\DS #1 born 05/25/2012
BFP#2: 06/12/2013 ---- loss
DS #2 born 4/08/2014
BPF#4: 2/1/2016 --- 2/23/2016 suspected molar pregnancy--- 3/15/2016 D&E - diagnosis MM
BFP#5 - 9/22/2016

* formally bornmommy
Connor has now stopped breathing twice in his sleep. Well, once his eyes were open but he was over tired. The pedi called it "acute life threatening situation" and told us there is nothing we can do about it, just get him awake and alert if it happens. We have a Snuza and now I'm using it religiously. I'm such a wreck it's not even funny. Does anyone have any suggestions? I know the Snuza isn't a guarantee... We've stopped swaddling because that's when it has happened... We use a paci and a fan and he is always asleep on his back. SIDS has me terrified. Bleeehhhhh.
Just an edit - its not sleep apnea persay since its been less than 20 seconds. But it's terrifying. He has a,ways been healthy since birth and wasn't preterm. Completely unexplained
Re: Sleep apnea, SIDS, I'm a wreck...
I'm so sorry this is happening to you. I am afraid of SIDS sooo much too, and I don't have the added worry you do. When you did find him not breathing, how did you notice it? Did the Snuza go off? Did he start breathing again on his own, or did you have to rouse him? My only consolation is perhaps he did stop breathing for a few seconds, but would have restarted on his own, but you interfered before he did. Not that I would have waited or anything, but I think that in the majority of cases a baby will rouse themselves to take a breath when this kind of thing happens.
I don't know if you are religious, but what keeps me sane is a very large amount of prayer for Owen. Every night I practically recite a mantra of a prayer that he will be safe, that his lungs will breathe and his heart will beat and that we'll have another wonderful day together tomorrow. I know to others that may sound really silly but the extreme fear and anxiety about SIDS is real to us, and whatever can help you sleep a little bit at night is worth it.
I realize that you are even more freaked out than normal about your son because of his episodes, so this might not help you as much as it helped me, but I googled the odds of SIDS, in relation to other things once. The odds are something like 1 in 3000 for a baby sleeping on his back. But I tell myself that we aren't in any of the other risk categories...he's healthy, not preterm, no one smokes around him, we use a fan, he's on a firm mattress, we don't cosleep, I breastfeed, he's not in the racial categories that have a slightly higher incidence, we use a pacifier...etc. So really, if he doesn't have any of those other "risk factors" maybe his risk is much, much lower than 1 in 3000. I read that 1 in 4 babies born around now will live to be 100 years old. That was life expectancy thing, but it made me think, his chances of living to be 100 years old are way, way better than dying in infancy. And I repeat these things to myself often.
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your little boy.
Thanks ladies. Your comments and thoughts are greatly appreciated. I feel supported
PP- we are religious and I do pray, multiple times a day. Connor and I say a prayer together every night for the safety of our family and friend and I always add in prayers for Connors health and happiness. Thank you for your suggestion, prayer is certainly powerful. (of course, there's that whole "give it up to God" mindset that I desperately working through and trying to adopt as a nervous mama. Hopefully I find that peace soon!)
DS #1 born 05/25/2012
BFP#2: 06/12/2013 ---- loss
DS #2 born 4/08/2014
BPF#4: 2/1/2016 --- 2/23/2016 suspected molar pregnancy--- 3/15/2016 D&E - diagnosis MM
BFP#5 - 9/22/2016
* formally bornmommy
First, relax. You have to, or you WILL go insane. Trust me when I say I know just how hard that is. I got no more than 10 minutes of sleep at a stretch when my LO was born. My nephew died when he was 3.5 mos old. From the day my amnio confirmed boy, I've been terrified. I've memorized every statistic. Every factor. Listened to my own instincts. Woken to my own LO not breathing. It's terrifying. But, you WILL make it through each night. Just take it one night at a time.
50% of all SIDS deaths occur between 8-10w, and 80% between 2-4mos. By 6mos, the risk is nearly gone. You've done all you can. Nothing can prevent SIDS. My advice is to live everyday with to to the max. Tell him you love him as often as possible. Squish him. Cuddle him. Hold him while he naps. If by some very small chance something does happen, you can look back and say you maximized your time with him. I know it brings me an amazing amount of peace.
And, pray. Pray for strength to get through the next few weeks. Pray for alertness to wake if it happens again. Pray for peace of mind. Whatever it takes. (hugs)
My Blog on PPD and life in general**
I wonder this too. How did you find him, did the alarm go off? I have one of those alarm things too. I pray for you and connor!