

Jezsika wrote: Sorry i have no advice Ella has always been good and stayed on her back

*sigh* give it 16-18 years and it will be the reverse - only the *bad* girls will stay on their backs...
ANYWAY - as a bad tummy sleeper, married to another bad tummy sleeper with three bad tummy sleeper boys I have to say that there are much worse things than tummy sleeping. The main concern with tummy sleeping is suffocation and Erin is a strapping girl with strong neck muscles and a great survival instinct. You and Roland aren't smokers, your house is well ventilated and Erin has no other health concerns. Back in the dark ages when I was a baby Mums were told to sleep their kiddies on their sides or tummies to avoid babies choking if they upchucked while on their backs - when Sean was a baby he slept on his side and they even had safety equipment to keep them that way. Take the baby advice with a grain of salt and go with your instincts. All will work out well - really. And remember, there is always the Plunket family centre at Milford for extra help.
Here's a piccie taken yesterday of my bad-boy during his morning nap yesterday...

Edited by emeldee

Thanks Maree - what a gorgeous photo !

We are going to try the sleeping bag / safety sleep combo for tonight, DH was a bit freaked out by the idea of just 'letting her loose' but he is also on duty if she wakes during the night ! (Work or no work!)

Just wondering have you tried safety sleeping her on her side? I did that with Ella one night when she kept chucking and she slept really well.