Elevating a Bassinet

What about getting a foam wedge from Michaels or another craft store and putting it under the "mattress?" Another suggestion from the pediatrician was to have him sleep in his car seat (which elevates him anyhow.)

We liked using the carseat the best. (and we tried many ways). One advantage was he could be put down for a nap anywhere and then carried somewhere else!

Every kid is different, so you might have to try a few different ideas before you find the one that works for you.

Good luck!

I had the same issue with my son. I put him in his car seat a couple nights, but he didn't really like that. then I put books under two of the legs of the bassinet. That way, the mattress wasn't uncomfortable, but the bassinet was elevated.

They have elevating pillows you can buy. We borrowed one from a friend so not sure were she got it but I assume you could probably get it at Baby R Us. My son spit up a lot so this really helped.

Hello. My daughter was a severe reflux kid. We had to do the same thing. My daughter was still hospitalized at 5 weeks (severe birth defect) but came home at almost 7 weeks. We used rolled up infant blankets for a period of time. The best thing we found though was a hard couch throw pillow. Not a large one obviously. But it was firm enough that we didn't have to worry about it being too soft. But also we had a deep bassinet so the height wasn't an issue. To make it more of an "even slope" we rolled a recieving blanket and put it at the very top then put the firm throw pillow over that. They do make wedges also but many are very soft and it's hard to get that "even slope" so the baby is comfortable and not sliding to the bottom. As the child gets bigger if reflux is still present you will find it becomes easier to elevate. Another thing you can try is using small blankets to make a slope then putting something harder over that such as a kids book or something similar. Then of course putting the mattress over that. Just my 2 cents. Hope you find something that works well for you.

T.
www.JaslynParker.com

Our daughter has acid reflux too. We used a sleep positioner wedge -- it slightly elevated her/put her on an incline and seemed to work well.

We had the same problem. We used to roll up a towel and then lay another towel across it and then put the bassinet mattress on top. It did the job until we found a sleep positioner. This is the one we used http://www.toysrus.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3559170 We never really had it up too high and since the bassinet was small there wasn't much room to roll off. He didn't use it as long as I would have liked, because he did end up wiggling off the bottom of it. When all else fails let him sleep in his swing sometimes. We didn't do it all the time, but sometimes just an hour is long enough to give adequate relief from the acid reflux. (spoken as someone who has acid reflux)

If you are open to the additional expense, try the nap nanny: http://www.napnanny.com/

I am expecting my first (due this week!) and I preemptively bought one for this reason. I figured if she doesn't have reflux, she'll at least have a comfy place to nap!

Congratulations on your new baby! One of the very best pieces of baby gear we got was a little memory foam wedge from Babies R Us. It had velcro side pads you could adjust to keep baby snug and on their back or side (or just keep them on the pad and snug since babies like that). It elevates their heads and prevents the flattening of the back of the head. And is just plain comfy. We used it between us in our own bed when we wanted her right next to us and it made transitioning to bassinet, basket, pack-n-play, new crib etc. a breeze because wherever we put her, it always felt safe and comfy and familiar to her. Much easier than trying to elevate the mattress or legs of a crib. I can't remember the name but if you describe it at any good baby store I'll bet you'll find it. Good luck!

Hi A.,
At this age (ideal for a bassinet) what I used was a specially made foam incline pillow with fabric (removable and washable) cover. Not only does it help position your baby at a slight angle to help with proper digestion but it also keeps them sleeping on their backs which is the recommended sleep position as you already know. You can find these for around $20 at Target or Babies R Us. I recommend the type that has detachable side pillows with velcro because as your baby's head grows you can separate the side pillows further apart. Also mine had breathable mesh fabric to prevent heavy perspiration.

Good luck!
S.
S.

Our son had the same issue. I actually even woke up to him choking in the middle of the night. What worked for us was to have him sleep in the bouncy chair. Dr recommended his carseat/carrier but we thought this would be more comfortable for him. Once he moved to the crib I just put a book under one end of the mattress.
Otherwise if you would like for him to stay in the bassinet maybe try a few receiving blankets or towels to elevate one end.

Hi A.-

Our daughter also had reflux. We tried all kinds of things in her bassinet (props, wedges, rolled up blankets, etc.) but finally my husband ended up building something that propped up one end of the bassinet so that the whole thing was elevated (if you do this be sure that the bassinet is secure so that it won't tip over if someone bumps it). It worked great and our daughter's reflux lasted about a year so we also ended up elevating one end of her crib when we moved her to her crib at about 3 months old.

Hope this helps! Good luck!

J.

I folded several receiving blankets to form a slight incline and placed my son's head and shoulders on them. Almost like a pillow but not cushy and in no danger of smothering the baby. This does not work as well if you put them under the mattress. Our cradle has a firm mattress but it still folded/kinked when we tried this. That's why we put them on top of the mattress.

We had to do that, and I understand about the flimsiness of the mattress. I seem to recall that phone books were really handy as they are softbound and several smallish ones can be stacked up to the height you need.

Our son had trouble sleeping flat and we had him sleep in a bouncy seat for awhile inside the cosleeper next to the bed. It worked great and eventually he transitioned well to his crib in his room. Just an idea!

My daughter had this issue and we opted to use a boppy bouncy seat. You can put it flat or elevate it. She absolutely loved it and five months later, still enjoys sitting in there and falling asleep. I belive the cost was around 50.00 and both Babies R us and Target carry them.

you might also want to have your son seen by a pediatric chiropractor, the can often treat for reflux with out medication.

A.

I'm seconding another suggestion... We had the same problem, and our kids (both of them), slept in their bouncer chair for a while. It really helped. No extra expense or worry since we had it already, and they're fairly inexpensive if you don't. I also thought it was better than the car seat.

I would look for a sleeping wedge. It will hold your chid in place comfortably.

Hi A.,

I just saw this it Babies R Us, you might want to check it out! It's a "Summer Infant" Inclined to Sleep Positioner, $24.99 It might be worth a try!

We had the same advise given to us when our newborn suffered from stuffy noses. We used a hard pillow like the ones that would be on a couch under the bassinet. It seems to work for naps but I was hesitant to use it at night because he would slide down. I just couldn't trust it if I were sleeping too, however, when I was awake and he was napping it seemed fine. Hope that helps.

Congratulations on your new son! Our twins also had reflux. We used the bouncy seat and swing as well. But we also held them upright for 30 minutes after each feeding and that seemed to help quite a bit. Good luck.

maybe for now until he gets to big try keeping him in a bouncey or a swing thats what my doctor told me to do for my daughter but that all i can tel you sorry hope this helps just a lil...=)

We used this for my son, http://www.snugglenest.com/products/snuggle_nest/supreme/. It worked great! It fits in the bassinet prefectly and we used it for a short while when we transitioned him to the crib. It also folds up nicely to take anywhere with you to lay baby down for a nap or even use it on the couch or floor at home. It has a great night light too so you don't have to turn on all the lights to check on baby or change him. It didn't even wake my son when I used the light. I just can't say enough good stuff about the snugglenest lol! We will be using it again for my daughter, due in October.

I can also vouch for the sleep positioner — it's been great for us!

Hi!
I feel your pain(and your son's). My daughter had TERRIBLE reflux. When she was in the bassinet we used phone books to prop up the legs of one side of the bassinet. This worked OK, but she ended up sleeping in the Papasan chair for a LONG time. We even put the papasan chair in her crib for her to sleep. It seemed to elevate her at an angle where she could sleep somewhat. If the reflux isn't too bad we also put phone books under the crib mattress which helped elevate it. It may be a better option than the bassinet!
Good Luck!
L.