Friday, July 10, 2009

I am in love, and tummy sleeping.

Remember when you used to just float through the doorway of your college apartment after a hot date, and all you could think of was how that cute boy looked, smelled, smiled, and oooh maybe even how he touched your hand?

After I put Everett to bed tonight, I felt a familiar flutter in my tummy. I dreamily inhaled the sweet milky scent he left on my shoulder and went in to gush about him to the family. I am in love.

cute everett

Sorry American Academy of Pediatrics, but a huge contributor to my being in love with this wonderful baby is that he is now officially a tummy sleeper. I originally tried the swaddle plus pacifier, which is what we did with Carson and endured several months of crying, comforting, and misery. The other night, Everett was getting ready to cry himself to sleep again, and I decided I am not going through all that again, especially without a husband this time. I undid the swaddle and flipped him on his belly. Everett stuck his thumb in his mouth, mentally said, "thank you!!" and went to sleep. For 11 hours straight. This is the third night he's been on his belly, and I am in heaven. (Read below for my opinion on why tummy sleeping is not such a horrible thing, if you're interested.)

So excuse me while I go look at pictures of the cutest boy in the world and try
to resist kissing the computer screen, but I am just so in love!!

sleeping everett

Why I am (now) ok with Tummy Sleeping

:: Almost all babies sleep better on their tummies, and I trust that God knew what he was doing when He created them that way.

:: SIDS strikes in all positions. Babies have even died while in their mother’s arms and many die on their backs each year.

:: More and more babies are experiencing developmental delays because they are always on their backs. The whole concept of "tummy time" came about as a direct result of the Back to Sleep campaign and let's face it, most babies hate tummy time. For thousands of years, babies have been learning to crawl, roll, etc. because they spend so much time on their tummies from sleeping that way, and they didn't need to force "tummy time."

:: I think the studies are way off. Medical professionals tout statistics showing the dramatic decrease in SIDS death with the Back to Sleep campaign. What they don’t tell you is that those statistics are all circumstantial, with no scientific proof that the Back to Sleep campaign is the cause. I tend to think it has more to do with the increasing awareness of the dangers of second hand smoke and blankets in the crib and the fact that suffocation deaths began being tracked separately all in the same time frame.

:: So, I'm not saying that everyone should sleep their babies on their tummies, but I am certainly glad that it's working for us right now. I don't think anyone should feel guilty or like they're doing something wrong for going with tummy sleeping; it's a wonderful thing!!

11 comments:

Salem said...

Amen. From the day we brought Ryder home, he slept on his tummy. For some reason we didn't think of the swaddling thing...he wouldn't take a pacifier...and the tummy seemed way more comfortable!!! I also justified it knowing that my mom, Big Sarah, and many other extroardinary Moms had ALL of their babies sleeping on their backs. The tummy sleeping definitely didn't make Ryder a good sleeper...and I'm still not sure what we'll do with this next baby...but I'm definitely FOR tummy sleeping!!! I have issues when studies are constantly changing and there is always new information...I feel like every Mom should take it into consideration, talk with Pediatricians and other Mom's you trust...and then just GO WITH YOUR GUT. You know your baby better than anyone else...Yay for Everett for being a great sleeper!!!

Salem said...

Sorry...that was WAY too long. :)

sam and brittney said...

What a cutie! Yea for babies sleeping! It makes a happy mom!

Jewels said...

Payson is a tummy sleeper too. I figure if I'm going to be taking care of three kids alone for the next year then I need sleep, and this is the only way that happens!

ashley said...

OK, that first picture looks so much like Carson! I have never thought Everett looks like Carson in person — I thought he was a Dickson baby! Maybe we're wrong.

Melissa S. said...

Iris sleeps on her tummy now! But I didn't convince myself of it until my third child, so you're doing better then me! Brooks in med. school kept hearing all the "inconclusive" evidence...and it totally made him not believe it. Doing autopsies on babies every once and a while, Brooks REALLY doesn't believe it. (Obviously not putting a bunch of blankets around them and/or pillows etc.)
So I'm right there with you. Plus it helps them get any bubbles out they didn't get out.
Iris almost choked multiple times in the hospital on her spit up because she was on her back, so she definitely started on her side to begin with.
I don't know why I just went on my soapbox. But I'm so glad after this being the first week Iris has been sleeping on her belly and sleeps like a champ.

JenSwen said...

Good for you for being brave enough to share this! I have always secretly wanted to sleep my babies on their stomachs. Usually I put them on their sides as a compromise, but it feels so unfair that preventing SIDS would mean that your baby can't sleep well. I know whenever Kate would take a monster nap as a baby, it was always because she had flipped onto her stomach. We just started sleep training Jane last night and it didn't go that well, so if it doesn't get any better maybe I'll consider this...

Everett is WAY cute. Who wouldn't be in love?

Davis and Laura said...

That's good to know. We've discussed this too. I guess we will just see how baby boy likes to sleep. But I feel totally comfortable with him on his tummy if he sleeps better. PS. Everett is such a cutie and getting so big, we miss you guys!

mag said...

Page.... me and Kenny think if Rick ever get a chance to come out in TX, we live in San Antonio, he and his roommate if they want to come over for a homemade meal.... we will be happy to have them. let us know... just email me at mags1437@yahoo.com

Marge said...

I'm glad I'm not the only one with a secret tummy sleeper, you made me feel much better. sometimes it is just easier for Olivia to work out the gas bubbles that way and to get to her hands because she will NOT take a pacifier. keep up the great posts!

Gloria Otto said...

Hi Family,

There can't be a more beautiful baby on the planet, or a wiser mother when it comes to helping her baby settle into sleep.

Congratulations on working through the (experts) ideas on child development and being able to feel your way into what works for your children. This will be a very valuable skill because what works for one may not work for another, and a mother knows each one of her children and how to comfort them and how to listen when something is not working.

I had a difficult time figuring out why Suzette would fight getting into her sleeper. Then one day I wondered if it was the feet she didn't like, so I cut the feet out of her sleeper and she was happy. I cut them out of all of her sleepers and PJ's that was the end of her fussing about what she wore to bed.

Love Mom