Rock n Play/SIDS?

JenMatt2010

I've seen a lot of posts on here about how people love the Rock n Plays and expect to have LO sleep in them in their room for the first few months. These were not available when DS was born.

Does anyone know if these are safe for nighttime sleeping (when mommy is sleeping too) and meet the SIDS recommendations for safe sleep areas? To me, I'm a little hesitant about them because it looks like there is padding around the head, and that baby would not be flat on its back, but in a more reclined position (like a swing, and I never let DS sleep in a swing unless it was during the day and I was in the same room watching him). I was under the impression that babies should sleep flat on their backs in a crib or pack n play, not in a car seat, swing, etc.

Thoughts? Resources? Thanks!!

Scientist23

I only know that they aren't available in Canada, so that there would give me a little pause.

sfshorter

I've wondered the same thing. My SIL swears it was the only place her twins would sleep if she wasn't holding them, and my other SIL has jumped on that bandwagon since having her first baby a couple months ago. I just don't know.

jen-and-ryon

They claim on the box that they are safe for sleeping. They also have mesh sides for air flow and I don't think they are sitting up in it as much as a swing.

JenMatt2010

To me, the raised sides make me too nervous I think. I know these aren't legit sources, but I found this (hopefully will be clicky):

https://kckidsdoc.com/dear-fisher-price.html

BSnipes35

I have a friend who used to let her DD sleep in her car seat, like overnight.  The pediatrician finally told her to stop, because it could affect how her spinal column develops.  I would worry about the same thing with these rock and play sleepers.  I have no intention of getting one.  DS1 always slept in his crib or pack and play.

jen-and-ryon

The whole "it hinders movement" in the article is bs. I swaddled DS, which I would assume is more "hindering" and he is fine and it was the only way he could sleep.

JenMatt2010

jen-and-ryon said:

The whole "it hinders movement" in the article is bs. I swaddled DS, which I would assume is more "hindering" and he is fine and it was the only way he could sleep.

I do agree with this; I swaddled DS too, it's the incline and raised sides that make me a little nervous...

MtnChickaD

I am getting one but as a alternative to a bouncer or swing. I worry that sleeping in it would make the transition to a crib more difficult because thy wouldn't be accustomed to sleeping on a flat surface. We will have a pack n play next to the bed instead, it just seems more crib like.

JenMatt2010

MosyMama said:

I read a few "Ask the Pediatrician" Q&As on cribsforkids.org, and the doctor said that infants don't have the strength/ability to keep from sliding down the slight incline, which can compress the respiratory organs and increase the risk of SIDS. Maybe I should just return both of the 2 I got as gifts and get the Arms Reach cosleeper, after all. (I had decided not to get it because it's expensive for something that will only be used for a short time.)

This is exactly what I'm worried about. I think I'm going to pass and try the crib from day one again...

sleepy33

MtnChickaD said:

I am getting one but as a alternative to a bouncer or swing. I worry that sleeping in it would make the transition to a crib more difficult because thy wouldn't be accustomed to sleeping on a flat surface. We will have a pack n play next to the bed instead, it just seems more crib like.

Me too w/ the flat surface thing, plus I think I read that too much time in it can affect the head shape? I have one and will use it during the day, but at night he's going in a flat bassinet.

jen-and-ryon

JenMatt2010 said:

jen-and-ryon said:

The whole "it hinders movement" in the article is bs. I swaddled DS, which I would assume is more "hindering" and he is fine and it was the only way he could sleep.

I do agree with this; I swaddled DS too, it's the incline and raised sides that make me a little nervous...


The incline is the thing that bothers me about it also. The sides are mesh and do not seem close to the babies face, so I think the sides seem fine.

sooner1981

Our pediatrician does not recommend them for nighttime sleep at all, and says they should only be used for daytime naps if the parent is in the same room monitoring the baby.

My husband, a neonatologist, discussed this with our pediatrician, and their common consensus is that the rock n play encourages deeper sleep with less movement at much earlier ages than babies are meant to achieve this level of deep sleep. Research indicates that infants are unable to regulate their own breathing very well, so consistent wake ups and shifting positions aids their brain in not getting so relaxed that they forget to breathe! So, we definitely don't use a rock n play for those reasons.

That said, the elusive deep sleep of a newborn that parents are unable to achieve through any means other than a rock n play is exactly the reason so many of our friends LOVE their rock n play. We have heard lots of stories of babies sleeping 4 to 6 hours a night from their first nights home from the hospital, thanks to the rock n play. None of our friends' babies have died of SIDS, so it is probably a fairly small overall risk...just not one that we have been personally willing to take. Not that we aren't super jealous of the sleep we hear about!!

JenMatt2010

jen-and-ryon said:

jen-and-ryon said:

The whole "it hinders movement" in the article is bs. I swaddled DS, which I would assume is more "hindering" and he is fine and it was the only way he could sleep.

I do agree with this; I swaddled DS too, it's the incline and raised sides that make me a little nervous...

The incline is the thing that bothers me about it also. The sides are mesh and do not seem close to the babies face, so I think the sides seem fine.

