Any belly sleepers?

I know you're supposed to put the babies on their backs to sleep due to SIDS, but Izzy sleeps so much better on her tummy. I don't know what to do. I would never forgive myself if something happened to her, so I keep putting her on her back, but she won't stay asleep that way. She'll sleep for 9 hours on her tummy. My mom keeps telling me just to let her sleep that way, because I did and I'm fine. I just don't know what to do. Any advice or similar situations?

I never had this problem with my DS, he always hated being on his tummy...

 

:hug99: Honestly I didn't let my girls sleep at night on their tummies until they could roll... and then they decided to be tummy sleepers like their momma! I did let them nap on their tummies sometimes but only when I was right there. The NICU nurses made a big point of saying that even though they put them on their bellies sometime to sleep, I shouldn't because we weren't going home on monitors. I'm a nervous first time mom, so thats my disclaimer. You have to figure out what you are comfortable with though... GL, Leighann

 

QUOTE(Leighann @ Feb 18 2008, 08:44 PM) [snapback]628076[/snapback]
:hug99: Honestly I didn't let my girls sleep at night on their tummies until they could roll... and then they decided to be tummy sleepers like their momma! I did let them nap on their tummies sometimes but only when I was right there.

Same here. I couldn't do it at night, I was too nervous!

 

I napped them on their tummies since they were about 8 weeks and started letting them sleep at night on their tummies around 3.5 months. I almost hate to tell you this because even though I did it, I felt confident with my decision but I don't recommend it to people who seem to be very nervous or guilty about doing it. I think it's just one more thing for you to stress over and who needs that?! Do what makes you comfortable. If you are second-guessing your decision to put them on their tummies, don't do it.

 

My boys were tummy sleepers from about 6 weeks. We started them off as naps only but it slowly changed to every time they slept. We tried to keep them on their back but they would cry and cry and only sleep in 15-20 minute shifts. Once we put them on their back they slept 3-4 hours and now they sleep at night 6-9 HOURS!! We are nervous and got a monitor to put under their mattress just to be on the safe side.

 

Both of mine were much better on their tummies but they were also on Apnea monitors. They had horrible reflux, so they slept on an inclined sleep positionere on their bellies per the Ped GI. Do what you are comfortable with.

 

I tried to follow the back to sleep advice, but ended up letting them sleep on their stomachs as soon as they had good head control. Since I was CONSTANTLY running in to check on them I decided to get the AngelCare monitors. They are motion sensor monitors that will send an alarm to the parents unit if no movement, which includes breathing, can be detected after 20 seconds. They are around $100.00 each, but I wouldn't be able to sleep (even now) without these. I swear I am going to use these until they leave home!

 

I was in the same situation with my son; he hated sleeping on his back and wouldn't sleep for long when he was. But I didn't let him sleep on his tummy until he could roll over both ways. Sure, I sacrificed some sleep that way, but honestly, I doubt I would have slept any sounder knowing that he was on his tummy; I would have always been worried.
I did let him nap on his tummy (though I was going in every 10 minutes to check on him... his crib was downstairs for the firs few months so it was easy to just walk by and see how he was doing. Maybe I was just paranoid.)

 

my kids slept on their backs until they were able to roll over on their own. now they are tummy sleepers. because of sids i didn't put them on their bellies because i was too paranoid and they were right in the room with me. i couldn't sleep a wink if they weren't on their backs. the choice is yours really and u have to do what feels comfortable with you. if they fuss on their backs maybe try their sides.

 

Both of mine STTN on their backs. But DS has a flat spot on his head and at his 3 month appointment the Ped said to give him as much belly time as possible. I am horrified about him having to wear a helmet so since then he takes his naps on his belly on his activity mat in front of me all day. Luckily he sleeps well on his back also so I have not had to debate weather or not to let him STTN on his belly. I still can not help to think that we all made it sleeping on our bellies, I know SIDS is a real problem but.... Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

If we are ever lucky enough to have another baby I will encourage tummy sleeping from the beginning. Back sleeping caused plagio in both of my boys, despite my best efforts and the helmets weren't easy to deal with.

 

I let both of them sleep on their tummies and spent 200.00 for 2 angel care monitors. WORTH EVERY PENNY! They slept so much better, and I knew they were totally safe. Even when they were sick, I felt better with them in their beds being monitored than anywhere else!

 

Someone else had the same question recently and I replied that we've put our now 8-month olds on their stomachs since they were less than two weeks old. They absolutely hated being placed on their backs (they flailed their arms and cried, slept restlessly in 15-20 minute increments). Once we turned them over we never looked back...and they slept like rocks for 10+ hours (as did we, and as a result kept our sanity). We never once worried and had happier, rested babies.

My mom, MIL, aunts, friends, etc. said the exact same thing as your mom--that we slept that way and did just fine (and we're here today!) But as many have replied...it is such a personal choice that you need to be comfortable with.

 

When my 1st daughter was born 11 years ago the doctors encouraged me to put her on her belly to sleep b/c it reduced the risk of SIDS and now 11 years later I have more children and now they are saying "lie them on their backs to reduce the rish of SIDS". Honestly do they really know what they are talking about? I dont want to down grade anyone by no means I am no doctor or researcher, however it seems weird to me that it changes every 10 years or so. Do they really know that its the way they sleep that reduces the risk or could it be something else they arent familiar with yet?

My twins wanted to be on their tummies once they could roll over, so I let them sleep on their belly's for the same reason as you. They slept so much better rather than on their backs, and I finally got a few hours of uninterupted sleep which was much needed. So, Its my opinion that you should do whatever you feel comfortable with.

I can only pray to God that Im doing everything right with raising my kids and keeping them safe, I leave it all in his hands.

God Bless

 

DD has slept on her belly since about 2.5 months and DS since about 3 months. DD had reflux and this was the only way she would sleep for more than 20 minutes. I was nervous about it, but like PP's have said, most of us slept on our bellies and we were fine. I talked to Ped about it at their 3 month check up and while he wouldn't come out and recommend it, he said if she was comfortable that way, he would continue to let her sleep that way. Do what you are comfortable with. I just couldn't see putting her on her back and having her be miserable all the time.

 

The moment my girls could roll they slepts on their tummies. They instinctively turned their heads to the side and even if I put them on their backs they would turn onto their tumies. I do have a matress specially for babies, so they can no t suffocate.

 

My boys will not sleep unless they are on their tummies. We let them nap on tummies. And during tummy time they were lifting their heads up and sometimes rolling over. By 2 and a half months we just started puttin them on their tummies to sleep, and then they started sleeping longer stretches!

 

Definitely put them down on their backs for now. Though you may find once they start rolling, you won't be able to keep them on their backs. At that point, if they can roll themselves, tummy sleeping should be ok! One of my sons has slept on his tummy from around 3 months old- there wasn't anything I could do to KEEP him on his back!