I had the scare of my motherhood a few nights ago and I wanted to pass along the horror story to prevent all your hearts from stopping.
I usually put my daughter to bed and don't hear from her for about 11.5 hours...at 6:30 am. Well this particular night, I put her down, then went out. When I got back my husband said she had cried out. She only did it for a few seconds and then went back to sleep. She did this two more times before I went to bed around 10pm. I never check on her before I go to bed for fear opening the door might wake her. This night though something told me to look in on her. I think it was the weird outcries. I went into her room and when I found her in her crib I got hysterical. The blanket that I always lay over her when I put her to bed, was literally wrapped around her head and face like a turban. I yelled her name and tore the blanket off her head. Her hair was soaking wet from sweat. I grabbed her out of the crib and held her for a good 10 minutes as I rocked my sweet baby girl and tried to stop shaking. My husband ran into the room when I screamed not knowing I had even gone in there. When I finally settled down I put her back in the crib and she continued peacefully sleeping as if nothing was ever wrong. I, on the other hand, lay in bed for more than an hour thinking...what if? What if I hadn't been called to go in there? What if had overheated? What if she had suffocated? What if...
The blanket I promptly put in the top of the closet and decided she'd NEVER use a blanket again. (Why didn't I listen to the advice of the experts who say NO BLANKETS???...I thought she was cold.) Then I started thinking what I was going to do when the weather really does get cold. (I don't know why I didn't think of long, footed pjs right away, but whatever.) Anyway, last winter we were still swaddling her. But that wouldn't work now, for one her legs are way too long for the sleep sack and two there's no way she's sleep like a mummy again. That's when I discovered that they actually do make toddler size sleep sacks. You can also buy sleep sacks in light weight fabrics for summer time or if you think your baby gets too hot in a fleece sack. Whatever you do, avoid the blankets...I will be!
Oh I know EXACTLY how you feel! That VERY story verbatim happened to me! It is the worst feeling ever!! Mommy instincts are so amazing though b/c something made me too go check on my daughter when I typically wouldn't! I remember I was letting her CIO but something just wasn't right about it...and when I walked in the blanket was wrapped tight around her head like a turban...I freaked and yanked her out of her crib and just held and nursed her, and like you she NEVER gets a blankie in her crib anymore!!! I too am going w/ the sleep sacks for this winter!
ReplyDeleteGlad all is well...keep trusting your mommy instincts I don't think they will ever steer us wrong! Makes me wish I would have shared my story sooner and maybe you could have avoided the panic!