Side sleepers

My son recently discovered he likes sleeping on his side. I still swaddle him, but he gets his arms out right away and rolls to the side. His arms still seem to flail around a bit, like he's still not sure what to do with them. Is it safe to give him a little stuffed animal to hold at this age (5 mos)? I know he's capable of moving it if it's on his face, but would he if he's out? (and if he didn't, would it still be ok?)

I don't know why he does fine most of the night with his new position, but from 5 am on I have to keep going in there because he can't seem to get comfortable anymore. He rolls from his side back to his back and it wakes him. I try to roll him back, and 5 minutes later he's up again. By 6 am I'm like sorry buddy, it's back to the swaddle and I wrap him in tight and put him back on his back. I go back in to check on him in 10 minutes and his arms are out and he's back on his side. Then 20 minutes later he wakes himself (and his sister) up again. Is there any safe way to keep him propped up? I feel like the sleep positioners are too small for him and a rolled up blanket wouldn't be strong enough. I was thinking maybe an inverted boppy pillow? But I'm afraid I'd just be making his crib too unsafe. Anyone else go through this?

 

When mine were consistently getting out of their swaddles I did away with them & the girls seemed much happier that they didn't have to struggle anymore
I think he is fine sleeping on his side & I can't see why a little lovey (maybe not a super plush stuffed animal though) in the crib at 5months would be a problem so long as he has good mobility & is using his hands to grab/pull things?

 

I think it's okay for him to sleep on his side. Maybe when he wakes himself up, he can be given a couple of minutes to settle himself back in.

 

I give mine each a little lovey for the crib and they've had it ever since they've been out of the swaddle. (About 6 months for us). If you feel comfortable with it, I say go for it.

 

I started giving loveys at around 4.5 months old to give them something for the their hands while sleeping. We didn't have any problems with it, so if you're comfortable I'd say something like that may help.

 

Clara is a side sleeper. It helped her so much to roll on her side and stay asleep. We introduced their lovey around 4-5 months, but nothing worked at first until we gave them the taggies. Clara sleeps with her's lovey next to her face and Grayson would sometimes throw his up over his head. We used to worry and constantly move them, but now they move all over the place. I would try it, but keep an eye on them. We felt more comfortable with the small taggies than anything.

They both sleep on their stomachs most of the time now and DS face plants half the time.

 

Our girls both get on their sides also. Hannah is forced to because I put her on a wedge to keep her off the other side of her head by order of the pedi! (the muscles in that side are short and she has to learn to turn to the other side.) We have never given them toys in the crib but once we stopped swaddling, they sometimes sleep with their hands clasped. I never really thought about toys because I didn't know if it was safe. Seems to work for others though! I'm sure sleeping on his side is fine though.

 

My girls started sleeping with a lovey around 7 months old. If he's breaking out of the swaddle it might be time to do away with it and replace it with a sleep sack. GL!

 

Thanks for your replies. Last night was awful between my son and daughter. I was up pretty much non-stop from 1:30 am to 7 am. My son's swaddle me blanket was in the wash, so we tried to do without it. He was wide awake from 2 - 3 am and I couldn't get him to stay on his side. I finally got out two receiving blankets and wrapped him up like it was a miracle blanket. I didn't hear from him again until 8. Of course then my daughter started breaking out of her miracle blanket from 4:30 on...but I may be getting him one now or keep up with the two receiving blanket contraption for awhile. I wanted to start breaking him of the swaddling and try the sleep sac, but last night was ridiculous and I need some sleep.

The wedge is a good idea too, to keep him on his side. I forgot they had those. Maybe I'll be brave and try that out one night in the future.