Anyone Let Them Sleep On Tummy?

I know we are suppose to put them sleep on their back/sides, but does anyone let them sleep on their tummy? I let them at naps because I am close by & checking on them. They sleep so much better, longer on their tummy. I desperately want to put them to sleep like this at night, but just can't bring myself to. They have great head control but I'm sure that is not the only factor.

 

I did for naps also, I never could bring myself to do it at night!

 

Colton has always slept on his tummy, and Adalyne sleeps most on her sides.

Keri

 

We let our boys sleep on their tummies. They were able to in the NICU and it's the way they prefer. Also, they digest better on their tummies, and for James (heart surgery) it gives him more support. The boys move around a lot in their sleep and flop their heads back and forth. James just started rolling over as well. Yes, I know it's bad, but they are more comfortable that way. As the doctor told me, all he can do is give me percentages in regards to SIDS. My kids also sleep in my room, and I wake up and check on them several times in the night.

 

When the girls were 5 weeks old I let them sleep on their tummys, and they went from waking up every two hr to sleeping through the night (8hrs). I was really nervouse about it and didn't feel confortable until after they turned 6 months. The were way to jumpy to sleep on their backs, the smallest noise would wake them up. Go with what you feel is the best for your children, you know them the best. Good luck, HTH.

 

Mine slept on their tummies for naps starting at about 6 weeks, and for nighttime at around 8 weeks. They were more comfortable that way.

 

I will tell you what we did, but only you can make that decision for yourself. You have to be comfortable with whatever you decide. My girls started sleeping on their tummies for naps at 6 weeks, but we didn't start putting them on their tummies for night until they were close to 6 months old. Then they could turn their heads, lift up on their arms, & roll over too.

 

I know I am a rule breaker and feel bad admitting it to anyone because of the comments I get, but all 5 of my children slept on their tummies from day one. They do sleep better, and they all were reflux babies, which happens less when on their tummies. Plus, they all could lift and turn their heads from the beginning.

 

I only let my babies sleep on their tummies for naps. I just can't let them do it at night. I am going to wait until they are a little older and can roll over by themselves. We do put them on their sides to sleep with rolled up blankets on both sides. They like to sleep like this much better than their backs.

 

my son's been a tummy sleeper since we stopped swaddling him at about 4 weeks - at first it was just naps because nighttime was in the swing but at 4 mos when he went into the crib he went on his tummy...my daughter has been a side sleeper from day 1 - you put her on her back she automatically would roll to her side...

 

I know lots of people do but I wouldn't because it's too much of a risk for me. Seeing as your babies are only 1 month old, they aren't going to sleep much longer on tummies versus backs at night anyway because they have to eat. You might be able to get another 15-30 minutes out of them but that's probably about all. Do what your gut tells you though because you are the one who is with them all day and knows what will work. Good luck!

 

My babies simply sleep better when they are on their tummies. If they have not burped enough then they are less likely to spit up and gag. It is almost like they burp themselves when they are on their tummies, KWIM? We are always close by when they are sleeping so we don't worry about it. Do what you feel comfortable doing.

 

I always put them on their backs when they went to sleep, until they could roll over by themselves. Because once they learned how to rollover that is how they sleep is on their stomachs.

 

Not to scare anyone (I slept on my tummy from day one and still do so) but the "I check on them all the time", "they are in my room" etc... are not valid reasons if you are scared of, or have a history with, SIDS.
SIDS is a silent death and a fast one at that, you might not look at them for a whole 20 minutes and SIDS would have killed them in that time, in fact over 5 minutes without oxygen would kill or severely damage a baby's brain.
I know of a child that dies of SIDS in her mom's arms, that is the kind of death SIDS is, you don't see it, you don't hear it (she was having tea with friends and not listening to the baby breath but who does that all the time??), it just happens and then it is too late.
When a baby can turn around on its own, then sleeping on the tummy is fine, or if you are confident your child will not get SIDS, since the chamces are relatively low, but the "I check on them" will not save the baby in case it really has a SIDS episode, unless you are extremely lucky!
Love, CJ

 

We let Bella start sleeping on her tummy when she was 4 months old. I don't know if it was a coincidence, but the first night I put her on her tummy she slept 12 hours straight. Up to that point she had been getting up twice a night. But the only reason we let her sleep on her tummy was because she was born with dislocated hips and we thought she was uncomfortable on her back. We never put Josie on her tummy to sleep. But now, at one year old, she flips onto her tummy as soon as we put her in the crib for bed and she sleeps on her tummy all night long.