Belly sleeping

I really need either reassurance or advice!! My boys have always slept on their backs. They've never had issues sleeping on their backs. E has really started rolling and scooting all over the place during the day. He's a reflux baby, and I've heard that reflux babies sleep better on their bellies, though it makes me really nervous. Tonight, after I put him in his crib, he was scooting all around, rolled a few times, turned himself sideways in the crib, etc. I was doing some cleaning upstairs, so I would check on him and put him back to his back and in the center of the crib. He did his usual talking as he fell asleep and I didn't think anything of it. I went up to check on him about an hour later and he was on his belly sideways in the crib. My heart nearly stopped since it was the first time he's been asleep on his belly. I scooped him up real fast to make sure he was breathing and put him back on his back. I'm sure he rolled over while falling asleep. So I either need reassurance that its ok that he sleeps on his belly now or advice on how to keep him on his back. He can roll both ways easily now, scoots backwards, lifts his head, pushes himself up on his hands and straightens his arms when he pushes up. I've always heard that once they can roll to their bellies, its fair game. It just makes me so nervous!!!

 

If he can roll over, then there really isn't anything you can do to stop it, just make sure his environment is safe, firm matteress, no blankets etc.


I think all this "back to sleep" business is very hyped up and it's not a death sentence for your child to be sleeping that way, we all slept that way.

 

I think you-and he-are fine! He's six months old, great head control, etc. And really once they start rolling over, there is NO stopping them! My boys slept on their back for the first four months. It was at that time that Anthony refused to go to sleep on his back. After trying EVERYTHING, I finally put him on his stomach-and that was that!

Annabella refused to sleep on her back. I was hesitant. She slept ON me, next to me. It was rough. I couldn't do it. So finally one night I put her on her stomach. She was maybe 3 weeks old. She's been a stomach sleeper since.

If he's rolling-it doesn't matter how you put him, he'll move again!

 

Joanna - Just wanted to say I went through those feelings when mine were first rolling over. It takes some getting used to but when they can do it on their own there isn't any reason to stop them. You might find yourself reseting him if you catch it - I know I did at first. But then I got used to it and I stopped checking. Just make sure you don't have any stuffed animals, blankets etc. that he can roll into as PP said. I still always laid mine on their backs to start out, but that's just me. Personally I don't believe the back to sleep campaign is a farce and I followed the recommendation as long as I could, however, you are through the first few months and now he is going to decide how he wants to sleep.

 

I absolutely think it is safe for your babies to belly sleep! Your lo sounds like he is very strong and has great head/neck control.

My twins have slept on their tummies pretty much from the get go...not recommended by the back to sleep campaign, but it is what worked best for us.

There have been some new studies, or at least some new literature, suggesting that the biggest factor to SIDS is the overall health of the baby. Is the baby sickly, asthma, respiratory issues, or other diseases??? If so they need to sleep on their backs, as this will lower their risk of SIDS, But if they are healthy, then you are fine!! I will try to find what I have been looking at with regards to SIDS factors.

 

Absolutely fine to let him be...once they start :babyflips: there is no stopping them!

 

I put mine on their sides and stomachs right away. I'd rotate. I knew they slept better AND I didn't want them getting flat heads. I'm not a real nervous person so I was fine w/ it. My mom said the only way we all slept is on our stomachs. (It's how I sleep NOW!)

So, ya. We did it. Swaddled, unswaddled.. all of it!

 

I understand your panic because I felt that way at first, too. But once they can roll over, there's not a lot you can do about it, and if they are strong enough to do that, they are fine. My boys always sleep on their bellies now and they started doing that around 5 months I think.

 

my son was a belly napper from the start (the only way I could get him to nap for more than a half hour at a time, and started sleeping on his tummy at 4 mos...at 6 mos I think you're fine letting him sleep on his belly - especially if he can roll both ways...

 

If he can roll he is fine. My guys are tummy sleepers, have been since Nathaniel was 4 weeks old, William at 9 weeks.