'The night we almost lost our second son to SIDS'
“I didn’t expect the monitor to go off the first week we were home, I didn’t expect it to go off at all."
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A mother has shared the terrifying moment her husband was forced to give their son CPR after he stopped breathing in his crib.
Jessica Lynn shared the video on TikTok, which has been viewed more than a million times, showing her husband jumping to action when a sleep monitor in her son’s crib went off.
Tragically, the boy had the monitor in his crib because the couple lost their first son to SIDS when he was just 28 days old.
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Jessica told Kidspot her paediatrician didn’t want her to leave without a monitor after giving birth to her second child.
“I saw a specialist when I was pregnant with him, and luckily he was born when expected with no problems,” she said.
“The monitor is a Smart Monitor 2 that we got through my insurance with help from the paediatrician.”
RELATED: 'I started CPR on my newborn until the ambos said 'she not coming back to us'
"When I heard that machine I was in a state of shock"
It would be less than a week before the paediatrician's decision paid off.
The couple was asleep when the monitor made a high pitched noise, waking them both almost immediately.
Jessica’s husband quickly got to work while she was in a self-admitted “state of shock”.
“My husband tries to remain calm in situations like that because he knows freaking out will just make the matter worse,” she said.
“He had been taught CPR before, and we had to learn it before we left the hospital with the machine.
“I had never done CPR, and I try to be confident, but when I heard that machine go off I was in a state of shock.
“I saw my husband ready to jump over me, so I just laid down so he could get over me and do CPR on our son.”
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"I didn't expect the monitor to go off the first week"
Unfortunately, Jessica’s reaction to the emergency situation has brought some negative feedback from people who have watched the video.
“I’ve gotten comments asking why I didn’t do anything, why I was just laying there, and it’s because I wouldn’t have been able to do anything in the moment,” she said.
“I didn’t expect the monitor to go off the first week we were home, I didn’t expect it to go off at all.
“My husband had a better ‘fight or flight’ response than me.”
Thankfully, Jessica’s son survived the terrifying night, and is now a happy and healthy one-year-old.
“He’s doing great,” Jessica said. “We still use the monitor, we’ll probably keep using it until he’s two.
“Thankfully he’s only had that one incident, there have been no issues with his breathing since then.”
RELATED: SIDS: ‘She’ll be returned to you in a little cardboard box’
"For those who have experienced loss, cry!"
Jessica said it was important for mums who have experienced SIDS to let themselves have their emotions.
“For those who have experienced loss, cry!,” she said. “Let the feelings out when you need to.
“We are not OK, and we probably will never be fully OK, but we have to continue on, and a support system really helps.
“I have a group on Facebook I joined with ladies just like me, I talk to family and friends, and I keep a journal on my phone with my thoughts.
“Maybe one day I’ll write a book about it.”
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Originally published as 'The night we almost lost our second son to SIDS'