Sleeping on their Tummies

So I have 6 week old boys and they only will fall asleep on their tummy's!!! I know this is bad but if I lay them on their back their arms flail and they start crying uncontrollably - then DH and I have to pick them up, calm them and try again.

We were swaddling them but they bucked so hard to get out of it, their crying was worse then laying them on their back. We have the sleep sack, swaddling blankets, miracle sleep sack and none of them work. We've tried tight swaddling, which leads to VERY P*ssed off babies; or loose swaddling and they can Houdini out of it.

The only way we can get them to nap is to put them in their car-seats (Graco snug car seat) and carry them around the house. But at night/early AM feeding we are lost and it is killing us. We've almost given up and we put them on their tummy in the bed with us and we sleep with no covers (we're afraid of suffocation) and we freeze so they can sleep.

this is not the way we want to do it but we are lost as to get them to sleep any other way. We're also afraid if this goes on to long they will only sleep like this and will make crib time much harder and more scary.

Help please.

 

My DD is the same way, However when I told the doctor about it she was upset and lectured me on SIDS, I too had her on the bed with me, it is hard but she sleeps on her back now. They will sleep on their back do not get them used to sleeping on their tummies. Good luck.

 

Well, my dd is co-sleeping with us as well...I haven't told the ped. however, i would never allow her to sleep on her tummy on my mattress...it's just too soft. sleeping on her tummy on a firm crib mattess wouldn't be the end of the world. Lots of mom's have done it and it's worked for them. But I would really be hesitant about the combination of co-sleeping and tummy sleeping. It's tough...have you tried letting them sleep in car seats? that would be safer than tummy sleeping in your bed. The whole thing stinks. My kids have all been really lousy crib sleepers. And this is the first one we've allowed to co-sleep with us and I'm getting awesome sleep. She'll do 3-4 hour stretches of sleep. I'm feeling really good. But I feel really guilty, and I'm nervous over it all the time. I'm eager to get her moved over to her bassinet and at the same time terrified that she'll never sleep.

 

All my kids have always slept on their tummys. If you have no other risk factors, the odds of SIDS is quite small. When it comes to sleep, I play the odds. I need sleep. They need sleep. It makes us all happier and healthier. Would I ever tell anyone else to do this? Absolutely not. But it is what we do.

All my kids have always slept on their tummys. If you have no other risk factors, the odds of SIDS is quite small. When it comes to sleep, I play the odds. I need sleep. They need sleep. It makes us all happier and healthier. Would I ever tell anyone else to do this? Absolutely not. But it is what we do.

 

We were having the same type problem with my babies! Mine will sleep on their backs, but they sleep so much better on their bellies! We asked the pedi about it and here's what we're doing: We bought some of wedges for the crib, and we tightly swaddle the babies up and then we place them on their sides, in the wedges. We place part of the wedge that holds them in place at their belly; we wedge them at their belly and upper back so it's like they are hugging the wedge. That way they aren't on their bellies and won't roll over to their bellies, but are secure and sort of feel like they are on their belly because of the wedge on the belly, if that makes sense. They sleep on their sides. And during the day they sleep on their bellies, the pedi said it is fine for when you are there to keep an eye on them.

 

Mine slept on their bellies since 6 weeks when they caught a stomach bug from dad and wouldn't sleep anyother way. I am surprised at how many other moms do the same thing. I friend who is a nurse even did it with her colicly baby. I think if you put them in the crib without blankets to sufficate, and you don't have risk factors, there is a greater chance of getting killed in a car wreck. I know a lot of people will think I am a bad mom, but advice always changes. 15 years ago they said only put them on their bellies. I say do waht is best for you baby, just be smart about it.

 

Both of my kids have slept on their tummies since about 6 weeks. My daughter had reflux and went through some trouble with formula and this was the only way she could sleep. They are 10 months old now and had no problems. I talked to my ped about it and while he didn't directly endorse it, he encouraged me to go with what worked for my daughter. It was a little nerve racking for me the 1st couple of nights, but when my daughter was finally able to sleep and be happy, that made it easier for me.

 

At what age does the risk for SIDS go down?

 

QUOTE(Luluthewondercat @ Dec 24 2007, 10:34 AM) [snapback]545507[/snapback]
At what age does the risk for SIDS go down?


After they reach 1 year old

 

I would let mine sleep on their tummies during the day, but was scared to try it at night....well, I did it last night and the one who got cereal in the bottle slept for 8 hours, with out waking up to scream and the one who just got breastmilk slept for 4 hours...without waking up to scream. One of mine is already turning over and they both hold their head up pretty good.

 

when ours were little, jake slept much better on his stomach (and of course in the nicu, babies can sleep on their stomaches because they are monitored) but we generally only did w/supervised naps.

as far as sids/tummy sleeping, once babies can roll over, it doesn't matter - ours have been sleeping on their stomachs since they started rolling over.

i agree w/carseat or swing solution. we also used a papsan for jake (he was small, so that helped).