I know everyone tells me to sleep when the baby sleeps, but I am too worried that something will happen to my baby. Do you recommend the owlet or any other breathing monitors to provide me more peace of mind?
Thank you for sharing your worries about your baby. Was your baby born healthy and full-term? Was your birth easy or complicated? The answers to these questions could be impacting the reasons for your concerns.
There are quite a few products on the market targeted toward parents concerned about their baby’s safety, and the Owlet is one of them. I’m wondering, though, if your fears about leaving your baby to sleep is a symptom of something deeper. Have you spoken with your physician or a therapist about your concerns?
Approximately 30 percent of women experience some level of postpartum mood disorders (PMD). Symptoms of PMD do not necessarily look like a mother who won’t get out of bed – the image many have of a person with depression. Instead, it might look like excessive worry and anxiety, extreme fatigue but unable to sleep, extreme irritability, or having irrational fears. I suggest you first explore what your concerns are regarding letting your baby sleep unattended. If you do learn that you’re experiencing postpartum anxiety, you can take steps to help yourself, which may include a recommendation to use a breathing monitor to ease your anxiety.
Of course, it’s important to follow infant safe sleep guidelines to reduce the risk of SIDS. You can find those here at HeathyChildren.org.