I don't trust mesh. I used to work for the Dept of Health in MD and right before I left to move, they were working to ban crib bumpers in the state (which they did). The mesh/breathable bumpers are still "frowned upon," but I don't think they were included in the ban.

chelseyestelle

I've heard that one risk is that their chin would rest too much on their chest which can cause some difficultly breathing. It's crazy because I swear everyone on here recommends the rock n play and they all say it's the one baby item they couldn't live without. I'm torn. 

Amjoy25

chelseyestelle said:

I've heard that one risk is that their chin would rest too much on their chest which can cause some difficultly breathing. It's crazy because I swear everyone on here recommends the rock n play and they all say it's the one baby item they couldn't live without. I'm torn. 

This can deft close their airway. 

Roseallen112

We used it for the first few months with ds#1 due to his really bad reflux. Ours didn't have the fancy head rest or anything though. If he laid flat on his back he stopped breathing on me twice so this was our only real option. When we moved him to his crib we put towels under the top to tilt but he kept sliding down. Thank god the meds worked and by 4 months he was able to sleep in his crib.

sweettwilight16

I thought people were raving about this before, and now I feel like everyone is saying not to use it because of safety concerns, so I'm not sure if I should remove it from my registry or not? It seemed like a good thing to have in case of reflux, or to take to grandma's for naps, etc. I was also planning on using it as a backup in case I decide I'm not comfortable having her sleep in another room for the first few weeks. Maybe the the portable bassinet would be a better option?

jen-and-ryon

sweettwilight16 said:

I thought people were raving about this before, and now I feel like everyone is saying not to use it because of safety concerns, so I'm not sure if I should remove it from my registry or not? It seemed like a good thing to have in case of reflux, or to take to grandma's for naps, etc. I was also planning on using it as a backup in case I decide I'm not comfortable having her sleep in another room for the first few weeks. Maybe the the portable bassinet would be a better option?

I bought one, but have yet to use it. The only thing that concerns me is the incline. It seems like it would be great for reflux or for nap time or at people's homes.

asilwhite

sweettwilight16 said:

I thought people were raving about this before, and now I feel like everyone is saying not to use it because of safety concerns, so I'm not sure if I should remove it from my registry or not? It seemed like a good thing to have in case of reflux, or to take to grandma's for naps, etc. I was also planning on using it as a backup in case I decide I'm not comfortable having her sleep in another room for the first few weeks. Maybe the the portable bassinet would be a better option?

Yeah I feel the same way. Now that I've thought about it more because of these posts I've decided now to only use it for naps under supervision and instead use the co-sleeper bassinet in our room for the first couple months. I actually didn't think about this before and am grateful other mamas have!

adcc43

chelseyestelle said:

I've heard that one risk is that their chin would rest too much on their chest which can cause some difficultly breathing. It's crazy because I swear everyone on here recommends the rock n play and they all say it's the one baby item they couldn't live without. I'm torn. 

I loved my rock n play with my daughter because it was a very convinent place to set baby down to get things done around the house and such. It also is very portable to take places while visiting friends/family at their home. My baby didn't always want to be held. I used a traditional bassinet for night time sleeping. I plan to do the same with my son.

With that said, I would highly recommend getting one but for using during the day because they do come in handy!

babydoll22308

I have one of the first styles they made and there is no extra padding. And DD slept in it at night, but only the first two weeks bc I switched her to her crib. I didn't want her getting used to the incline which I had heard was a problem. When she was in it she didn't reeally move at all, maybe bc she was swaddled? But it doesn't really allow for a lot of movement anyways.

slh6363

I have heard it works great especially for babies with reflux, however I have also read babies should sleep flat own their backs. I don't believe they are recommended for overnight, I plan on using mine for naps only.

Inn2

We just finished up our hospital's infant safety/CPR class. Our instructor specifically stated not to use something like this unless DR. ordered because of the incline risk, extra padding, and because they are not federally regulated. She also mentioned the possible "flat head" and not to let the baby sleep too long in the carrier or carseat. Another reason for those 2 was to work on upper body strength developing more naturally with the baby changing positions more often.

JenMatt2010

sooner1981 said:

Our pediatrician does not recommend them for nighttime sleep at all, and says they should only be used for daytime naps if the parent is in the same room monitoring the baby. My husband, a neonatologist, discussed this with our pediatrician, and their common consensus is that the rock n play encourages deeper sleep with less movement at much earlier ages than babies are meant to achieve this level of deep sleep. Research indicates that infants are unable to regulate their own breathing very well, so consistent wake ups and shifting positions aids their brain in not getting so relaxed that they forget to breathe! So, we definitely don't use a rock n play for those reasons. That said, the elusive deep sleep of a newborn that parents are unable to achieve through any means other than a rock n play is exactly the reason so many of our friends LOVE their rock n play. We have heard lots of stories of babies sleeping 4 to 6 hours a night from their first nights home from the hospital, thanks to the rock n play. None of our friends' babies have died of SIDS, so it is probably a fairly small overall risk...just not one that we have been personally willing to take. Not that we aren't super jealous of the sleep we hear about!!

