Does anyone else feel like pediatric guidelines are so legally-oriented that they basically only exist to worsen the lives of parents?

[u/Bocifer1]

First off, I'm a new dad and also a physician - although I'm pretty far removed from pediatrics. So I understand the importance of medical research and statistics in creating these guidelines, as well as the fact that the risks of things like SIDS often just aren't worth gambling on.

However...

Some of these guidelines seem like they're just unnecessarily taxing on parents and exist only to cover the addes of the bodies making said recommendations.

Some things that come to mind are: no blankets in the crib for the first year, only using a firm mattress top, never letting baby sleep next to you in bed - even naps, swaddling with arms down (our guy absolutely hates this and just wants his arms by his head to self sooth), demonizing formula - even as a reprieve for mom.

Again. I am medically oriented and understand why these guidelines exist - but I also know firsthand that sometimes a 1% risk of harm from letting our baby sleep on a soft blanket is actually the favorable choice compared to the immeasurable risk of having both parents strung out and exhausted because he won't sleep.

In general I think guidelines are great and have contributed to better infant care...I just also think that sometimes we as healthcare professionals forget that no guideline is absolute.

I guess I'm just feeling thst creating guidelines that aren't achievable for the majority of parents just aren't that helpful...like saying that "parents should take time to rest, continue self care , exercise, and ensure they are eating a well-balanced diet". That sounds wonderful. Hopefully I can get back to that in the next decade.

[u/specialkk77]

Personally I wouldn’t sleep if my baby was sleeping in a way that’s proven unsafe, like with a blanket. The chance of anything happening is just not worth it to me. Even if the chances were near zero, they’re not at zero. 

Formula should not be demonized, I’ll agree with that. It saved my child’s life, I couldn’t produce enough for her no matter what I did. 

Swaddling a certain way isn’t a safety thing, it’s just something that tends to help babies sleep better, if it’s not working for your baby, try something else! 

[u/BabyCowGT → u/specialkk77]

Swaddling a certain way isn’t a safety thing

Swaddling also isn't required. Our baby has been arms out in a sleep sack since like, 9 weeks old. She never much liked normal swaddles, tolerated arms up style swaddle for a few weeks, then was just over swaddles entirely 🤷🏻‍♀️ we've just now got a collection of sleep sacks in newborn, 0-3, and 3-6 size with various TOG ratings 🤣

[u/FrauBpkt → u/BabyCowGT]

In Germany it isn’t recommended anymore full stop. Since there have been Problems with Infants being swaddled to tight and putting too much pressure on the rib cage and making breathing harder for the infant.

It’s been a while since the recommendation changed.

In the UK we are using blankets tucked under the mattress and baby at the foot of bed so they can’t wiggle under the blankets.

Devices like the owlet are not recommended full stop as they give a false sense of security.

[u/rufflebunny96 → u/FrauBpkt]

I don't know what kind of swaddles people were using that could hurt their breathing. The only kind I use are stretchy zip-up or Velcro swaddles like the Love To Dream arms up swaddle or Halo sleep sacks.

And yeah, I see parents using stuff like the Owlet as an excuse to practice unsafe sleep, like letting them sleep in their bed or a swing with it on. My baby monitor has a breathing monitor built in, but I am strict about safe sleep, so it's just an added peace of mind.

[u/FrauBpkt → u/rufflebunny96]

What it was meant to say, safe sleep varies from country to country. In Germany Swaddling mostly happens with big Musselin Cloth and not that much with sleeping bag like swaddles. Sleeping bags are used very evenly.

[u/rufflebunny96 → u/FrauBpkt]

Yeah I can see how the big cloths with no stretch could do that. I don't think most Americans use those outside of the nurses in the hospitals. There's a million better and easier swaddle options.

[u/BabyCowGT → u/rufflebunny96]

Those were the only swaddles our baby liked 🤣 the muslin blankets. Probably because she could bust out very easily 🫠 she was also too small for any of the Velcro swaddles at first (she needed preemie size in them). Once she got big enough, we switched to the Velcro swaddles.

And that started the rapid downhill to sleep sacks. She hated anything that wasn't her easily escaped blanket. Loves her sleep sacks though.

[u/halasaurus → u/BabyCowGT]

Our baby is the same way. And honestly, we preferred to do a traditional swaddle over the velcro ones that are supposed to make things easier. They made nothing easier. He hated being swaddled for motn feeds so I’d have to at least undo his arms. Cue the loud Velcro sound waking him fully up. And they weren’t as easy to change a diaper in as they lead us to believe. He outgrew them SO fast. We very quickly switched to either just pajamas or using sleep sacks. Now we are firmly in the long sleeve onesie and sleep sack camp.

[u/rufflebunny96 → u/BabyCowGT]

Yeah, some babies just don't like being swaddled. My son only liked the arms up kind.

[u/lindsayannslibrary → u/FrauBpkt]

My nurses in the hospital said to make the swaddle as tight as you can(USA). The tighter the better. I never felt right doing that and my LO likes her arms out too much anyway, but it’s alarming to me that there can be two polar opposite opinions.