FWIW, we had to wake DS for feedings every 3 hours from the first night home at the hospital. When the pediatrician gave us the go-ahead to let him sleep until he woke up, he slept 4-5 hours at a time, and was sleeping 8 hours by 8 weeks. He was in his crib from day one. He's always been a great sleeper, so I guess we can all just cross our fingers and hope that these October babies love to sleep too!

sleepy33

sweettwilight16 said:

I thought people were raving about this before, and now I feel like everyone is saying not to use it because of safety concerns, so I'm not sure if I should remove it from my registry or not? It seemed like a good thing to have in case of reflux, or to take to grandma's for naps, etc. I was also planning on using it as a backup in case I decide I'm not comfortable having her sleep in another room for the first few weeks. Maybe the the portable bassinet would be a better option?

I don't think anyone's saying they aren't great or not to use them, but just to be aware of how to properly use them.

sweettwilight16

Well I ended up taking it off my registry. We will have the PnP, the bouncer, and I plan on getting the swing... it just sounds like I wouldn't get much use out if it because those all sort of serve the same purpose.

SnoopyLuv

We used one for 6 months with LO. I let a friend borrow it and just bought a new one because we loved it so much.

Firstly, they cannot hardly move in it, so I don't see them smushing their faces up against the sides. We finally took DD1 out of hers when she could sit up unassisted. Otherwise, she literally never moved. We put her in there swaddled with no issue. I was never once concerned that she would fall or roll- the pocket is very deep.

Secondly, NBs don't sleep. So we're talking a 4 hour stretch once in a blue moon, which hardly constitutes nighttime sleep. If you're breastfeeding, chances are you're waking baby to eat every 2-3 hours for at least the first few weeks.

Third, I have always heard sleeping at an incline of some sort is better for baby- so many babies will only sleep in a car seat, RnP and swing. There's a reason why.

And lastly, air flow and movement is of the utmost in SIDS prevention, the RnP allows for that because they are not lying flat and it's well ventilated.

sooner1981

Fwiw, the pediatric reflux specialists at our children's hospital do not recommend the rock n play, even for babies with extreme reflux. Instead, they recommend that the head of th crib or the head of the pack n play be elevated using books or blocks. That way, the babies are still sleeping on a flat surface, but with an overall incline to help with the reflux.

sleepy33

SnoopyLuv said:

We used one for 6 months with LO. I let a friend borrow it and just bought a new one because we loved it so much.

Firstly, they cannot hardly move in it, so I don't see them smushing their faces up against the sides. We finally took DD1 out of hers when she could sit up unassisted. Otherwise, she literally never moved. We put her in there swaddled with no issue. I was never once concerned that she would fall or roll- the pocket is very deep.

Secondly, NBs don't sleep. So we're talking a 4 hour stretch once in a blue moon, which hardly constitutes nighttime sleep. If you're breastfeeding, chances are you're waking baby to eat every 2-3 hours for at least the first few weeks.

Third, I have always heard sleeping at an incline of some sort is better for baby- so many babies will only sleep in a car seat, RnP and swing. There's a reason why.

And lastly, air flow and movement is of the utmost in SIDS prevention, the RnP allows for that because they are not lying flat and it's well ventilated.

Whaaa?

MrsKocal

If I can't use my Angel Care monitor in it, I don't use it for night time sleeping.  

Also, RNPs were just recalled for mold issues, so if you do have one be sure to check under the padding because apparently they grow mold very easily. 

sfshorter

sleepy33 said:

SnoopyLuv said:

We used one for 6 months with LO. I let a friend borrow it and just bought a new one because we loved it so much.

Firstly, they cannot hardly move in it, so I don't see them smushing their faces up against the sides. We finally took DD1 out of hers when she could sit up unassisted. Otherwise, she literally never moved. We put her in there swaddled with no issue. I was never once concerned that she would fall or roll- the pocket is very deep.

Secondly, NBs don't sleep. So we're talking a 4 hour stretch once in a blue moon, which hardly constitutes nighttime sleep. If you're breastfeeding, chances are you're waking baby to eat every 2-3 hours for at least the first few weeks.

Third, I have always heard sleeping at an incline of some sort is better for baby- so many babies will only sleep in a car seat, RnP and swing. There's a reason why.

And lastly, air flow and movement is of the utmost in SIDS prevention, the RnP allows for that because they are not lying flat and it's well ventilated.

Whaaa?

I'm confused.

kdjudd

I'll be using mine again with this baby. It was a lifesaver for my daughter. She had horrible reflux and colic and it was the only thing that really helped any of us get some rest. Honestly, no one knows what causes SIDS. I've heard everything from bumpers, to bacteria in the mattress, to vaccines, to heart defects, to neurological disorders, co-sleeping, sleeping alone, forgetting to breathe, the lack of a consistent noise in the room, etc. I think the important thing is to use common sense and that is pretty much all you can do. I think some people are over thinking this a little bit. 

babydoll22308

MrsKocal said:

If I can't use my Angel Care monitor in it, I don't use it for night time sleeping.  

Also, RNPs were just recalled for mold issues, so if you do have one be sure to check under the padding because apparently they grow mold very easily. 

The mold issue was with a certain time frame of production. So if that's you then yes check.